How to Help Children Talk About Their Feelings and Develop Healthy Coping Strategies

November, 2026

Learning how to identify and communicate emotions is an important part of children’s emotional development. However, children may not always know how to explain what they are feeling. Asking children specific questions about what they are feeling instead of asking a child, “What’s wrong?”, can help them to better understand and in turn express the emotions that they are feeling. You can also use books, drawings, games, or stories to help younger children explore emotions. Sometimes it can be easier for a child to talk about a character or fictional situation before talking about themselves.

Parents can also help children develop an emotional vocabulary. Words such as frustrated, disappointed, nervous, overwhelmed, embarrassed, lonely, excited, and proud can help children become more specific about what they are experiencing. It can be helpful to find books where characters express emotions as a way for children to learn more about taking about their own emotions. Once children can identify their emotions, caregivers can help them develop coping strategies. Coping strategies will look different depending on the child’s age and personality. Some children may benefit from physical activity, while others may prefer quiet activities. Helpful strategies can include deep breathing, drawing, listening to music, spending time outside, reading, talking to someone they trust, taking a break, or using mindfulness exercises.

It is also important to teach children that coping does not always mean making an uncomfortable emotion disappear. Sometimes coping means learning how to sit with an emotion until it becomes more manageable. The idea is learning how to regulate emotions, and learn how to respond in ways that is appropriate and manageable. Communicating that difficult emotions are normal while also encouraging children to develop ways of managing them, helps children to develop their emotional regulation skills.

The Importance of Routine, Sleep, and Physical Activity for Children

Children’s mental health is connected to their physical well-being. Regular routines, adequate sleep, nutritious food, and physical activity can all contribute to a child’s overall health and ability to manage everyday challenges.

Routine

Predictable routines can give children a sense of stability and security. Knowing what to expect throughout the day can be particularly helpful during periods of change or uncertainty. A routine might include consistent times for waking up, meals, school, homework, play, relaxation, and bedtime. Predictability in the form of consequences also helps children to know what is right and wrong, and what to expect when they are behaving in ways that are not allowed. Routines do not need to be rigid. Families have busy schedules, and unexpected things happen. The goal is not perfection but providing children with a general sense of predictability.

Sleep

Sleep plays an important role in children’s physical and emotional well-being. When children are not getting enough sleep, they may have more difficulty concentrating, managing emotions, or coping with everyday frustrations. Creating a consistent bedtime routine can help signal to the child that it is time to wind down. This might include reading, quiet play, bathing, or another calming activity. The amount of sleep a child needs, varies depending on their age and individual needs, so parents should consider age-appropriate sleep recommendations and speak with a healthcare provider if they have ongoing concerns about their child’s sleep.

Physical Activity

Physical activity can also support children’s overall mental well-being. Exercise and movement can provide an opportunity to release energy, spend time outdoors, socialize, and take a break from schoolwork or screens. Physical activity does not have to mean organized sports. Walking, biking, dancing, playing at the park, swimming, or simply playing outside can all provide opportunities for movement. This can also connect to both better sleep habits if children are exercising that will make them more tired overall, and hungrier for better nutrition. The focus should be on helping children find activities they enjoy rather than making exercise feel like a punishment or obligation.

How Can Giving Children Responsibilities Improve Mental Health?

Giving children age-appropriate responsibilities can support their developing independence, confidence, and sense of contribution within the family. By children learning age appropriate house hold skills, it gives them the autonomy to develop a better sense of independence and confidence within themselves. Responsibilities might include putting away toys, helping prepare a meal, feeding a pet, packing a school bag, or helping with household chores. The appropriate responsibility will depend on the child’s age and abilities. When children are given opportunities to contribute, they can begin to develop a sense of competence: I can do things myself, and I can contribute to my family.

It is important that responsibilities are developmentally appropriate. Giving a child more responsibility than they can manage can create unnecessary stress. The goal is not to make children responsible for adult problems but to provide opportunities for healthy independence. Parents can also avoid expecting perfection. Children are learning, and mistakes are part of that process. The idea is to shift from taking over what children are working on, and moving towards their own sense of problem solving, to help encourage children’s sense of confidence.

How Can Counselling Benefit Children?

There are many reasons a child may benefit from counselling. Children may seek support because they are experiencing anxiety, sadness, grief, family changes, difficulties at school, friendship concerns, low self-esteem, behavioural changes, or other challenges. Child counselling provides an opportunity for children to have a safe, supportive space where they can explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences with a trained professional. Counselling for children may look different from counselling for adults. Depending on the child’s age and developmental stage, a counsellor may incorporate play, creative activities, drawing, stories, conversation, emotional education, or other age-appropriate approaches. When children go to a counsellor, it can also help them to normalize what counselling is and identify it as a safe place to go and seek support, even if they do not need a counsellor immediately.

Counselling can also provide parents or caregivers with additional insight into how they can support their child at home. Depending on the circumstances and the counselling approach, parents may be involved in portions of the therapeutic process. It is important to remember that counselling is not only for children experiencing a mental health diagnosis. Children can experience difficult situations or emotions without having a diagnosable mental health condition. Counselling may provide additional support when a child or family is having difficulty navigating a particular challenge.

Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health

Supporting children’s mental health starts with creating opportunities for connection, communication, stability, and emotional learning. Parents and caregivers do not need to have all the answers. Often, one of the most valuable things an adult can offer a child is the reassurance that they are willing to listen. Pay attention to changes in your child’s behaviour and emotional well-being, create space for conversations, encourage healthy routines, and give children opportunities to develop independence in age-appropriate ways. Most importantly, let children know that having difficult emotions is normal, and finding ways to navigate those emotions is part of the process.

If you have ongoing concerns about your child’s mental health, behaviour, or emotional well-being, consider speaking with a qualified healthcare or mental health professional. Early support can give children and families an opportunity to better understand what they are experiencing and explore strategies that may be appropriate for their individual needs. Reach out today if you feel that you could benefit from connecting with a counsellor.