Scared Feelings Activities

There are many scared feelings activities that can be done with young children, especially preschoolers, to help them recognize, understand, and identify their feelings. These feelings activities include singing songs, reading books, participating in role-playing games, and doing arts and crafts. There are also some worksheets that you can print out to use while doing some of the activities.

Definition of Scared: Scared can be described as a state of being in which there is a sudden sensation of fear or an immediate feeling of apprehension.

Children know what it is like to feel scared, but they do not know how to handle the physiological, psychological, and emotional effects of feeling scared. When we feel scared, our heart beats faster, we breathe quicker, our palms sweat, our stomach feels upset, and the fight or flight response is activated. It is important to explain to children that scared feelings are normal for everyone although we are not all scared of the same things.

Some fears protects us from harm and some fears prevent us from trying new things or hold us back from enjoying certain activities. Teach children to talk to adults about their fears, such as what makes them feel scared, why they feel scared, and how they feel when they are scared.

Once children are aware of their fears, we need to teach ways to cope with their fears. If there is a fear of darkness, then provide night lights. If there is a fear of what is lurking under the bed, do an inspection of the space under the bed with your child using a flashlight before going to bed. Be sure to give plenty of praise for courageous behavior. If a child overcomes a fear or faces a fear head on, that deserves a lot of high fives, hugs and kisses, and “great jobs.”

Color associated with scared feelings: Black is a color that is often associated with scared feelings or fear because it represents darkness and the unknown.

Scared Feelings Activities: Art

1. Let the children draw or paint a picture of something that makes them feel scared, then ask them to draw a picture of them conquering their fear. For example, if the child is afraid of heights, he could draw a picture of himself on top of a bottom with a smile on his face.

2. Scared Feelings Activities Collage- Make a collage of all the things that cause scared feelings. Use old magazines, books, and newspapers to find pictures.

3. On a plain piece of white paper, use bright crayons to color the entire surface of the paper. Then use a black crayon to cover over the entire paper that you just colored with bright crayons. Use a toothpick, cuticle stick, or pencil to scratch through the black to reveal the bright colors underneath. Create a picture, a design, or anything that seems fun. The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate how children can chase their fears (black color) away and reveal their courage and bravery (bright colors.)

4. Make a courage medal- Cut out the shape of a medal or award ribbon from cardboard or poster board. Cover it with gold foil or spray paint with gold paint. Write on the front of this medal or award ribbon: “___________’s Courage Medal.” Attach a pin to the back for older children or a long ribbon so that the medal can be worn. Tell the child to wear it when he is feeling brave or has conquered a fear.

Scared Feelings Activities: Songs and Poems

If You're Scared and You Know It
If you're scared & you know it hide your eyes
Found at: Child Fun

Little Miss Muffet : Who is afraid and why?
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey,
Along came a spider and sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Mouse in the House: Talk about what things cause scared feelings in this poem such as a mouse, darkness, night…..
There's a mouse in the house
I know it is there
When it shuffles about
It gives me a scare
I really Can't stand it
It gives me a fright
When it scampers about
In the darkness of night

Scared Feelings Activities: Feelings WorksheetsPicture of Scared
Scared Face
Scared Poem
Find Scared
Color Scared Heart
Color Scared Heart 2
Complete the Scared Face

Scared Feelings Activities: Group Sharing

1. Watch the Wizard of Oz, if age appropriate, and explain how the cowardly lion finds his courage from within.

2. Give children scenarios in which a child became scared, then ask the children to decide if the fear is real or pretend. Is this a fear that keeps us safe or keeps us from having fun? For example, a child is asked by his friends to ride his bike on a busy highway, but he is afraid. This is a real fear that should keep the child from engaging in such a dangerous activity which will protect his life. Another example, would be a child is afraid of monsters hiding under his bed. This is a pretend fear that is keeping the children from getting a restful night of sleep. Give the child coping strategies such as leaving on a light, listening to music, or checking under the bed with mom and dad to reassure himself that there are no monsters.

3. Have the children share one fear with the group, then ask the group how to overcome the fear.

4. At circle time, have the children give ideas about what scared smells like, sounds like, feels like, tastes like, and looks like?

Scared Feelings Activities: Books

When I Feel Scared (The Way I Feel Books) by Cornelia Maude Spelman and Kathy Parkinson
Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
What Was I Scared of? (Little Dipper Books) by Dr. Seuss
When I'm Feeling Scared (When I'm Feeling) by Trace Moroney
When Someone is Afraid by Valeri Gorbachev
The Scaredy Cats by Barbara Bottner
Scared (How I Feel) by Marcia Leonard
Scared?: From Fear...To Courage by Nuria Roca and Rosa M. Curt








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