Worry Worksheets for Kids: Free Printable Worry Jar Pack
Worry has a way of taking up far too much space in a child’s mind. As a child psychologist with over 20 years of experience, I’ve seen how the right tools can genuinely shift that. Simple, structured activities help children relate to their worries differently, and the effects can last a lifetime.
These worry worksheets for kids are among my most-used resources. They are grounded in what actually works, easy to use at home, and children genuinely engage with them.
Get Your Free Worry Worksheet Pack
This free pack includes a worry jar worksheet and worry slips your child can print, fill in, and use again and again. It also includes a guide for parents and an example worry jar. It is a practical, child-friendly resource you can start using today.
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Why Worry Worksheets Help Children
Children are not born knowing how to manage anxious thoughts. That is a skill, and they need our help to develop it. Worry worksheets give children a hands-on way to understand and process what is going on in their heads.
Used regularly, they support:
- Emotional regulation (managing feelings rather than being overwhelmed by them)
- Emotional literacy (being able to name and understand emotions)
- Self-regulation skills (calming down independently over time)
- Anxiety management that children can draw on for life
These worksheets also work beautifully as a social emotional learning tool, making them useful both at home and in school.
What Is the Worry Jar Worksheet?
The worry jar worksheet is based on a technique I have used in therapy sessions for many years. Your child writes their worries on slips of paper and places them into a printed jar. By doing this, they are learning to externalise their anxious thinking rather than carrying it around all day.
Writing a worry down activates a different part of the brain than simply ruminating (dwelling on thoughts over and over). It creates distance between your child and the worry, which makes it feel more manageable. Mental health professionals across the world use this as one of their core coping strategies, and it works just as well at home as in a clinical setting.
The act of returning to past worries each week and noticing which ones have shrunk or disappeared is also one of the most effective ways I know to build emotional resilience in children.
The Physical Side of Worry
Before using the worksheets, it helps to understand what worry actually does to the body. When children feel anxious, they are experiencing the fight flight or freeze response, a survival system that prepares the body for danger.
The physical symptoms of anxiety can include a racing heart, a tight chest, a wobbly tummy, sweaty palms, or feeling completely frozen. Many children do not realise these sensations are normal and temporary. Helping them understand this makes calming strategies much easier to use effectively.
How to Use the Worry Jar Worksheet
Step 1: Explain what it is for. Tell your child that everyone has worries, and that writing them down can help those worries feel smaller. Keep it light.
Step 2: Print the worksheet. The worry jar and worry slips are on separate pages, so you can print them as many times as you need.
Step 3: Write down the worries. Help your child write or draw their worries on the slips. Encourage specifics. “I’m worried I’ll get something wrong in the test” is more useful than “I’m worried about school.”
Step 4: Place the worries in the jar. As your child glues or places each slip, you might say: “You’re putting that worry somewhere safe. You don’t need to carry it in your head anymore.”
Step 5: Revisit and reflect. Once a week, look back at previous worries together. Did they shrink? Did they go away? This builds coping skills and helps children see that most worries pass.
This regular reflection is also a gentle mindfulness activity, encouraging children to slow down, observe their thoughts, and notice change over time.
Combining the Worry Jar With Worry Time
One of the most effective things you can add is worry time: a short, dedicated slot each day (I suggest 10 to 20 minutes) when your child is allowed to focus on their worries deliberately. Outside of worry time, if a worry pops up, they write it on a slip and save it for later.
This approach is rooted in cognitive behavioural therapy and works especially well for children who worry throughout the day. Having a set time for worries sends a clear message: worries have a place, and it is not everywhere, all the time.
How to Set Up Worry Time
- Pick a consistent time each day, not right before bed
- Set a timer for 10 to 20 minutes
- Open the worry jar together and talk through what is inside
- If a worry is solvable, make a simple plan together. If it is not, just listen. Being heard is often enough
This combination of the worry jar worksheet and worry time is one of the most effective anxiety management approaches I know for primary-age children, and it directly addresses common anxiety triggers before they build up.
TAKE THE QUIZ!
Who Are These Worksheets For?
These anxiety worksheets for kids work well for children roughly aged 5 to 12, though older children can benefit too. They are particularly helpful for:
- Children with school anxiety, including worries about friendships, performance, or simply getting through the school day
- Children with test anxiety who need support managing pressure around assessments
- Children who struggle to talk about their feelings but can write or draw them
These printable anxiety tools also sit naturally alongside grounding techniques and positive affirmations if you are already using those strategies at home.
If your child is working with mental health professionals, the worry jar worksheet makes an excellent complement to their existing support and can be shared directly with a therapist or school counsellor.
A Real Example: MaeLynn
MaeLynn was eight when her mum noticed she was becoming increasingly anxious and withdrawn. Together, they printed the worry jar worksheet and cut out the worry slips.
MaeLynn’s first worry was that her best friend Sophia would stop liking her. Writing it down helped her mum understand what was really going on, and they talked through how MaeLynn could speak to Sophia about how she was feeling. Just placing the worry in the jar made MaeLynn feel lighter.
Her second worry was about a school trip. They used the worksheet to think through coping strategies together, including deep breathing exercises and positive affirmations she could use on the day. MaeLynn’s teacher was also brought in to create a simple support plan.
Over the following weeks, MaeLynn and her mum made worry time a regular habit. Most of her worries either shrank or disappeared, and she began to trust that process. She was building emotional resilience and genuine self-regulation skills in real time.
When to Seek Extra Support
These worksheets are a strong starting point, but they are not a replacement for professional support when it is needed. If your child’s anxiety is significantly affecting their sleep, friendships, or ability to attend school, please do reach out to your GP or a child mental health professional.
If you want to deepen your understanding about anxiety so you feel clear on exactly which steps will help for your child, consider our mini-course, Knowledge is Power!
Dr Lucy Russell is a UK clinical psychologist and Clinical Director of Everlief Child Psychology. She qualified as a clinical psychologist from Oxford University in 2005 and worked in the National Health Service for many years before moving fully into her leadership and writing roles.
In 2019 Lucy launched They Are The Future, a support website for parents of school-aged children. Through TATF Lucy is passionate about giving practical, manageable strategies to parents and children who may otherwise struggle to find the support they need.
Lucy lives with her family, rescue cats and dog, and also fosters cats through a local animal welfare charity. She loves singing in a vocal harmony group and spending time in nature.
