Quick Ways to Help Kids Feel Calmer

Author: Dr. Vrolijk   |   Updated: August 23, 2025   |   Disclaimer   |   Review Process   |   References

Author: Dr. Vrolijk   

Updated: August 23, 2025   

Disclaimer   |   Review Process   |   References

Watching your child feel scared at medical appointments is hard. You want to help, but it’s tough to know what will work. These quick, simple tools give your child ways to feel calmer – no special equipment needed.

On This Page:

Child in orange hoodie sitting on floor with head down on knees, showing signs of distress or anxiety

Help Your Child Feel Calmer

Feeling nervous about medical visits is normal for kids. These quick tools can help your child feel better when they’re worried.

Practice first when your child feels calm. This helps them learn the tools before they need them. Once they know how, they can use these anywhere.

Try different tools. One might work better for your child than others. Everyone finds different things helpful.

Have a tool that works great for your family? Let us know! It could help other kids too.

→ Are they nervous about a medical appointment? Preparing can help too. Check out our page Helping Your Child Prepare

Activate Their Senses

Child in coral shirt holding rainbow fidget toy with sensory bubbles in their hands

Touch

A toy can be comforting and help your child deal with anxious energy. Textured and fidget toys use touch. This can help a child feel more grounded. Some examples of toys that can be helpful:

  • Fidget toys (like a fidget spinner)
  • A stuffed toy
  • Something with texture 

For Medical Appointments: Physical contact with you before, during, and after the appointment can help too.

Child in coral shirt holding rainbow fidget toy with sensory bubbles in their hands

Hearing

If you’ve ever listened to a song to calm yourself down, you know that music can be grounding. It can help your child deal with anxious energy too.

For Medical Appointments: You can use this before or after the appointment. If they have headphones, you can even use music while waiting.

Butterfly Breathing

Time Needed: 1 minute | Difficulty: Easy

Two children examining a butterfly with a magnifying glass outdoors

How to Do It

  1. Hold your arms out like wings
  2. Breathe in → raise your wings up
  3. Breathe out → lower your wings down
  4. Do this 3 times

Quick Version

  1. Make small wings with just your hands
  2. Breathe in → raise wings up
  3. Breathe out → lower wings down
Two children examining a butterfly with a magnifying glass outdoors

🎯 You're Doing This Right if

Your breathing slows down and your body relaxes a little​

Rainbow Grounding

Time Needed: 1 – 2 minutes | Difficulty: Easy

Child in rain boots and raincoat holding rainbow umbrella while standing outdoors in the rain on grass

How to Do It

  1. Look around and find something red
  2. Find something orange, then yellow, then green, then blue
  3. Say what each thing is out loud (red backpack, yellow pencil)
  4. If you finish all colors, find 3 round things or 3 square things

Quick Version

  1. Find something red, something green, something blue
  2. Say each one out loud (“red shirt”)
Child in rain boots and raincoat holding rainbow umbrella while standing outdoors in the rain on grass

🎯 You're Doing This Right if

Your attention moves away from worries to what’s around you. You feel more present.

Peaceful Bubbles

Time Needed: 1 – 2 minutes | Difficulty: Easy

Adult and child kneeling on grass blowing bubbles together outdoors in backyard

How to Do It

  1. Close your eyes and take a deep breath
  2. Picture yourself blowing bubbles with a bubble wand
  3. Put one worry into each bubble as you blow it
  4. Watch your worry bubbles float up and away
  5. When you feel lighter, wiggle your fingers and open your eyes

Quick Version

  1. Close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths
  2. Picture blowing your worries into bubbles
  3. Watch them float away
  4. Open your eyes when ready
Adult and child kneeling on grass blowing bubbles together outdoors in backyard

🎯 You're Doing This Right if

Your attention moves away from worries to what’s around you. You feel more present.

What to Read Next

Adult comforting young child who looks worried, showing supportive parent-child connection before a medical appointment

Helping Your Child Prepare

Ways to explain what will happen and support your child's feelings.

An ultrasound machine with a friendly smiling wand character surrounded by stars.

I Can Get an Ultrasound

Illustrated book that walks through what happens during an ultrasound.

Parent and child sitting together at table, child drawing or writing while adult provides supportive guidance during worry exercise

Help for a Worried Child

A step-by-step way to talk through your child's fears, understand what's behind them, and make a plan together.

Picture of Dr. Aaron Vrolijk

Dr. Aaron Vrolijk

Clinical experience from multiple clinicians

Álvarez-García C, Yaban ZŞ. The effects of preoperative guided imagery interventions on preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain: A meta-analysis. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2020;38:101077. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2019.101077
 

Bentley TGK, D’Andrea-Penna G, Rakic M, et al. Breathing Practices for Stress and Anxiety Reduction: Conceptual Framework of Implementation Guidelines Based on a Systematic Review of the Published Literature. Brain Sci. 2023;13(12):1612. doi:10.3390/brainsci13121612

 
Calderone A, Marafioti ,Giulia, Latella ,Desirèe, et al. Effectiveness of relaxation techniques for stress management and quality of life improvement in cardiovascular disease and hypertensive patients: a systematic review. Psychology, Health & Medicine. 0(0):1-72. doi:10.1080/13548506.2025.2458255
 
Chadderdon AL, Carns DR, Pudalov LR, McKernan LC, Honce JM. Underlying Mechanisms of Psychological Interventions in Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Image-Guided Radiology Procedures. Top Magn Reson Imaging. 2020;29(3):157-163. doi:10.1097/RMR.0000000000000239
Felsenstein DR. Stress management strategies for NP practice. Nurse Pract. 2024;49(2):39-46. doi:10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000144
 
Giacobbi PR, Stewart J, Chaffee K, Jaeschke AM, Stabler M, Kelley GA. A Scoping Review of Health Outcomes Examined in Randomized Controlled Trials Using Guided Imagery. Prog Prev Med (N Y). 2017;2(7):e0010. doi:10.1097/pp9.0000000000000010
 
Hoge EA, Bui E, Marques L, et al. Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Effects on Anxiety and Stress Reactivity. J Clin Psychiatry. 2013;74(8):786-792. doi:10.4088/JCP.12m08083
 
Khoury B, Sharma M, Rush SE, Fournier C. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for healthy individuals: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2015;78(6):519-528. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2015.03.009
 
Lei Chui P, Wai S, Lai LL, See MH, Tan SB. Mindful Breathing: Effects of a Five-Minute Practice on Perceived Stress and Mindfulness Among Patients With Cancer. Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2021;25(2):174-180. doi:10.1188/21.CJON.174-180
 
Muhammad Khir S, Wan Mohd Yunus WMA, Mahmud N, et al. Efficacy of Progressive Muscle Relaxation in Adults for Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: A Systematic Review. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2024;17:345-365. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S437277
 
Rajjoub R, Sammak SE, Rajjo T, et al. Meditation for perioperative pain and anxiety: A systematic review. Brain and Behavior. 2024;14(7):e3640. doi:10.1002/brb3.3640
 
Sheikh S, Rostami A, Shahbazi A, Abdollahi Nezhad F, Khazai O, Arbabisarjou A. Clinical effectiveness of guided breathing exercises in reducing anxiety, stress, and depression in COVID-19 patients. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):26620. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-78162-3
 
Vagnoli L, Bettini A, Amore E, De Masi S, Messeri A. Relaxation-guided imagery reduces perioperative anxiety and pain in children: a randomized study. Eur J Pediatr. 2019;178(6):913-921. doi:10.1007/s00431-019-03376-x
 

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