Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUseful Coping Skills for KidsTeaching Coping Skills to KidsAddressing Specific Challenges With Coping SkillsSupporting Children With Special NeedsWhen to Seek Professional Help

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Useful Coping Skills for Kids

Teaching Coping Skills to Kids

Addressing Specific Challenges With Coping Skills

Supporting Children With Special Needs

When to Seek Professional Help

Close

While challenges in life are unavoidable and often beyond our control, how we respond to them is entirely up to us. For our kids, this can be more complicated. Kids have less ability to regulate their emotions. They may have a harder time recognizing why they may be feeling stressed or anxious, and may be less aware of what to do about it.

“When kids learn healthy coping mechanisms, they become better equipped to handle stress and regulate their emotions, which, in turn, can boost theirresilience,” saysDr. Agnesa Papazyan, PsyD. It not only reduces the likelihood of behavioral issues but also improves their social interactions and academic performance,she adds.

Emotionally resilient kids are also more likely to take healthy risks and solve problems independently, addsDr. Monika Roots, a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Madison.

The first step is teaching children that it’s okay to reach out to a trusted adult and share whatever is on their mind. From there, exploring what coping methods work best for them is key, says Susan Tellone, clinical director at theSociety for the Prevention of Teen Suicide.

Here are some healthy coping strategies you may consider for your child:

13 Skills for Toddlers And Preschoolers

Engaging in social and active playcan help kids this age express their emotions and cope with stressors effectively. For example:

Dr. Kathryn Smerling, a Manhattan-based family therapist, also recommends:

“You also have to teach your kids that it’s okay to fail,” says Dr. Smerling. It’s okay if you fall down in the sandbox or can’t read what someone else can. Failure is how you learn to succeed, she adds.

13 Skills For Kids Aged 6-9

Coping skills that include simplemindfulness techniquesand creative outlets may work best for this age group. For example:

“I would also teach them the5-4-3-2-1 technique, which I named The Magic 5,” saysMelissa Tract, a child, teen, and young adult therapist. It’s a grounding exercise that involves identifying five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch, two you can smell, and one you can taste.

15 Skills For Preteens And Teens

Adolescents who practice healthy coping skills are likely to have lower levels ofstress, anxiety, anddepressioncompared to those who useavoidant coping strategies.

Having someone they can talk to who will listen without judgment is super important, says Tellone. Other coping techniques include:

Additionally, engaging inactivities that give back to the communitycan provide a sense of purpose and boost self-esteem, which can help counter negative emotions, says Tellone.

When teaching coping skills to kids, remember that taking over the problem or forcing a coping method is likely to backfire. It can undermine their confidence and ability to handle their own problems. Below, experts share what to do instead:

Model Healthy Coping Behaviors

“Our children, no matter their age, are always watching our behavior, including how we handle stress and create our support systems,” says Tellone.

Dr. Roots agrees, “Kids are like sponges—they’re absorbing everything, even when they don’t seem to be paying attention.”

If they see their parents coping in healthy ways, they are more likely to do the same. So, for instance, when your kid sees you upset, you could say, “Yes, I’m upset right now. I’m going to do my paced breathing. Would you like to join me?”

Experiment With Different Coping Skills

We all feel and manage emotions differently. What works for you won’t necessarily work for your kid. In fact, what works for someone in one situation may not be as effective for the same person in another situation.

That’s why it’s essential to introduce avariety of coping strategiesto your kid so they can try and decide for themselves what works best for them in a given situation.

Wait Until Everybody Is Calm

Don’t teach a new coping skill when either you or your kid is upset or stressed out. Instead, choose a time when everyone is relaxed, as kids learn better in a calm and friendly environment.

Use Visual Aids To Make It More Engaging

Consider using visual tools like pictures, videos, cue cards, toys, and sticky notes to help kids learn and remember coping strategies more easily.

Practice Coping Skills Consistently

Building coping skills into our daily routine makes us more likely to use them when we need. Sharing positive affirmations at breakfast, doing gratitude practice together before bedtime, and regular emotional check-ins are some ways to ease into the habit.

Reward Their Efforts

Positive reinforcement can increasemotivationand confidence, making kids more likely to repeat healthy behaviors. Dr. Smerling suggests encouraging them with positive language like, “I’m so proud of you for trying” or “You handled that so well!”

For younger kids, Tract suggests making it a part of a game. For example, you can turn coping skills into fun daily challenges and reward their efforts with extra playtime, stickers, or treats.

Set Realistic Expectations

Parents often expect immediate results or completely linear progress, saysRachael Jones, LMFT, PMH-C. But progress, whether for kids or adults, is seldom a straight line. Besides, everyone learns at a different pace. Being patient can create a supportive environment for your kid to learn and improve their coping skills without pressure.

Don’t Dismiss Their Struggles

As adults, we often think of it as “little kids, little problems.” But even those little problems can feel overwhelming to kids facing them. So it’s important not to minimize their emotions, says Tellone.

Instead, listen intently and respond in a way thatvalidates their feelings. For instance, “I can see you’re frustrated. What do you think can help you feel better?”

Keep Developmental Considerations In Mind

For younger kids, keep the language simple and instructions brief, as they have a short attention span.

Similarly, it’s important to remember that kids go through rapidhormonal changesduring adolescence. This can significantly impact how tweens and teens experience and manage their emotions, says Tellone.

That said, it’s okay to occasionally point out if you notice they are acting differently or seem off. “It can encourage them to open up about what they’re experiencing or turn to a healthy coping mechanism,” adds Tellone.

