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Coping Skills Worksheet for Kids

Build a coping toolbox in calm — so it's ready when calm is gone

TherapistAssist
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Coping skills are tools for hard moments. The trick is to pick yours before the hard moment, so they're ready when you need them.

Tools that move my body
  • Jump 10 times
  • Push against a wall
  • Stretch like a cat
  • Dance to one song
  • Squeeze a stress ball
  • Run in place for 30 seconds
Tools that calm my body
  • Dragon breath (in for 4, out for 6)
  • Drink cold water slowly
  • Listen to calm music
  • Wrap up in a soft blanket
  • Hold an ice cube
  • Sit somewhere quiet
Tools that need other people
  • Ask for a hug
  • Talk to a grown-up I trust
  • Call a family member
  • Play with a pet
  • Ask for help
  • Sit near someone safe
Tools that distract my brain
  • Draw or color
  • Read a book
  • Build with blocks or LEGO
  • Do a puzzle
  • Name 10 animals
  • Count backwards from 50
My top 6 — my coping toolbox
Tool 1
Tool 2
Tool 3
Tool 4
Tool 5
Tool 6

Put it on the fridge

A coping toolbox kids can see is one they'll actually use. Refresh it every few months — what soothes a 6-year-old may not soothe an 8-year-old.

References & further reading

Conceptual background and further reading, not validation of this handout. Named instruments and methods belong to their original authors; custom prompts and trackers are not validated versions of those instruments.

© 2026 TherapistAssist · For clinical use · Not a substitute for assessment
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About this worksheet

Coping skills are tools for hard moments — and the clinical research is clear: kids who pick their own coping skills during calm use them. Kids who are handed a list mid-meltdown don't. This worksheet structures that picking process. Four categories — move the body, calm the body, ask another person, distract the brain — each with six evidence-based options drawn from CBT, DBT skills training, and pediatric SEL programs. The child reads through, marks the ones that feel like 'mine,' and then assembles a personal top-6 toolbox: one page they can fold and keep, post on the fridge, or carry in a backpack. The design choice is deliberate: too many tools = paralysis; six is a sustainable working set. Refresh every 3–6 months — what soothes a 6-year-old often doesn't soothe an 8-year-old. Pairs naturally with the Feelings Volcano interactive, the anxiety worksheet, and any in-session work where the child needs a portable regulation menu.

When to use it

  • Ages 6–11 — anywhere a child needs a personalized regulation menu.
  • Anxiety, anger, transitions, sensory overload, school refusal.
  • Early in counseling — gives the child immediate take-home value.
  • With parents and teachers — when the toolbox is shared across settings, kids use the skills consistently.
  • Refresh every 3–6 months as the child grows.

How to use it

  1. 1
    Read all four categories together

    Coverage matters — kids who only have calming skills get stuck when they need movement; kids who only have movement skills miss the connection tools.

  2. 2
    Let the child mark their own

    Self-chosen tools get used. Assigned tools rarely do. Trust their picks even if you'd choose differently.

  3. 3
    Whittle to six

    A working toolbox of six is more usable than a wishful list of twenty. Six can be remembered in the moment.

  4. 4
    Print and post

    Fridge, backpack pocket, school locker. The toolbox needs to be visible during regulation moments, not buried in a drawer.

  5. 5
    Practice in calm

    Schedule one toolbox skill per day for a week. The skill is built when calm; the access is unlocked when not.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best coping skills for kids?+

The strongest evidence is for skills across four categories: somatic (paced breathing, movement), calming (cold water, soft objects, music), social (asking for help, hugs, connection), and cognitive distraction (reading, puzzles, counting). A toolbox with at least one from each category is most resilient.

How do you teach coping skills to kids?+

Three steps: (1) introduce during calm, never mid-meltdown; (2) let the child help pick which tools become 'theirs'; (3) practice them as routines (three breaths before school, one move-the-body skill after homework) so they're rehearsed and ready.

What age is best for coping skills worksheets?+

Ages 6–11. Younger children do better with co-regulated skills (the adult does it with them); older tweens often want more sophisticated tools (journaling, exercise routines, mindfulness).

What if my child won't use their coping skills?+

Usually one of three reasons: (1) the skills were assigned not chosen, (2) they weren't practiced during calm, or (3) the child is already past the regulation window and needs co-regulation, not solo skills. Revisit step 2 — practice during calm builds the bridge.

Is this the same as the Zones of Regulation?+

Compatible, not the same. Zones gives the color-coded vocabulary for regulation states; this worksheet gives the personalized toolbox of skills that take a child from one zone to another. They pair well.

Worksheet — Coping Skills Worksheet for Kids — provided by TherapistAssist for clinical use. Not a substitute for assessment or treatment.