Whether a child’s stress is caused by everyday life or a medical condition like ADHD, it is important to know how to reduce it. Giving a child the tools to deal with stress early on in life can impact the way he deals with stresses in adulthood. Several activities can help reduce stress and promote relaxation in children.
Make it Fun
The Family Clinic website recommends making relaxation techniques fun for kids. Use images and activities that a child can relate to. This may encourage a child to do them more often. Some examples may include having him imagine he is squeezing lemons in his hands. Tell him to squeeze until all the juices run out. Drop the imaginary lemon and grab another. Repeat with both hands, telling the child to concentrate on how the hand feels when it is squeezed and relaxed. Another option is to tell a child to pretend he has a giant, tough wad of bubblegum in his mouth. Tell him to bite down hard, using the neck and jaw muscles. Then, tell him to relax his jaw, noticing how good it feels when it is at rest.
Get Outside
For highly a sensitive child, the Kids Relaxation website suggests using nature and fresh air to help her relax. Head out to the park, on a nature hike or even out to the backyard. Have your child simply sit and listen to outdoor sounds like birds and water. After mentally collecting them, have him share what she has heard. Collecting flowers can also be a relaxing activity. Go to the library to find out what flowers grow in your region and then help your child look for some live specimens. Another fun activity is to have your child hug a tree. Tell him to think about what seasons and weather the tree has experienced. Or, you can have him think of all the benefits a tree provides–oxygen, shade, a home to animals, etc.
Incorporate Music
Music can be a powerful tool in child relaxation, says the Family Education website. Soothing music, such as classical music or environmental sounds, can help calm and soothe children. It may also help stimulate a child’s brain, enabling him to focus easier on relaxation techniques and daily activities.
Encourage Laughter
An act as simple as laughter can help a child relax. Laughter can help decrease the levels of stress hormones, lower inhibitions, reduce pain and elevate the mood. Although any activity that makes a child laugh can be used, the Kids Relaxation website recommends silly activities like speaking gibberish. Try to be as serious as possible while talking in gibberish. Tell a story, sing a song or expressively reenact a funny scene from a movie.
About this Author
Rose Erickson has been a writer for 20 years. She has written five novels, the first completed when she was only 15 years old. She was published in the Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans.
