Mental Health Activities for Kids: How to Boost Their Well-Being and Resilience

By Venita Adams
January 14, 2024

Mental health is an important topic for everyone, but especially for children. Children face many challenges and stressors in their daily lives, such as school, peer pressure, family issues, and social media. These can affect their mood, self-esteem, behavior, and learning.

Fortunately, there are many ways to help children cope with stress and improve their mental health. In this blog post, we will share some fun and easy activities that you can do with your kids to boost their well-being and resilience. These activities are based on scientific research and proven techniques, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and positive psychology.

We will also answer some frequently asked questions about mental health and children, such as:

What are the signs of mental health problems in children?
How can I talk to my child about mental health?
When should I seek professional help for my child’s mental health?

Let’s get started!

1. Be the Pond: A Mindfulness Activity to Manage Feelings

One of the most important skills for mental health is mindfulness, which is the ability to pay attention to the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness can help children calm down, regulate their emotions, and cope with difficult situations.

A simple and fun way to practice mindfulness with your kids is to use the “Be the Pond” activity from Cosmic Kids. In this activity, you ask your child to imagine that their mind is a big pond, and that their feelings are different kinds of fish that swim in the pond. Some fish are big and scary, like anger, sadness, or fear. Some fish are small and cute, like joy, peace, or love.

You then explain to your child that all feelings are okay to have, and that they don’t have to get rid of them or avoid them. Instead, they can be the pond, and let the fish swim around them without getting caught up in them. You can use this video to guide your child through the activity, or you can do it yourself with your own words.

This activity can help your child learn to observe their feelings without reacting to them, and to accept them as part of their experience. This can reduce the intensity and duration of negative emotions, and increase the awareness and appreciation of positive emotions.

2. Make a Magical Worry Box: A Craft Activity to Manage Worries

Another common challenge for children’s mental health is worry, which is the feeling of anxiety or fear about something that might happen in the future. Worry can interfere with your child’s sleep, concentration, and happiness.

A creative and effective way to help your child deal with worry is to make a magical worry box. A worry box is a container where your child can write down or draw their worries and put them inside. The idea is that by doing this, your child can let go of their worries and give their brain a break from holding onto them.

To make a magical worry box, you will need:

A shoebox or any other box with a lid
Paper and pens or pencils
Scissors and glue
Stickers, glitter, paint, or any other decorations

Here are the steps to follow:

Ask your child to decorate the box with their favorite colors, patterns, and stickers. You can also help them write a label for the box, such as “My Magical Worry Box” or “Worry Away”.
Cut out some small pieces of paper and give them to your child. Ask your child to write down or draw one worry on each piece of paper. You can also do this with them, and share your own worries.
Ask your child to fold the pieces of paper and put them inside the box. Tell them that they are giving their worries to the box, and that the box will take care of them. You can also add some magic words, such as “Worry, worry, go away, come again another day”.
Close the lid of the box and put it somewhere safe. Tell your child that they can add more worries to the box whenever they feel like it, and that they can also take out the worries and throw them away or rip them up if they don’t need them anymore.

This activity can help your child express their worries and feel more in control of them. It can also help them realize that worries are not facts, and that they can change or disappear over time.

3. Build a Gratitude Jar: A Positive Psychology Activity to Increase Happiness

One of the best ways to improve your child’s mental health is to help them cultivate gratitude, which is the feeling of appreciation for the good things in life. Gratitude can boost your child’s mood, optimism, and satisfaction, and protect them from depression and stress.

A fun and easy way to practice gratitude with your kids is to build a gratitude jar. A gratitude jar is a container where your child can write down or draw the things that they are grateful for and put them inside. The idea is that by doing this, your child can focus on the positive aspects of their life and feel more happy and thankful.

To build a gratitude jar, you will need:

A glass jar or any other transparent container with a lid
Paper and pens or pencils
Scissors and glue
Ribbons, stickers, beads, or any other decorations

Here are the steps to follow:

Ask your child to decorate the jar with their favorite colors, patterns, and stickers. You can also help them write a label for the jar, such as “My Gratitude Jar” or “Thank You”.
Cut out some small pieces of paper and give them to your child. Ask your child to write down or draw one thing that they are grateful for on each piece of paper. You can also do this with them, and share your own gratitude. The things can be big or small, such as family, friends, pets, toys, food, nature, or anything else that makes them happy.
Ask your child to fold the pieces of paper and put them inside the jar. Tell them that they are filling the jar with happiness and gratitude. You can also add some magic words, such as “Thank you, thank you, for all that you do, you make my life better, I’m grateful for you”.
Close the lid of the jar and put it somewhere visible. Tell your child that they can add more gratitude to the jar whenever they feel like it, and that they can also take out the gratitude and read them or share them with others if they want to feel more happy and thankful.

This activity can help your child notice and appreciate the good things in their life and increase their positive emotions. It can also help them develop a habit of gratitude that can last a lifetime.

4. Create a Self-Care Chart: A Planning Activity to Take Care of Yourself

One of the most important things for mental health is self-care, which is the act of taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Self-care can help your child feel good, cope with stress, and prevent burnout.

