Anxiety is a pervasive issue in children these days, and it doesn’t help when we throw in a global pandemic that results in a massive disruption in their lives. Many children seem to be doing well during this time, as they’re benefiting from a slower lifestyle and more time with family. However, many children are understandably frightened by the virus and what it means for themselves and their loved ones.
If your child is experiencing heightened anxiety during this time, please consider seeking therapy for them from a trained professional. You can also help at home by monitoring their news intake and keeping conversations focused on what we CAN control right now, such as washing our hands and staying home. Also, play with them often! Play is how children naturally process their feelings and connect with others.
And of course, you can also read to them books about anxiety and worries. Here are some wonderful recommendations below. Clicking on the picture will take you to the Amazon page for each book:
For Preschoolers
Bravery Soup – Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Carlin the raccoon is frightened by a lot of things. He meets Big Bear, who tells him how he can get courage. Good message without being overly preachy for this age group.
Llama Llama Red Pajama – Anna Dewdney
Classic tale of bedtime battles related to separation anxiety. Includes catchy rhymes and shows very young children that parents don’t forget about their kids when they’re not right there with them.
Pout-Pout Fish and the Big Big Dark – Deborah Diesen
Mr. Fish is smart, strong, and fast, but is secretly afraid of the dark. Mr. Fish learns that friendship can get you through anything. Cute and engaging story.
Go Away, Big Green Monster! – Ed Emberley
Interactive die-cut book that makes a monster appear bigger and bigger. Then, as readers face the monster and talk back to it, it gets smaller and smaller. Great for kiddos experiencing bedtime fears.
For Elementary Students
You’ve Got Dragons – Kathryn Cave
Equates our worries to dragons that can sneak up on us. A boy with many dragons of his own tries various attempts for dealing with them. Interactive and cute!
The Worrywarts – Pamela Duncan Edwards
Wombat wants to go on an adventure, but her friends have worries about what might happen on their journey. Fun read with lots of w-words 🙂
The Darkest Dark – Chris Hadfield
Chris loves learning about space the universe, but is afraid of the dark. He learns to see that space, while dark, is also beautiful and exciting. Provides a different perspective to kiddos with bedtime fears.
Below is a series of books by Melanie Watt that cover different specific anxieties children experience. Younger elementary kiddos love them!
Scaredy Squirrel
A story of an endearing squirrel who’s scared to take risks.
Scaredy Squirrel at Night
Scaredy confronts his bad dreams and gets a good night’s sleep.
Scaredy Squirrel has a Birthday Party
Scaredy plans excessively for a solitary birthday party, and gets something wildly different. Good for kiddos who get upset by change in plans, and/or have some social anxiety and shyness.
The above links are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a small percentage of what you spend without it costing you anything extra. I only recommend books that I honestly see value in, whether or not you purchase it through these links. If you’re uncomfortable using the affiliate links, you can visit http://www.amazon.com and type the book you’re searching for.
Amanda Robinson, LPC-S, RPT-S 