There are situations when we all lose our cool. It could be due to things not going our way or due to an argument we don’t agree with. As your little one grows up and begins to develop an understanding of his likes and dislikes, he too is bound to experience the emotions of happiness, sadness, and anger. Just as all kids are different, so are their ways of reacting to various emotions. While in some kids, anger manifests as aggression, some kids tend to withdraw and display passive-aggressive traits when angry. Both these extreme mechanisms can turn your child very bitter and make it difficult for him to learn the right way to deal with his feelings.
How To Deal With Your Child’s Anger
Here are seven fun activities and games to help your child deal with his anger in the best way:
- Spinning The Anger Wheel: This is a super fun activity that will calm your child’s anger down with the help of alternate tasks. It will also make him understand and find a solution to the cause of his anger. Create a spinning wheel, labeling each spoke with an activity like, “Count till 10”, “Write about your problem”, “Talk to ma/pa”, “Dance”, “Read a book”, etc. Each time your child gets angry, ask him to spin the wheel and perform the task mentioned on the spoke the arrow stops at. This activity will help your child vent out his emotions in a productive manner.
- Anger Toss: Here’s a game by the end of which your child will feel a lot calmer and comfortable. Ask your kid to write down everything that is making him angry on different pieces of paper. If he has trouble stringing his problems into a sentence, help him do so. For example, say, “I am angry because mom scolds me”, or “I am angry because I didn’t get a chance to play on the swing.” Once he writes his problems down, let him crumple those papers into balls and ask him to toss them into a bin with great force. He will instantaneously feel better and more in control of his feelings.
- Self Expression Through Art: Another tactic to help your child deal with anger is encouraging him to express his feelings through art. Hand him art supplies like paper, paint, crayons and sketch pens and urge him to express his emotions through drawings, sketches, writings, or even scribbles. Art provides an excellent outlet to let out what even words cannot express at times.
- Hurling Play Dough: Think of this as a kid-friendly version of a dartboard. Each time your little one loses his cool over something, hand him some play dough, ask him to pound it while thinking about things that he’s upset about and aim it towards an empty wall. Tell him to continue this practice until he feels better. This activity can be a great stress buster.
- Reaching For The Calm Down Box: Box up a bunch of things that can induce a state of calmness in your child and hand it to him whenever he gets angry. This box can be your child’s go-to whenever he feels anxious or agitated. Fill the box with sensory play items like play dough, squeeze balls, interactive books, soft toys, and a sing-along player. Let your child spend time with these things till he calms down.
- Positive Affirmations: This practice is a sure shot way to comfort your child when he experiences negative emotions. Encourage him to use statements like, “I am fine”, “I will deal with my emotions positively”, “I will stay calm” etc. These affirmations will help him turn his negative emotions into positive problem-solving opportunities.
- Deep Breathing: Deep breathing is one of the oldest and most effective techniques to help relax, both the mind and body. It is also a great way to encourage your child to collect his thoughts before taking any action in anger or haste. When you see the signs of an angry outburst in your child, encourage him to take ten minutes off and practice deep breathing to cool himself off.
Try out these calming activities with your child to help him learn reasonable ways to deal with his anger. Do let us know which activity worked best with your kid in the comments section below.