A practical and helpful way to encourage self-care in your kids is to create a self-care chart. A self-care chart is a table where your child can list the activities that they can do to take care of themselves and track their progress. The idea is that by doing this, your child can plan and prioritize their well-being and feel more balanced and healthy.

To create a self-care chart, you will need:

A large piece of paper or a poster board
A ruler and a marker
Stickers, stamps, or any other rewards

Here are the steps to follow:

Ask your child to draw a table with five columns and seven rows on the paper or poster board. You can also help them with this step.
Ask your child to write the days of the week on the top row of the table, from Monday to Sunday.
Ask your child to write four categories of self-care on the left column of the table, such as “Physical”, “Mental”, “Emotional”, and “Social”. You can also explain what each category means, such as:
- Physical: Taking care of your body, such as eating healthy, drinking water, sleeping well, exercising, or relaxing.
- Mental: Taking care of your mind, such as learning new things, reading, doing puzzles, or meditating.
- Emotional: Taking care of your feelings, such as expressing yourself, journaling, drawing, or listening to music.
- Social: Taking care of your relationships, such as spending time with family, friends, pets, or teachers.
Ask your child to write one or two activities that they can do for each category of self-care on the same row. For example, they can write “Eat a fruit” and “Stretch” for physical, “Read a book” and “Do a crossword” for mental, “Write a poem” and “Sing a song” for emotional, and “Call a friend” and “Play with my dog” for social.
Ask your child to use the stickers, stamps, or any other rewards to mark the activities that they complete each day on the table. Tell them that they are taking care of themselves and that they can be proud of their achievements. You can also praise them and join them in some of the activities.

This activity can help your child plan and practice self-care and feel more in charge of their well-being. It can also help them develop a routine of self-care that can benefit them in the long term.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions that parents and caregivers may have about mental health and children, and some answers based on the latest research and expert advice.

What are the signs of mental health problems in children?

Mental health problems can affect children of any age, background, and personality. However, they are not always easy to recognize, as children may not be able to express or understand their feelings, or may try to hide them from others.

Some common signs of mental health problems in children are:

Changes in mood, such as being more irritable, sad, angry, or scared than usual
Changes in behavior, such as being more withdrawn, aggressive, restless, or disobedient than usual
Changes in school performance, such as having trouble concentrating, learning, or remembering, or losing interest in schoolwork or activities
Changes in physical health, such as having headaches, stomachaches, sleep problems, or appetite problems
Changes in social relationships, such as having trouble making or keeping friends, or avoiding family or peers
Changes in self-esteem, such as having negative thoughts or feelings about themselves, or feeling hopeless or worthless
Changes in interests or hobbies, such as losing interest in things that they used to enjoy, or developing new or unusual habits or obsessions
Changes in coping skills, such as having difficulty managing stress, emotions, or impulses, or engaging in risky or harmful behaviors, such as self-harm, substance abuse, or violence

If you notice any of these signs in your child, it does not necessarily mean that they have a mental health problem, as they could also be caused by other factors, such as normal development, life events, or physical illnesses. However, it is important to pay attention to them and talk to your child about how they are feeling and what they are going through. If the signs persist or worsen, or if they interfere with your child’s daily functioning or well-being, you should seek professional help from a doctor, counselor, or therapist.

How can I talk to my child about mental health?

Talking to your child about mental health can be challenging, but also very beneficial. It can help your child feel more comfortable and supported, and also help you understand and help them better.

Here are some tips on how to talk to your child about mental health:

Choose a good time and place, such as when you are both calm and relaxed, and when you have enough time and privacy to talk without interruptions or distractions
Start the conversation by asking open-ended questions, such as “How are you feeling today?” or “What’s on your mind?” or “Is there anything that’s bothering you?” or “How can I help you?”
Listen actively and empathetically, by paying attention to what your child says and how they say it, by nodding, making eye contact, and using encouraging words, such as “I see” or “I understand” or “That sounds hard”
Validate your child’s feelings, by acknowledging and accepting them, without judging, criticizing, or dismissing them, such as “It’s okay to feel sad” or “I’m sorry you’re feeling scared” or “I’m proud of you for being brave”
Express your love and support, by reassuring your child that you care about them and that you are there for them, no matter what, such as “I love you” or “You are not alone” or “We will get through this together”
Provide information and guidance, by explaining mental health in simple and age-appropriate terms, by answering your child’s questions honestly and clearly, and by offering suggestions and resources, such as “Mental health is like physical health, sometimes we feel good and sometimes we feel bad, and we need to take care of both” or “There are many people who have mental health problems, and it’s not their fault, and they can get better with help” or “There are many things that you can do to improve your mental health, such as talking to someone, doing fun activities, or seeing a professional”

Remember that talking to your child about mental health is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process. You should check in with your child regularly, and encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings with you. You should also be a good role model, by taking care of your own mental health, and by seeking help when you need it. By doing this, you can help your child develop a positive and healthy attitude towards mental health, and strengthen your relationship with them.