Print it for a lesson, counselling session or calm corner activity where a child needs help turning a worry thought into a more helpful plan. The page gives children a clear three-part prompt for noticing an anxious story, finding another way to think, and choosing what to do next.
Children get a simple way to separate the anxious thought from the next choice they can make. The activity is built around a “Change the Story” theme, helping kids notice a worry narrative and gently rewrite it into something more balanced, encouraging and action-focused.
The worksheet has three large writing spaces labelled Beginning, Middle and Ending. The prompts guide the child through “My worry tells me…”, “Another way to think…”, and “What I’ll do instead…”, making it useful for cognitive reframing, positive self-talk and anxiety coping skills without using complicated language.
The illustrated example at the top shows a worried character thinking, “What if I mess up?”, alongside a more helpful response, “I can try my best and learn!” That makes the task especially accessible for primary-aged children who benefit from visual support, modelling and a story-based structure.
Parents, school staff, counsellors and child therapists could use it with children who get stuck in what-if thoughts, fear of mistakes, classroom worries, test anxiety or perfectionism. It could be completed one-to-one, used in a nurture group, added to a wellbeing folder, or sent home as a simple reflection activity.
