The Worry Tornado is a practical and engaging worksheet designed to help children and young people understand and manage anxiety by breaking their worries into smaller, more manageable steps. Using the metaphor of a tornado, this resource encourages kids and teenagers to see that worries gain strength when they keep spinning in their minds, but they lose power when challenged and worked through.
This interactive worksheet provides a structured way to help children and young people recognise their worries, explore different ways to think about them, and develop positive coping strategies. It is particularly beneficial for children who struggle with anxious thoughts, overthinking, or difficulty processing emotions.
How the Worry Tornado Works
This activity guides children and teenagers through three key steps:
- Spot the Tornado – Identify and write down the biggest worry, giving it a name and recognising its presence.
- Break the Spin – Explore different ways to think about the worry by considering the worst-case, best-case, and most-likely outcomes. This helps challenge exaggerated fears and put the worry into perspective.
- Calm the Storm – Take control by choosing a small action, a helpful thought, and a comforting strategy to reduce anxious feelings and regain a sense of balance.
Why Use This Worksheet?
The Worry Tornado worksheet is designed to make managing anxiety easier and more approachable for children. It encourages them to externalise their thoughts rather than letting worries build up inside. By slowing down anxious thinking and breaking the worry into different perspectives, children can learn how to reframe their thoughts and develop emotional resilience.
This worksheet is ideal for use at home, in classrooms, or in therapy sessions. Parents, teachers, and therapists can use it to support children and young people in understanding their emotions, feeling more in control of their thoughts, and learning healthy coping skills for dealing with anxiety.
With its simple but powerful approach, The Worry Tornado provides a valuable tool for helping children and teens build confidence in handling their worries, reducing stress, and improving their emotional wellbeing.