Understanding and Supporting Anxiety in Children

An anxious child doesn't always look anxious. They might refuse, run, freeze, go very quiet or try hard to please you. Their survival brain has taken over, and asking them to think before they act won't help, because anxious children feel first and think last.

You'll get the science in plain terms, like the amygdala working as the brain's smoke detector, and a set of things to try. Name the feeling for a child ("I wonder if you're feeling angry today"). Use a scale so they can tell you how big it is. Help them settle alongside you with co-regulation, rectangular breathing or a butterfly hug. And when a child starts avoiding something, use graded exposure so they face it a bit at a time.

It's taught by a primary nurture teacher, and there's a booklet of resources to go with it.