May is known as the Mental Health Awareness Month but that doesn’t mean that’s the only time you should reach out to your child about their well-being. Although not many kids go through mental health problems, with the months of long-distance learning away from friends, the rate has risen substantially. The lockdown orders are not only affecting their social life but their mental health too. Whether your child’s school has chosen to continue remote learning, or you have chosen to homeschool because they can’t be vaccinated at this time, your child might be struggling to cope with remaining indoors.

A casual walk outside the house can also prove to be dangerous if your kid interacts with the neighbor kids or dogs. Moreover, the stress of attending online classes is not stimulating enough, which is why many children are going into depression. So, what can a parent do at a time like this to raise their kid’s spirits?

How about some art therapy to sooth your child’s schoolwork stress? Creating your own craft kit is not only an economical solution but also allows your kid to use their free time to do something they like. You can find plenty of ideas and kits at our Pinwheel Crafts online store for your toddler, children aged between 6 and 12, and teenagers. 

Let’s take a look at some art therapy ideas:

Worry Stones

No, we are not talking about some voodoo magic that will give your kid superpowers. Although, if they believe this then they can cope with any kind of stress they face daily. Such calming craft activities are a fun activity that can also teach kids about their emotions. For example, if your child has trouble controlling their temper, then they might try to hurt others or themselves. Reprimanding them can produce quick results, though not long lasting.

Instead of trying to control your child’s emotions, you can teach them patience with this stone. By creating stones in different colors, you can tell your kids to label them and use them when they are feeling strongly. The technique is to rub the stone soothingly with their thumb and feel the stone filling them with power.

Here’s how to make the stones:

You Will Need

• Salt
• Flour
• Food Coloring
• Warm water
• Sparkly glitter

Directions

• Mix two parts salt and flour in a bowl.
• Add warm water into the dry mixture a little bit at a time and stir gently.
• Continue adding water and stirring until you have created a doughy paste that doesn’t stick on your hands.
• Add food coloring to tint the dough.
• Mix in glitter.
• Tell your kids to create a shape with the dough and then leave it on the tray overnight.

In the morning, the mixture will have hardened and then they can place the stones on their study table and draw strength from them.

The Mandala Kit

This art therapy to sooth your child’s schoolwork stress is great for all ages. Mandalas have been used for thousands of years. One of the best things about mandalas is that they can help to soothe frayed nerves and allow your child them to focus their energy on what they are doing.

For Small Children

You can create a coloring book by downloading free mandala art and printing them. Buy a 12-color pencils box and markers, and put them in a book sleeve. Gift this to your kid and allow them to color in it whenever they are feeling stressed or down.

For Teenagers

If your teen likes to draw then they will love this art projects. Here’s what you need to do:

• Download free mandala art online and print them on card stock to create small tiles.
• For the drawing kit, place pencils, a rubber eraser, sharpener, scale and a compass in a school box.
• Buy a 24-color pencils box, markers and glitter pens.
• Buy art papers and place them in a file.
• Place all the items in a small bag and bedazzle it by writing “Art Kit” on the front.

Draw Your Breath

This is an activity that teaches kids mindfulness and focus. It’s a great exercise that will sharpen their mind and help them remain calm in stressful situations. You don’t need much for this activity because it is more about what you are feeling than creating a piece of art.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Hand your kid a piece of paper on a clipboard along with color pencils, crayons, or markers.
• Tell them to focus on their breath and visualize in their mind how it would look.
• Then, have them put their pencil on the paper and draw lines that represent their breath.
• Change breathing patterns from fast to slow and keep changing the lines.

Once a pattern has been drawn, they can color the background to create a masterpiece.

Collages

What does your kid likes the most? They can choose anything such as fabric, small items like buttons or beads, magazines, even pasta. All these things can be used to create a collage, which doesn’t necessarily have to be picture of friends or family pasted with glue on a large board.

A collage made of such found items can be calming for children as they can run their hands across it when they are feeling stressed. Anything that soothes them can be used to create an art board, which is why we recommend giving them free rein on choosing the inspiration for the collage.

You Will Need

• Picture Collage Board (If Using Fabric)
• Art Board (For Heavy Items That Will Require Glue for Pasting)
• Found Item of Your Kid’s Choice
• Thumb Pins

Directions

Depending on what item your kid has chosen, for example, if it’s fabric then they can stick it on the picture collage board using thumb pins. If they have magazine clipping and found objects, they will want to use glue to attach the items to their board. Don’t be afraid to let them test mixed media by adding additional elements like paint, glitter, and anything else they enjoy.

Final Thoughts

Using art to cope with anxiety allows children to deal with their emotions in a healthy and safe manner. Plus, these activities are a great way to bond with your kid that will not only help distract their mind, but also provide you some reprieve from your own stress. So, pick up that color pencil and starting coloring in those mandalas with your kid.

And, as always, at the Pinwheel Crafts store, we offer pre-made arts and craft kits for children of all ages.

Until next time, happy crafting!