Anger Management Skills Workbook for Kids: 40 Awesome Activities to Help Children Calm Down, Cope, and Regain Control

by Amanda Robinson LPC, RPT

Overview

Help Your Child Learn Anger Management Skills for a Lifetime.

While some children instinctively know how to regulate their emotions, plenty of others lack the skills they need to express their anger in healthy and effective ways. This warm, engaging workbook helps children ages 5-10 develop strong skills for managing their anger through 40 fun activities.

From identifying their feelings and challenging negative thinking patterns to practicing healthy coping skills when angry feelings arise, kids will learn to feel calmer and more in control—and to form better relationships with family and friends and ease problems at school. A bonus section at the end of each chapter encourages kids and their families to practice the skills they've learned for even greater success.

Here's what you'll find in the Anger Management Skills Workbook for Kids:

SIX ESSENTIAL SKILLS everybody needs to find calm and control.

40 AWESOME ACTIVITIES that help kids develop these important skills.

BONUS GAMES AND EXERCISES at the end of each chapter to practice the skills learned with family and friends.

This positive, interactive book will help your child calm down, cope, and cool a hot temper with skills that will last them a lifetime.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593196601
Publisher:	Zeitgeist
Publication date:	02/25/2020
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	49,567
Product dimensions:	6.80(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

About the Author

Amanda Robinson is a licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist in private practice, where she works with children and teens with anxiety, anger, and trauma and facilitates parenting groups. She is currently the president of her local chapter of the Texas Association for Play Therapy and the secretary of the Austin Sandtray Association. She lives in Austin, Texas.

Read an Excerpt

Activity 2: “I” Messages

When you’re feeling bothered by something, it’s a good idea to think about what you need in order to feel better. Sometimes, you can meet your own need. Other times, you may want to share your thoughts with someone you trust so they can help you. Remember, this doesn’t mean that your need will be met right away, because sometimes that’s not possible! Here’s what you can say:

I feel ________________________
 
Because ________________________
 
And I need _____________________


Examples of Needs:
 
*To go outdoors                    *A hug
 
*Sleep or rest                       *Playtime
 
*Time with a parent              *Alone time
 
*Something to eat or drink    *A break
 
*A deep breath  
 
Did you notice that the sentence in the box above uses “I”? This is so you can take ownership of your feeling and need, rather than blaming it on someone else. After all, “I need alone time” sounds a lot nicer than, “Get out of my room!” Practice coming up with “I” messages below. You can think of your own ideas for needs, or you can use the examples above to help you.
 
Example: Your parents have been busy all day, and you’ve played by yourself.  You’re feeling bored and lonely.
 
I feel lonely because I’ve played by myself all day and I need time with Mom or Dad.


1.      You didn’t sleep well the night before, and now you’re tired.
 
I feel __________________ because ________________________________________ and I need _________________.
 
2.      You’ve been working on your homework for a long time, and you’re starting to get frustrated with it.
 
I feel _________________ because _________________________________________ and I need _________________.
 
3.      You’ve had a hard day at school, and you’re feeling down.
 
I feel __________________ because _______________________________________ and I need __________________.

 

