DIY Creative Stress-Relief Crafts for Children: Stress Ball for Reducing Anxiety
Many kids enjoy using stress balls as a fidget tool to help with focus and concentration. But did you know that you can also use a stress ball to intentionally reduce anxiety? This can be accomplished by focusing on the distinction between feelings of a tensed hand when you squeeze your stress ball and a completely relaxed hand when you release the grip of your stress ball. This utilizes a technique that therapists call progressive muscle relaxation. Go ahead and try out this fun craft that you and your child can use together!
How to Make a DIY Stress Ball
What materials you’ll need:
A balloon
Filling of your choice (e.g., flour, rice, water beads)
Empty plastic bottle
Funnel (a paper funnel works too!)
Optional: Sharpies and yarn/string
Directions:
Fill your water bottle with your stress ball filling of choice. A funnel can be used to fill your water bottle with finer materials (e.g., flour or sand). There is no specific amount of filling that you should use; however, you can use the size of your balloon to help you estimate.
Blow the balloon up a little bit and place the opening of the balloon around the opening of the water bottle. It’s okay if your balloon loses a little bit of air during this step!
Turn the bottle upside down and gently squeeze the bottle until your filling has filled the stress ball.
Hold the balloon tight and gently let the air out.
Tie a knot to close the stress ball.
(Optional) It’s time to decorate! You can use a Sharpie to give your stress ball a silly face and use yarn/string to give it a cool hair-do.
How to Do Progressive Muscle Relaxation Using Your Stress Ball
Start by taking the stress ball into your right hand.
Next, take a slow, deep breath and squeeze the muscles in your hand and fingers as hard as you can for about 5 seconds. It is important to really feel the tension in the muscles, which may even cause a bit of discomfort or shaking.
After about 5 seconds, release your grip on the stress ball and exhale as you do this step. You should feel the muscles become loose and limp, as the tension leaves your hand. It is very important to intentionally focus on and notice the difference between the tension and relaxation in your hand. This is the most important part of the whole exercise!
Repeat using the left hand.
Repeat exercise two more times on each hand.
Just like any skill, it’s important to practice using your stress ball to reduce anxiety, whether you are feeling anxious or not. Spend some quality time making a stress ball (or two or three!) with your child and then help them practice tensing and relaxing their hands as a skill for coping with anxiety and stress.
-
DIY Creative Stress-Relief Crafts for Children: Calm Jar for Reducinig Stress
Signs That Indicate That Your Child May Be Experiencing Anxiety
Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy for Children and Adolescents
Children's Books for Your Anxious Elementary Schooler That Promote Coping Skills
What Every Child and Adolescent Therapist Wants Parents and Caregivers to Know
Search Our Other Blogs!
Interested in Counseling for Children & Teens in Monkton, MD?
If you’re a Marylander who knows that counseling is the direction you need to take, the therapists at LifeSpring Counseling Services are here to help. We offer online counseling services for mindfulness, depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief and loss. We also offer Brainspotting as a specialized service, and Brainspotting can be done online, too! We accept major insurances, including CareFirst/BCBS, Cigna/Evernorth, United/Optum, and Johns Hopkins EHP.
Here’s how you can get started! Online and in-person counseling for children and teens isn’t the only service offered at our Monkton, MD office.
The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.
Written by: Jordan Bramhall, LGPC
Jordan works with children, teens, and adults to help with depression, anxiety, life transitions, and stress management. She offers in-person and online counseling services in Monkton, MD and accepts insurance.
