Mental health is just as important as physical health, especially for our children. Teaching kids how to care for their mental well-being at a young age sets them up for a healthier and happier future.
World Mental Health Day, celebrated on October 10th of each year, reminds us to prioritize mental wellness. It’s a day to reflect on the importance of mental health and what we can do to support it.
Introducing mental health games/activities is one of the best ways to promote mental health awareness. Doing so teaches children coping strategies and stress management skills for difficult times.
In this post, we’ll explore ten unique mental health games and activities for kids. These activities aim to help children express feelings, reduce stress, and develop healthy emotional habits.
Emotion Charades
What You Need
- Slips of paper
- A bowl
- Pen or marker
How to Play
Write different emotions on slips of paper. Use words like happy, sad, frustrated, excited, or confused. Then, place the slips into a bowl.
Kids will take turns picking a slip of paper and acting out the emotion without using words. The other kids playing will take turns guessing what emotion someone acts out.
Why It Helps
Emotion charades help children recognize and express emotions in a non-threatening way. By acting out the feelings, they gain a better understanding of how emotions look and feel. This game can also spark discussions about when they might feel these emotions in their own lives.
Feelings Wheel
What You Need
- A blank circle printed or drawn on paper
- Colored pencils or markers
How to Play
Divide the circle into different sections, each representing a different feeling. Ask the child to fill in each section with a color that matches how they associate with the emotion. For example, blue for sadness, red for anger, yellow for happiness, etc.
Why It Helps
A feelings wheel is a creative way to help children identify and name their emotions. It gives them a visual way to understand that emotions can be complex and vary in intensity. It also promotes emotional literacy, which is essential for developing empathy. Over time, this activity can help children articulate their feelings more clearly and effectively.
Mindful Breathing Balloons
What You Need
How to Play
Each child gets a balloon and is asked to blow it up slowly. As they blow up the balloon, encourage them to take deep, slow breaths, focusing on how their breathing feels. Once the balloon is inflated, they can release it and watch it fly around, symbolizing how stress can be released.
Why It Helps
Mindful breathing helps kids manage stress and anxiety. The balloon acts as a fun tool for them to practice deep breathing, a calming technique they can use whenever they feel overwhelmed.
This physical activity can be a practical introduction to mindfulness for children.
Thought Bubbles
What You Need
- Blank paper or whiteboard
- Markers or pens
How to Play
Draw a few thought bubbles on a piece of paper or whiteboard. Ask the kids to fill each bubble with a thought they have had that day, whether positive or negative. Discuss the thoughts and how they might turn negative thoughts into more positive ones.
Why It Helps
This activity teaches kids to reflect on their thoughts and recognize patterns. It helps them become more aware of how their thinking can influence their feelings and actions. Discussing thought patterns can encourage problem-solving and emotional regulation. It also fosters open conversations about the inner dialogue kids have, helping them become more self-aware.
Gratitude Journal
What You Need
- Notebook or paper
- Pens or markers
How to Play
Ask the child to write or draw three things they are grateful for each day. This can be as simple as a favorite toy, a fun activity they did, or a friend who made them smile. For younger kids, they can draw pictures to help represent their gratitude instead.
Why It Helps
A gratitude journal encourages children to focus on the positive aspects of their lives, fostering a sense of appreciation and happiness. This activity can be done daily to build a routine of thinking positively. It helps kids shift their focus away from negative thoughts and challenges them to find joy in small, everyday moments. Over time, practicing gratitude can improve their overall mood and outlook on life.
Calm Down Jars
What You Need
- A small plastic jar or bottle
- Water
- Glitter
- Glue
How to Play
Fill the jar with water, add glitter, and seal it with glue. When a child is feeling stressed or upset, they can shake the jar and watch the glitter slowly settle. Encourage them to focus on the glitter as it floats and sinks to the bottom.
Why It Helps
The calm down glitter jar provides a visual way to soothe emotions. Watching the glitter can help a child calm their mind and body, giving them time to process their emotions and react more calmly. This simple yet mesmerizing activity encourages mindfulness and patience. It also gives children a physical object they can use to control when they are feeling overwhelmed.
Feeling Masks
What You Need
Paper plates or craft paper
- Markers
- String
How to Play
Each child makes a mask by drawing an emotion on a paper plate. For example, a smiling face for happiness or a frown for sadness. After decorating their masks, they can take turns wearing them and discussing when they might feel that emotion.
Why It Helps
Feeling masks help children express emotions they might not feel comfortable discussing. The mask provides a playful way for them to explore different emotions and understand that it’s okay to feel a range of emotions. It can also help shy or reserved children express themselves in a non-verbal way.
This activity encourages kids to identify emotions and see them as a normal part of life. It also teaches them that social interaction can improve mental health.
Emotion Scavenger Hunt
What You Need
- A list of emotions
- Pen or marker
How to Play
Create a scavenger hunt list with emotions like happiness, anger, sadness, or fear. Ask the kids to find objects in their environment that match each emotion.
Why It Helps
This mental health activity helps kids understand how their surroundings can affect their emotions. It also encourages mindfulness and emotional awareness as they explore different feelings. Kids learn to connect emotions to everyday objects and situations, promoting self-awareness.
Positive Affirmation Cards
What You Need
- Index cards or paper
- Markers or pens
How to Play
Have the children write positive affirmations on each card, such as “I am brave,” “I am kind,” or “I can solve problems.” Let them decorate the cards and keep them in a place where they can see them every day.
Why It Helps
Positive affirmations boost self-esteem and build confidence. Seeing and repeating these affirmations can help children develop a more positive mindset and tackle challenges with resilience. Repeating affirmations regularly can reshape negative thought patterns into positive mental energy. It teaches kids the power of self-talk and how it influences their beliefs and actions.
Story Stones
What You Need
- Small stones or rocks
- Paint or markers
How to Play
Paint or draw simple pictures on the stones–like a sun, a rainbow, a house, or a person. Kids choose a stone and spend time creating a story around it. For example, if they pick a stone with a heart, they might tell a story about kindness or love.
Why It Helps
Storytelling helps children express their thoughts and feelings creatively. Story stones help them discuss mental health challenges in a safe way. By creating stories, children develop empathy and better understand different perspectives. This activity also promotes communication skills and boosts creativity.
Conclusion
Children may not always have the words to express their feelings, but they experience the same emotions as adults. Anxiety, depression, and stress can impact kids, making it essential to give them tools to cope with complex emotions.
Mental health games and activities help children become more aware of their emotions. They build resilience and help them develop skills to manage stress.
Mental health is vital for every child. Teaching kids how to manage their feelings in fun and engaging ways may prevent some mental health issues.
Celebrate World Mental Health Day by trying out one of these mental health activities for kids!