Table of Contents

Introduction for Parents 1

Introduction for Kids 5

Chapter 1 Say Hello-and Goodbye-to Your Anger

Activity 1 Decode Angry Feelings 8

Activity 2 It Bugs Me When 10

Activity 3 Anger Volcano 12

Activity 4 Roar! My Anger Is Like A 14

Activity 5 How I Show Anger 16

Keep It Going! 18

Chapter 2 Create Calm

Activity 1 Breathe in Good Vibes 22

Activity 2 Mad Muscles 24

Activity 3 Fetch the Stretch 26

Activity 4 What is Your Calm Place? 28

Activity 5 All Aboard the Feelings Express 30

Activity 6 Gratitude, Not Attitude 32

Keep It Going! 34

Chapter 3 Learn Self-Control

Activity 1 Think Things Through 38

Activity 2 Predict the Consequences 40

Activity 3 Bee Patient 42

Activity 4 Donut Be Hard on Yourself 44

Activity 5 Captain Optimism 46

Keep it Going! 48

Chapter 4 Talk Back to Your Triggers

Activity 1 Distract Before You React 52

Activity 2 Put on the Brakes 54

Activity 3 Face Your Frustration 56

Activity 4 Get Moving 58

Activity 5 Let It Go 60

Keep It Going! 62

Chapter 5 Solve Problems

Activity 1 Brainstorming 66

Activity 2 Keep Your Eyes on Compromise 68

Activity 3 Learn to Empathize 70

Activity 4 Reframe the Problem 72

Activity 5 Who Can You Count On? 74

Activity 6 Find a Solution 76

Keep it Going! 78

Chapter 6 Speak Up!

Activity 1 Share Your Feelings 82

Activity 2 "I" Messages 84

Activity 3 See It from the Other Side 86

Activity 4 Own Your Tone 88

Activity 5 Listen Up 90

Activity 6 Making Amends 92

Keep It Going! 94

Chapter 7 Feel Great!

Activity 1 Feed Your Body (and Brain) 98

Activity 2 Rest Your Body (and Brain) 100

Activity 3 Get Active 102

Activity 4 Stay Away from the Screens! 104

Activity 5 Self-Care for the Win 106

Activity 6 Don't Forget to Have Fun! 108

Activity 7 Celebrate Me 110

Keep It Going! 112

Moving Forward 114

Answer Key 115

Resources 117

Editorial Reviews

Amanda Robinson’s Anger Management Skills Workbook for Kids is a wonderful contribution to the field and a practical self-help tool for children and their caregivers. Anger can be a difficult emotion to understand, tolerate, and manage, and this workbook provides engaging and useful exercises to help. Written for preschoolers to preteens, the age-appropriate language and clearly distilled concepts provide the opportunity for caregivers and children to work through these challenges together.” —Vaughn Mankey, MD, former faculty member, Harvard Medical School

"Amanda's workbook is a fun and engaging guide full of tools and exercises that foster healthy coping skills. As a bonus it encourages the whole family to be involved in the learning process through specific family activities.  If you have a child who has BIG emotions, The Anger Management Skills Workbook for Kids is a must-have resource for your home." —Robyn McGrath, M.Ed., LPC-S, RPT-S, RYT

“Parents need help talking about feelings, and children need help expressing feelings. The activities in Anger Management Skills Workbook for Kids are designed to help parents understand their child’s anger and support their child in learning how to appropriately express anger. Ultimately the goal of this book is to facilitate the parent-child relationship through connection and practical activities that focus on helping children express themselves in meaningful ways.” —Mary Bennett, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S

"Amanda has created an invaluable resource for children to feel equipped in managing their emotions. Anger Management Skills Workbook for Kidscontains a variety of activities that help children identify their feelings, expand their emotional vocabulary, recognize how their feelings are connected to their behavioral choices, gain power over their reactions, and learn how to be proactive in the problem-solving process. The activities in this workbook reinforce a whole body approach to healing through the use of artistic expression, body movement, games, puzzles, role playing, family fun, and mindfulness—improving their current coping skills bank with easy-to-implement, practical ideas. As a play therapist, I would highly recommend and encourage all of my clients (and their families!) to utilize this beautifully written and illustrated resource.” —Jaclyn Sepp, MA, LPC, RPT, NCC 

“Amanda Robinson uses her skills as a well attuned and connected therapist to lay out a structured, experiential journey for children and families wishing to understand their anger. Anger Management Skills Workbook for Kidsprovides a self-paced path filled with creative, strength-building activities that begin with the child and then evolve into a reinforcement section that includes the whole family. Amanda provides a safe avenue for looking at anger without the use of shame or guilt, focusing instead on empowerment. This is a valuable tool for parents and anyone working with children.” —Karen R. Burke, LPC-S, RPT-S, CCST-T

From the Publisher