Doodlebark
Some kids are fine all day, then bedtime comes and the worries start. What if I get lost on the field trip? What if nobody plays with me? The house gets quiet, and the worries get loud.
A worry box is a simple tool that helps kids put their worries down for the night, so they don’t have to hold them while they try to sleep.
How to make a worry box
- Find a small box with a lid. A shoebox or tissue box works great.
- Cut a slot in the top, like a mailbox.
- Let your child decorate it. Stickers, markers, whatever they like.
- Keep paper and crayons nearby.
How to use it
- Draw or write the worry. Little kids can draw it. Older kids can write it.
- Fold it up and drop it in. “Now the box is holding the worry. You don’t have to hold it all night.”
- Take a slow breath together. Smell the flower, blow the bubble.
- Open the box tomorrow, together. This is the important part. In the daytime, when everyone is rested, talk about the worry. Often there’s a simple answer. (“Your teacher counts everyone, every single time.”)
Why it helps
Worries feel bigger at night, when kids are tired and there’s nothing else to think about. The box gives the worry a place to go. And because you promise to talk about it tomorrow, kids know it won’t be ignored. They’re just setting it down for now.
A lot of the time, by the morning, the worry has already shrunk.
Tips
- Don’t brush it off. “Don’t worry about it” rarely works. “That sounds like a big worry” does.
- Keep your promise. If you say you’ll open the box tomorrow, do it.
- Celebrate an empty box. When there are no worries for the night, cheer!
Some worry is a normal part of growing up. If worries are keeping your child from sleeping, playing or going to school, talk with your pediatrician.
Watch the free read-along
Want to share the story with your kids? Here’s Penny’s Big Worry read aloud, page by page, in a calm bedtime voice.
Get the book
In Penny’s Big Worry, Penny can’t stop worrying about the class trip to the zoo, until Mama shows her the worry box. The printable book includes activity pages to help kids name their worries.
For more ideas for big feelings, read our calm down corner ideas.
Questions parents ask
What is a worry box?
It’s a small box with a slot where kids put drawings or notes about their worries. It gives the worry a place to go so they don’t have to hold it all night.
How do you use a worry box at bedtime?
Before lights out, your child draws or tells you the worry and drops it in the box. The next day, you open it together and talk it over in the daylight.
When are a child’s worries something to get help with?
If worries get in the way of sleep, school or play most days, or keep growing, it’s a good idea to talk with your pediatrician.