Coping Skills Alphabet for Kids

It’s easy to forget that being a kid can be stressful. As a parent to a 6-year-old daughter, I sometimes find myself thinking things like, ‘She doesn’t have any bills and she can nap whenever she wants. What’s the problem?!’

But the truth is, being a kid isn’t all laughs and lollipops. They have to deal with major life changes along with the rest of us. Add high-pressure tests, bullies and social media into the mix, and it’s no wonder childhood can be stressful.

But here’s the thing: Not all stress is bad. Stress can motivate and propel us to deal with challenges. It becomes an issue when kids are dealing with more stress than they can handle.

We can play an important role in shaping how kids understand their stress feelings, how they cope with those feelings, and how they problem-solve and plan for future stressful events. When kids learn age-appropriate ways to manage stress, they build self-efficacy and self-confidence. They also learn healthy boundaries, self-care skills and how to foster healthy relationships.

Since helping our kids learn these skills can be easier said than done, we’re here to help. Here’s how to identify when your kids are stressed. Plus, healthy ways to support them.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Coping Skills Alphabet for Kids

Definition and Concept

Knowing when your child is stressed isn’t always easy. Kids can express their stress differently than adults – both verbally and in the way the stress manifests. For example, ‘Younger kids might say they’re scared or sick,’ says Quinn. ‘Or, some kids might express it through changes in behavior.’ Think: temper tantrums, accidents, and nightmares. It’s all okay. And normal. It just makes our job as parents a little harder.

Here are some common signs of stress to be aware of. But they’re not the only ones, and some can also be signs of other issues. When in doubt, consult your child’s pediatrician. Or reach out to a mental health provider. And no matter what, keep talking to your child.

* Irritability, anger, frequent bad moods or other negative behavior changes

* Sleeping too much or too little

* Inability to calm down

* Difficulty regulating emotions

* New or recurring fears

* Concentration issues

* Neglecting responsibilities, like: homework or chores

* Stopping activities they used to enjoy

* Needing extra help from adults

* Rigid or controlling behavior

* Avoiding or excessively clinging to parents and/or caregivers

* Avoiding old friendships in favor of new peer groups

* Changes in appetite

* Getting sick more often

How to Use the Alphabet?

The Coping Skills alphabet for kids is an effective way to teach children healthy strategies for managing negative emotions. This alphabet offers a comprehensive toolbox of coping techniques that can be used on a daily basis to help kids regulate their stress levels and handle difficult situations in constructive ways.

Teaching the ABCs of coping provides mothers with an opportunity to model healthy practices such as positive self-talk, mindful meditation, breathing exercises, social support techniques, cognitive reframing activities and creative expression tools.

These skills allow children to find ways to manage their own thoughts and feelings which encourages them to learn how they think and ultimately takes control over what they experience emotionally.

Practicing coping skills as a normal routine is crucial because it allows children to develop a strong foundation of emotional well-being and resilience. By incorporating coping skills into their everyday lives, these strategies become ingrained as automatic and readily accessible tools for navigating difficult situations.

When children regularly engage in coping practices, they become familiar with their effectiveness and gain confidence in their ability to manage and regulate their emotions. Just like any other skill, consistent practice enables children to refine their coping techniques, making them more adept at recognizing and responding to stressors in a healthy and successful manner.

By internalizing coping skills as a natural part of their lives, children become equipped with invaluable resources that can be summoned quickly and effortlessly whenever they encounter challenges, fostering emotional resilience and empowering them to thrive in various aspects of life.

So first – go through this list with your kids and choose 3-5 coping skills to practice on daily (or weekly) basic.

Then, sit together and brainstorm what your kid will do as a daily or weekly routine.

Remember! resilience is like a muscle– if you work on it, it will get stronger!

Coping Skills Alphabet – The List

A
Ask for help
Aromatherapy
Art
Attend an event of Interest
Athletics
Ask to talk to a friend
Allow time to think
Apologize
Act out favorite actor/actress
Artistically express feelings
Address the real issue

B
Bounce a stress ball
Breathe slowly
Baking
Basketball
Be attentive

C
Count to ten
Color a picture
Catch a ball
Call crisis line
Call a friend
Cookie decorating
Collect thoughts
Chat with friends
Calming techniques

D
Deep breathing
Drawing emotions/feelings
Dancing
Do push ups
Driving
Drink water
Dress up (play)
Discuss feelings
Demonstrate self-control

E
Eat a snack
Exercise
Escape the situation

F
Find a safe place
Finish house work
Fishing
Free weight
Find a book to read
Filter emotions
Fina a puzzle to play
Find a friend
Free write feelings
Following directions
Fly a kite
Focus attention elsewhere

G
Go talk to an adult
Go to a happy place
Golfing
Games
Going to a friends
Get help from teacher
Go outside
Go running
Go swimming
Going to the gym
Gather thoughts
Go to a different place
Grow a garden
Get help from others

H
Help someone else with a problem
Hiking
Have a party
Hug a friend
High jumps
Hang out with friends
Have someone listen to your problems

I
“I” statements
Identify triggers
Instagram pictures
Interact with friends
Initiate conversation
Imagine your safe place
Invite someone to play
Ignore people

J
Jogging in place
Jot down good behaviors
Jumping Jacks
Jumping rope
Journaling

K
Kick a soccer ball
Keep a journal
Knitting
Kickboxing
Keep calm by thinking
Kickboxing
Keep hands to yourself

L
Listen and discuss
Laugh
Long walks
Listen to music
Lay down
Lift weights
Letter writing
Look outside
Learn something new
Lay head down on desk

child doing homework — child write a letter

M
Make a plan
Make silly faces
Make food
Make a craft
Meditate
Make a book
Meet new people

N
Napping
Notes to self
Never give up
Name something positive

O
Offer assistance
Organize item of interest
Obstacle course
Open up
Observe a movie
Observe surroundings

P
Play a game
Paint a picture
Play instrument
Prepare healthy meal
Play at the park
Phone a friend
Play music
Practice sport
Play with PlayDough
Pretend you are in the other person’s shoes

Q
Quiet time
Quilting
Quickly remove stressor
Quiet down
Question feelings

R
Read
Run
Ride a bike
Relax
Rest
Request space

S
Sing
Sleep
Swim
Soak in tub
Soccer
Send a letter
Stretch muscles
Sit in a hammock
Sun bathing
Standing alone
Stop and think about response
Shoot baskets
Separate self
Speak up
Stop and listen

T
Talk to a friend
Talk to an adult
Take time by yourself
Take a walk
Take a hot shower/bath
Take deep breaths
Take a break
Take a nap
Talk it out

U
Untie your shoes
Use a work out video
Undertake a project
Unite with family
Unwind
Utilize support system
Use a yoyo
Use tools
Utilize resources/coping skills

V
View TV
Visit a friend/family
Volunteer
Visualize calm space
Verbalize emotions effectively
Visit counselor
Video games
Vent feelings