The Very Hungry Worry Monsters

Product Information

Worry and anxiety has a big negative impact on sleep, and so helping children to relax slightly before bedtime is important. It is probably the most crucial time of the day to alleviate worry. This Worry Monster Worksheet is an excellent resource to have in your primary school classes to help children control their worries by writing them down. Worry monsters are a kind of ‘talking therapy.’ They work a bit like psychoanalysis, where an individual talks about their worries to help to manage and process them.

Sometimes, there is nothing we can do about the situations or events that trigger our emotions. In those cases, it may be better to accept those feelings and let them go. Place a dab of glue on the top of the box. Place one of the curled pipe cleaners on top. Continue to make a cluster of curled pipe cleaner “hair” on top of the box. Model one of yours. It might be, ‘I’m worried that I have so much work to do today, and I won’t be able to get it done.’ Then put a wood slice into the worry monsters mouth. It has ‘eaten’ that worry.We discussed the type of things that could be put in the worry box – problems in the playground/ in class/ finding something difficult etc. In practice By understanding a child's worries, you can then do more to help them manage their worries and concerns. Now you’re going to lift the box onto a ship. We’re sailing over the sea now, with the box still on the ship.

This is perhaps best done as a group activity, first thinking about what each of them is worried about, talking it through a bit, and then drawing what that looks like to them. It doesn’t have to look like a masterpiece of art – the emphasis is on the psychological benefits of this experience.Passing round a designated box or basket as a circle time, and placing an object into it, whilst linking it to a worry, will work in just the same way as the monster. For an even better way to find KS2 resources, discover tailored suggestions, and much more - visit the KS2 resource HUB! GO TO KS2 HUB Place a dab of glue above the open mouth in the center of the box for each eyeball. Place the eyeballs on the box. You can also use a jar, an envelope, or any container that serves the same purpose of storing worries away. Showing You Care and Understand - Simply taking an interest and talking to your child will allow them to feel comfortable opening up to you.

Use examples of kids who may be mean or bossy at school to illustrate the idea of the worry monster in their head. Just as you would walk away from the bully at school, and not listen to them, you do not have to listen to the one in your head. Naming the Worry Monster Sometimes when we feel worried, frustrated, or overwhelmed it may help us to store our problems away. For a child, it is normal to experience worry, particularly as they begin to explore the world and develop their own sense of identity. Children may worry about many different things, and whilst these worries might seem harmless to us as adults, they can cause a child a great deal of distress. Sometimes these worries can be so upsetting that it can affect their day-to-day activities, making them harder to carry out or enjoy. For example, they might be worried about an upcoming test at school which may lead them to want to avoid attending, or they may be concerned about a friend’s upcoming birthday party. This is not easy to do when you feel worried about something. Asking them to stop thinking about it may even make them more focused on the worries. They may feel it is an “unfinished business” or they may worry they will forget about it. In this particular small group activity, students each create their own unique worry monsters, choosing from different bodies, eyes, mouths, arms, and even legs. Some students make worry monsters that look quite scary while others make worry monsters that appear friendly, and that’s okay.Quite simply, anything that they are worried about, talk about it, and place something into the mouth of the monster. This talking therapy gets issues out of your mind, at least temporarily, and hopefully results in a better night’s sleep. 14. Worry Monster Book