I engage in anger management activities for middle school students with kids with anger issues who act up in my class frequently. Most middle school students are in a very confusing stage of their lives because they are navigating their entrance into the angst-filled teenage years. These activities help them to reflect on their source of anger and help to calm them. Here are some anger management activities for middle school students I engage kids in to relieve their anger and introduce positive emotions.
1. Drawing Pictures
If you need non-verbal anger management tools for kids, drawing will help the child to express emotions that they may not be able to communicate verbally. The child experiences calm and peace as a result of the drawing. Encourage them to vent their anger via drawing if they prefer it.
Learn More: YouTube
2. DIY Calm Down Jar.
As far as anger management activities for kids go, “Calm down jars” are therapeutic for them. They are colorful and have a soothing effect on your students. They are also easy to make if you want a fun little DIY project as well. All you will need is:
- Transparent bottle
- Glitter glue
- Warm water
- Food coloring
Learn More: YouTube
3. Pinwheel Craft
Blowing on the pinwheel helps your students get hold of their breathing. Instruct your student to start slowly, then go faster till they feel exhausted. To make one, you will need:
- Colored sheet of paper
- Glue
- Pin
- Cardboard
- Stick
Learn More: CBC Parents
4. Blowing Bubbles
Help your students get rid of their anger by blowing bubbles. Within a few minutes of continuously blowing bubbles, your student gets to let go of the anger naturally. It’s one of the more affordable anger management activities for middle school kids. Here is a guide on how to blow bubbles.
You need:
- A bottle
- Dish soap
- Water
- Sugar
- Blowing stick
Learn More: YouTube
5. Vision Board Craft
In my search for anger management activities for middle school kids, I found a vision boards. They are a fun way to engage your student in a distracting project. Cutting and plastering papers on a board is a pleasant activity and help your student focus on more productive thoughts. Teach your students how to make a vision board.
Materials:
- Old magazines
- scissors
- Cardboard
- Glue
Learn More: YouTube
6. Pottery Making
Working with clay stimulates students’ emotional intelligence. Pottery is also a time-consuming hobby. It teaches your student resilience and how to deal with adversity. You can even try pottery with your student at home.
Materials;
- Air dry clay
- Clay tools
- Jar of water
- Cotton cloth
Learn More: Maria’s Wilson Home Decor Blog
7. Rocking Chair
Rocking on a chair and relaxing are great anger management activities for middle school kids to calm your student’s temper. By rocking to-and-fro, students have enough time to control themselves and rethink their actions. You can buy a rocking chair at a student’s store or make one at home.
Materials;
- Lumbar
- Jigsaw
- Drill machinery
Learn More: YouTube
8. Push-A-Wall
Having your child challenge the wall is a harmless way of allowing your student to vent their anger. Pushing for a few minutes sends a calming signal to the brain. Thus, building confidence and trust in your student. Walk your student through the process.
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9. Crinkle-Paper Crafts
Crinkling papers make sounds that are calming to the nervous system. Students find the crinkling sounds fun. Thus, it’s a suitable method of distracting the student from bad moods. Your students can make several creative designs by themselves.
You will need;
- Tissue paper
- Scissors
- Glue
Learn More: YouTube
10. Reflexology Golf Ball
The foot has many veins and nerve terminals. When you guide your child to roll a ball under their feet, their circulation improves and their muscles relax. Guide your student to try it out.
You will need:
- A golf ball
- A mat
Learn More: YouTube
11. Musical Therapy
Listening to music and singing are soothing anger management activities for middle school kids to do. Music can alleviate anxiety and suffering while also improving mental wellness. While listening to music, your child is transported to another world, making it simpler for them to overcome their anger. Encourage your child to listen to pleasant music. Guide your student to choose good music.
Learn More: YouTube
12. Anger Puppets
Have your student express their anger through the puppets. This is a good, non-verbal way for the child to demonstrate what is bothering them and why they feel so mad. Here’s a guide to help you through the activity.
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13. Anger Stories
It would help your student find characters they can relate to, even if the characters are fictional. Select stories about protagonists struggling with anger and read them with the student.
