Help children recognise anxious thoughts and feelings with four gentle, printable anxiety worksheets and practical calming activities.
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Printable activities can help children recognise anxiety, understand what’s happening in their bodies and practise simple ways to feel calmer.
My four-page anxiety workbook gives children a gentle, creative introduction to anxious thoughts and feelings. It is designed for parents, teachers and anyone supporting a child who finds it difficult to explain what is happening inside.
Instant printable PDF download: £2
What’s included in the anxiety workbook?
The printable workbook includes four child-friendly anxiety worksheets:
1. What is anxiety?
Anxiety is explained as being like a security alarm.
Sometimes the alarm warns us about a real danger. At other times, it goes off because something feels frightening or threatening, even though we are safe.
This worksheet helps children understand that everybody feels anxious sometimes and that experiencing anxiety does not mean there is anything wrong with them.
2. What is anxiety like for me?
Children are invited to explore their own experience of anxiety by:
- Drawing or writing their worries in thought bubbles
- Identifying where they feel anxiety in their body
- Noticing the connection between anxious feelings and anxious thoughts
One child might feel anxiety as a tummy ache, while another notices a tight chest, hot cheeks, shaky hands or the urge to run away. Recognising these early signs can help children understand when they may need support.
3. Dealing with anxious thoughts and feelings
This worksheet introduces four practical anxiety activities for kids:
- Dragon breathing
- Shaking and wriggling the body
- Stomping or marching
- Talking to a trusted adult
These activities use breath, movement and connection to help children calm their bodies before trying to make sense of anxious thoughts.
4. Feel calm with colouring
The final page offers a detailed underwater picture to colour.
Quiet, creative activities can give an anxious mind something steady and manageable to focus on. The page also reminds children that they are not alone, that it is all right to find things difficult and that experiencing anxiety means they are already being brave.
Who are these anxiety worksheets for?
The workbook can be used by:
- Parents and carers
- Primary school teachers
- Teaching assistants
- School wellbeing and pastoral teams
- Nurture groups
- Therapists and other professionals working with children
- Children learning to understand anxious thoughts and physical sensations
The pages are in black and white, making them simple and inexpensive to print at home or at school.
Read next: Coping skills for anxiety for kids
How to use anxiety worksheets with a child
An anxiety workbook for kids should feel like an invitation, not another piece of homework.
You do not have to complete every page in one sitting. Begin with whichever activity feels most relevant to the child.
You could:
- Read the explanation of anxiety together
- Complete your own body map alongside the child
- Let the child draw rather than write
- Practise the breathing and movement exercises when the child is calm
- Use colouring as a starting point for a relaxed conversation
- Return to a particular page when a similar feeling comes up again
Try not to introduce a new worksheet in the middle of an overwhelming moment. When a child’s anxiety alarm is sounding loudly, they may find it difficult to think, read or answer questions.
Help them feel safe and calm first. You can explore the worksheet later, when their brain and body are more ready to learn.
Related: How to help children with anxiety
Why use activities to explore anxiety?
Children do not always have the words to say, “I feel anxious.”
Instead, they might complain of a stomach ache, become clingy, get angry, avoid an activity or insist that they simply cannot do something.
An activity creates some distance from the feeling. Rather than placing the child under pressure to explain themselves, you can look at the page together and wonder:
- “Where do you notice anxiety in your body?”
- “What kinds of thoughts make your anxiety alarm go off?”
- “Which of these activities might help your body feel safer?”
- “Who are the trusted adults you could talk to?”
Writing, drawing, movement and colouring give children different ways to participate. This can be particularly helpful for children who find direct conversations difficult.
Worksheets are not a replacement for professional support, but they can provide a gentle place to begin.
Related: Anxiety at bedtime
Looking for free anxiety worksheets for kids?
My free printable, Games to Play Together, contains three paper-based games for children and adults to complete together:
- A mirror drawing game
- A scribble game
- A design-a-home game
These simple activities are designed to encourage creativity, play and connection, which can lower anxiety and make it easier for children to relax and communicate without being pressed to talk.
The printable is suitable for children aged five and over and can also be useful during travel, waiting-room visits or quiet one-to-one time.
Download Games to Play Together for free
Anger worksheets for kids
Anxiety and anger can sometimes appear together. A child who feels frightened, overwhelmed or out of control may express that feeling through shouting, arguing or physical behaviour.
My Anger Workbook is a four-page printable designed to help children:
- Understand what anger is and why it happens
- Recognise signs of anger in their bodies
- Explore how anger affects thoughts and behaviour
- Practise calming and regulation exercises
- Find safe ways to express big feelings
The workbook encourages curiosity and self-compassion. Anger is not treated as a “bad” feeling, but as an emotion children can learn to understand and handle safely.
Self-esteem activities for kids
Anxiety can also be connected with self-doubt. A child may worry about making mistakes, being judged or not being good enough.
My Self-Esteem Workbook helps children:
- Understand how self-esteem works
- Notice difficult thoughts about themselves
- Transform negative thoughts through the “self-esteem machine”
- Practise self-kindness
- Explore creative confidence-building activities
Save with the three-workbook bundle
The printable workbook bundle contains all three emotional wellbeing resources:
- My Anxiety Workbook
- My Anger Workbook
- My Self-Esteem Workbook
The complete printable bundle is £5.
Frequently asked questions
What age are the anxiety worksheets suitable for?
The worksheets are designed primarily for primary-aged children. Younger children may need an adult to read the text and complete the activities with them, while older children may prefer to work more independently.
Can parents use these anxiety worksheets at home?
Yes. The workbook is designed to be simple to download, print and use at home. You do not need specialist knowledge to work through it with your child.
Can teachers print the worksheets for school?
The workbook is suitable for teachers, teaching assistants, nurture groups and school wellbeing settings.
What activities help children with anxiety?
Helpful anxiety activities for kids may include drawing or writing worries, identifying physical sensations, breathing exercises, rhythmic movement, colouring and talking to a trusted adult. Different activities will suit different children.
Is this a complete anxiety workbook for kids?
This is a short, four-page introductory workbook rather than a complete therapeutic programme. It helps children understand anxiety and practise a few immediate tools. Children who need more extensive support may benefit from a longer workbook or help from a qualified professional.
Related: Anxiety books for kids
Are there free anxiety worksheets for kids?
My free Games to Play Together printable supports creativity, connection and relaxed communication, although it is not specifically an anxiety workbook. The paid four-page anxiety workbook costs £2.
About the author
Poppy O’Neill is a bestselling and award-winning children’s author specialising in mental health and emotional wellbeing. She has written more than 25 books for children and parents, with over 450,000 copies sold worldwide in 12 languages.
Her books include Don’t Worry, Be Happy, Shrink Your Worries, When I Feel Angry, You’re a Star and How to Support Your Anxious Child. Poppy creates clear, reassuring resources that help children understand their emotions and give the adults supporting them a gentle place to begin.