Different situations demand different coping strategies. Here are some effective ways for kids to cope when dealing with:

Academic Stress

Other coping skills to tackle academic stress include:

Dr. Roots also recommends encouraging kids to organize their study area for better focus and less anxiety.

Social Anxiety

Practice social skills together through role-playing or games, suggests Jones. She also recommends doing grounding exercises before and during social interactions. Like, taking deep breaths, sucking on sour candy, touching something cold, or using fidget rings. It may also help to take breaks during stressful social situations, adds Jones.

Bullying

The first step is to create a safe and supportive environment to let your child know they don’t have to face it alone. Avoid speaking in an authoritative or accusatory tone as it can make them feel pressured or defensive. Instead, be gentle and ask open-ended questions.

Here are three coping skills for kids who have experienced bullying:

Loss And Grief

Validate their feelings without trying to distract or “fix” anything, says Dr. Roots. “Answer any questions they may have calmly and reassuringly,” she adds.

Other than that, she suggests the following tips to help kids cope with grief:

“Try bringing as much structure and normalcy back into your child’s life as soon as possible,” says Dr. Roots. For instance, keep things like morning and bedtime routines as consistent as you can.

Also, consider creating a “calm corner” in your home, suggests Dr. Roots. It can be any quiet space in the house with books, plants, toys, twinkle lights, blankets, and other things that make them feel comfortable.

You can also journal together or encourage younger kids to draw out how they are feeling, adds Dr. Roots.

How to Reframe Stressful Situations

When teaching coping skills to kids with special needs, it’s crucial to tailor strategies to their unique needs, interests, and learning styles, says Dr. Papazyan, who specializes in autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and learning disorders.

Let’s look at 9 key coping skills for kids with special needs:

Special Considerations To Keep In Mind

Below, learning specialistDr. Rebecca Mannissuggests five questions to keep in mind when deciding which coping skills to teach a special needs child:

In addition, Dr. Papazyan recommends using clear, simple language and plenty of visual elements. For example, teach deep breathing using fun visuals, like pretending to blow up a balloon or smell flowers. Use picture cards and videos to help them identify and label emotions. For kids with visual impairment, consider tactile prompts, guided hand movements, storytelling, and rhymes.

Forkids with ADHD, it’s important to keep sessions short and interactive. They may also need more frequent encouragement and concrete cueing like sticker charts, says Dr. Mannis.

Lastly, remember that coping skills are never meant to make a child with special needs function as if they don’t have special needs, says Jones. They are only meant to support their well-being.

What to Know About Autism in Kids

Whilecoping skillsare essential, sometimes, kids may need additional support to manage their emotions. Below, Dr. Roots shares some signs that your child may benefit from professional mental healthcare:

“Every child is different, so above all else, trust your instincts,” says Dr. Roots.

Keep in Mind

Coping skills for kids are necessary to help them manage stress and emotions in healthy ways and build resilience. By introducing various age-appropriate coping strategies based on their needs and interests, we can prepare kids to handle life’s inevitable bumps and bends with more confidence and clarity.

4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brackett MA, Rivers SE, Reyes MR, Salovey P. Enhancing academic performance and social and emotional competence with the RULER feeling words curriculum. Learning and Individual Differences. 2012;22(2):218-224.Capurso M, Ragni B. Bridge over troubled water: perspective connections between coping and play in children. Front Psychol. 2016;7.Edraki M, Rambod M, Molazem Z. The effect of coping skills training on depression, anxiety, stress, and self-efficacy in adolescents with diabetes: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Community Based Nurs Midwifery. 2018;6(4):324-333.Herres J. Adolescent coping profiles differentiate reports of depression and anxiety symptoms. J Affect Disord. 2015;186:312-319.

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brackett MA, Rivers SE, Reyes MR, Salovey P. Enhancing academic performance and social and emotional competence with the RULER feeling words curriculum. Learning and Individual Differences. 2012;22(2):218-224.Capurso M, Ragni B. Bridge over troubled water: perspective connections between coping and play in children. Front Psychol. 2016;7.Edraki M, Rambod M, Molazem Z. The effect of coping skills training on depression, anxiety, stress, and self-efficacy in adolescents with diabetes: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Community Based Nurs Midwifery. 2018;6(4):324-333.Herres J. Adolescent coping profiles differentiate reports of depression and anxiety symptoms. J Affect Disord. 2015;186:312-319.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Brackett MA, Rivers SE, Reyes MR, Salovey P. Enhancing academic performance and social and emotional competence with the RULER feeling words curriculum. Learning and Individual Differences. 2012;22(2):218-224.Capurso M, Ragni B. Bridge over troubled water: perspective connections between coping and play in children. Front Psychol. 2016;7.Edraki M, Rambod M, Molazem Z. The effect of coping skills training on depression, anxiety, stress, and self-efficacy in adolescents with diabetes: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Community Based Nurs Midwifery. 2018;6(4):324-333.Herres J. Adolescent coping profiles differentiate reports of depression and anxiety symptoms. J Affect Disord. 2015;186:312-319.

Brackett MA, Rivers SE, Reyes MR, Salovey P. Enhancing academic performance and social and emotional competence with the RULER feeling words curriculum. Learning and Individual Differences. 2012;22(2):218-224.

Capurso M, Ragni B. Bridge over troubled water: perspective connections between coping and play in children. Front Psychol. 2016;7.

Edraki M, Rambod M, Molazem Z. The effect of coping skills training on depression, anxiety, stress, and self-efficacy in adolescents with diabetes: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Community Based Nurs Midwifery. 2018;6(4):324-333.

Herres J. Adolescent coping profiles differentiate reports of depression and anxiety symptoms. J Affect Disord. 2015;186:312-319.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?