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14. Calming Breathing Exercises
Guide your middle school student through breathing creative exercises like bear hug breaths, belly breathing, dandelion breathing, and so on to help them calm down. Teach them to do the activities often, and to reflect deeply on the source of anger, as the exercises alleviate their anger. This helps them to have a calm mind in an angry situation or other challenging situations.
Learn More: YouTube
15. Emotion Scale
Help your student to track their emotions carefully by using an anger scale. Get them to track their emotions from 1 to 10 and mark where they are emotionally at each moment. It increases their awareness of their emotions. This is a fantastic tool that helps youngsters identify and understand their anger triggers and complex emotions. This detailed video provides further information.
Learn More: YouTube
16. Emotion Flashcards
Grab your flashcards and engage your middle schooler in a practical conversation about their feelings. This comes in the handle to help students that don’t know how to express their emotions verbally. You can create DIY cards or get some free printable cards.
Learn More: ESL Flashcards
17. Emotion Charades
This anger charades activities for kids is one of the novel anger management activities that helps to increase your child’s emotional awareness. Recognizing that it’s okay to be angry is really powerful. Make it a point to explain that there are good and bad ways to vent and deal with anger, whether through dialogue or role-playing in the game.
Learn More: YouTube
18. Stress Balls
Stress Balls are small flexible balls that are commonly used as therapeutic devices. Once you’ve gathered up a few of these balls, encourage your kids to reduce any tension they may feel by tightly gripping and releasing the ball in their hands. These awesome tools come in a variety of shapes and sizes so your pre-teen is sure to find one that suits their needs.
Learn More: S. Feldman Housewares
19. Anger Management Collage
This is another therapeutic strategy for dealing with their anger. They can create collages of objects that enrage them or depict how they are feeling. On the other hand, people can also create collages of various happy-making items. Guide them through creating their pieces of art with this video.
Learn More: YouTube
20. Scream Box
Making and using this scream box are both good anger management activities for kids. A Scream Box is an efficient way for kids to release pent-up anger. Not only is it very effective, but it is also relieving. This is a tutorial to making yours. All you’ll need are:
- Cereal box
- Roll of paper towels
- Construction Paper
- Stuffing
- Markers
- Tape
- Scissors
Learn More: YouTube
21. Anger Coping Toolkit
You can curate a personalized fun coping toolkit to help your child manage their anger better. It will contain several anger management activities for middle school kids. It could also act as a fun distraction for them. Use this video as a guide and have them fill the box with their favorite things or satisfying sensory products like:
- Slime
- Bubble wrap
- Puzzles
Learn More: YouTube
22. Anger Cocoa
This is a fun and playful breathing exercise to soothe your kids when they are feeling angry. It helps to take the edge off and keep them calm. You can watch this helpful activity video with your middle-schoolers and maybe even join in to maximize the fun.
Learn More: YouTube
23. Emotional Vocabulary Exercise
This is one of the most engaging activities you can do with your students. You can teach them how to identify emotions in many ways. You could have them mirror your expressions, or you could print out different emoticons for each feeling. Be creative and have fun with this idea.
Learn More: YouTube
24. Anger Iceberg
This anger iceberg is a therapeutic exercise you can do with your kids to show that there could also be other underlying emotions that can contribute to their anger. The goal is to have them highlight the emotions they feel, with the strongest at the top and the least underneath. Here’s how to engage in this activity.
Learn More: YouTube
25. Anger Sandwich
This is an engaging technique that helps kids identify the primary reason behind their anger. In the anger sandwich, the bread represents the anger that is being displayed while the fillings represent the primary underlying emotions. This video explains it perfectly!
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26. Calming Cards
These anger cards are a fun way to help your kids cope at home when they are angry. Each card should contain a list of anger management activities for kids they can do whenever they get riled up. The idea is to help them manage their emotions. This video explains it better.
Learn More: YouTube
27. Anger management Worksheet
This is a fun activity book that teaches kids all they need to know about rage. It help your student in understanding the reasons for their anger, as well as the consequences. It will also provide practical answers for them. You may either buy it or make one for your child. Check out this video to guide your use of the worksheet.
Learn More: YouTube
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