Session Overview

Understanding what anxiety does to a child in the moment, and ten practical tools to help them through it

When anxiety flares, a child’s thinking brain goes offline. That’s not them being difficult, it’s a body doing what bodies do when they sense a threat and you can’t reason a child out of it. What helps is having something to reach for in the moment, and then a plan for next time.

This session is a toolbox of ten practical things to try, from breathing and grounding to coping statements, worry planning and moving anxious energy through the body. Each tool is small enough to use in an ordinary classroom or kitchen, and explained so you know why it works and when it suits. It won’t resolve what sits underneath a child’s anxiety, but it will help them get through the tricky moments while you find steadier ground. It draws on professional expertise, evidence and lived experience.

What you’ll learn:

• How to help a child settle their body with breathing, grounding and muscle relaxation
• How to answer anxious thoughts with coping statements a child will actually use
• What to do with a worry, from making a plan for it to putting it down for now
• How to help a child who’s full of fizzing, can’t-sit-still anxious energy
• Why feeling safe comes first, and how to build from what already works for a child

Who this is for:
Anyone supporting an anxious child, whether you’re a teacher, teaching assistant, SENCO,  parent, carer or supporting in any other capacity. No prior knowledge needed, and the tools work with or without a diagnosis.  They’re also helpful for adults too so you may pick up some ideas for your own use too.