Sometimes children need help dealing with their stress levels.
It is common for a child to have some degree of stress and anxiety in their life. As a parent, it can sometimes be challenging to get a child to relax when they are afraid or anxious about something. However, there are all sorts of relaxation and stress management techniques that are proven effective for children. Here are just a few of them!
Exercise
One of the best ways for a child to cope with stress and anxiety is to exercise! It could be walking, running, biking, or hiking! Anything that gets the child moving and helps them to forget about anything that is troubling them. Also, listening to music when exercising can help as well!
Stretch
Stretching has several health benefits. Not only does it help with injury prevention but it also loosens any tight muscles caused by stress. By doing so, a child should feel more comfortable and therefore more relaxed.
Laughter
In many cases, laughter can be the medicine for a child! There are all sorts of ways you can get a child to laugh. You could tell a joke to them, make funny faces, or watch a funny movie together!
Listening To Music
For some children, there is nothing more calming and relaxing than listening to music. When a child is feeling overwhelmed, try playing some music for them. There is a good chance that the music will put them more at ease.
Deep Breathing
This calming technique is useful because it slows down the body’s reaction to stress. By performing deep breathing, you slow down your body’s heart rate and should help you feel in control of the situation. What makes deep breathing so great is that it can be done anywhere at any time. All you need to do is first to breathe in deeply, hold it for a second, and then release the air slowly. A child may need to do this a few times to feel more relaxed.
The Connections Therapy Center
The Connections Therapy Center serves families of children and adolescents with disabilities and special needs. We are a team of experts in the fields of pediatric speech, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and behavioral sciences. As a team, we offer intensive hands-on therapy for children and adolescents, as well as informative and useful resources for families. If you are interested in learning more about what we can do to help your family, visit us online or give us a call at (202) 561-1110 (Washington, D.C. office) or (301) 577-4333 (Lanham office). Want to get more information on how to help your child thrive? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and Pinterest.