10 Fun and Beneficial Mental Health Activities for Kids

As parents, we all want to ensure our children grow up happy, healthy, and emotionally resilient. One way to promote good mental health in kids is through engaging and enjoyable activities that help them understand and manage their feelings. Here are 10 fun and beneficial mental health activities for kids that you can incorporate into your daily routine.

Emotion Charades:

This game helps children express their emotions through acting. Write down different emotions on pieces of paper and take turns acting them out. It's a great way for kids to learn about and share their feelings.

Try what's the temperature from School Mental Health Ontario

©[sketchify] via canva.com

Get ready

• Gather paper, crayons, or markers.
• Write or draw different feelings on a piece of paper (e.g. happy, sad, angry, excited).
• Ask your child to pick one feeling for the activity.

Go

• Have your child draw a big thermometer on a piece of paper.
• Mark off different points along the thermometer from 0 at the bottom, to 5 at the top.
• Write the feeling your child picked at the top of the paper.
• Talk about the different intensities of that feeling with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. For example, if your child chooses anger, 1 might be not at all angry and 5 might be furious.
• Describe a situation and ask your child to rate where on the thermometer that situation might make them feel.
• This can be used during different times to help your child recognize the feeling and the intensity.
• Make a new thermometer using a different feeling.

Feelings Journal:

Encourage your child to keep a journal where they can write or draw about their daily experiences and emotions. It's a safe space for self-expression and reflection.

Mindfulness Coloring:

©[Drawcee] via canva.com

Coloring books designed for mindfulness can help kids relax and focus. Coloring is a soothing activity that allows children to be in the moment and explore their creativity.

Try Four Finger Affirmation from School Mental Health Ontario

Get ready

• Gather paper and a pencil (optional).

Go

• Ask your child to choose four words that make them feel calm and confident. It might be a sentence or just four words.
• Examples: “I am loved today,” “I believe in me,” “Breathe, listen, smile, love,” “I can handle this.”
• Explain that each word they choose will match a finger on their hand.
• Have them say the words (affirmation) aloud or in their head and connect each finger with their thumb.
• Tell your child they can repeat this as many times as they like, aloud or to themselves.

Gratitude Jar:

Start a family gratitude jar where everyone can write down something they're grateful for each day. This practice helps kids focus on the positive aspects of their lives.

Nature Walks:

Spending time in nature can have a calming effect on children. Take them for walks in the park, and encourage them to observe and appreciate the natural world around them.

Breathing Exercises:

Teach your child simple breathing exercises to manage stress and anxiety. One effective technique is the "4-7-8" breathing method, which involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds.

Try Snow Storm in a Bag breathing activity from School Mental Health Ontario

Get ready

• Collect items from around your home. Gather straws, baggies (or a see-through container with a lid that you can make a hole in for a straw), light materials that will float such as Styrofoam, feathers, glitter, and tissue paper.
• Put some of the materials inside the container/baggie, close it and place the straw in the hole.

Go

• Have your child take a big breath.
• Blow slowly into the straw.
• Watch how the materials float around the container. Does it look like a snowstorm or something else?
• Repeat
• Ask your child how it feels when they do this.

Yoga for Kids:

Yoga promotes physical and mental well-being. There are many child-friendly yoga videos and resources available online that can make yoga fun and accessible.

Not sure where to start? You can check out Cosmic Kids Yoga videos or Yoga for Children to find detailed information on yoga for kids.

Puzzle Games:

Solving puzzles and brain-teasers can boost cognitive skills and provide a sense of accomplishment, which contributes to better mental health.

Storytelling:

Encourage your child to tell stories or write their own short stories. This creative outlet can help them explore their thoughts and feelings.

Try Collect & Build a Story from PJ Library

"Collect a bunch of objects and then use them to inspire your storytelling. When the weather is nice, head outdoors with your little ones to fill baskets or recycled containers with interesting objects – rocks, flowers, coins you find in your travels – and then each person selects a favorite item from his or her collection and adds it to the group’s collection. Spread out the objects from the big collection, and create a story inspired by what you see."

Family Check-Ins:

Set aside regular family check-in times where everyone can discuss their feelings and experiences. This open communication fosters emotional intelligence and strengthens family bonds.

Promoting mental health in children is crucial for their overall well-being. These 10 activities are not only enjoyable but also contribute to the development of emotional intelligence and resilience in kids. By integrating these practices into your daily routine, you can help your child navigate their emotions and build a strong foundation for mental well-being.

Sources:

School Mental Health Ontario

Action For Healthy Kids

PJ Library