The Anxiety Meter is a clear, practical printable PDF resource that helps children, young people and teenagers recognise, understand and communicate anxiety before it becomes overwhelming. It uses a simple visual scale that moves from calm and relaxed through to very worried and out of control. This makes anxiety easier to talk about, especially for children and teens who struggle to explain their feelings with words. The Anxiety Meter gives adults and young people a shared language for anxiety, which reduces misunderstandings and supports earlier, calmer responses.
The resource includes a full-colour Anxiety Meter poster and a set of black and white worksheets designed for regular use. Kids and teens are supported to shade the level that matches how they feel, name emotions using simple language, and notice what is happening in their body, such as a tight tummy, fast heartbeat or racing thoughts. The worksheets encourage reflection through drawing, short written responses and practical activities, making them accessible for a wide range of ages, abilities and learning styles.
Each anxiety level is clearly linked to practical coping strategies that support emotional regulation, wellbeing and mental health. These include slow breathing using the 4-7-8 breathing exercise, grounding with the 5-4-3-2-1 technique, calming movement, taking breaks, and identifying trusted adults to ask for help. This turns the Anxiety Meter into a working tool rather than just a feelings chart, helping children and teenagers learn what helps them at different stages of anxiety and stress.
The Anxiety Meter is well suited to one-to-one support, therapy and counselling sessions, ELSA work, nurture groups, school wellbeing support, behaviour support planning and family work. It is particularly helpful during transitions, before school, after difficult or overwhelming events, or when behaviour changes are linked to anxiety. It supports children and young people experiencing anxiety, emotional overwhelm, stress, low emotional awareness and difficulties with emotional regulation. It is also suitable for children with additional needs, including autism and ADHD.
This resource is useful for parents, carers, foster carers, kinship carers, teachers, pastoral and SEND staff, social workers, counsellors, therapists and youth workers who want a calm, structured and child-friendly way to support anxiety. The poster can be displayed in a calm corner, classroom, therapy room or at home, while the worksheets can be used repeatedly as part of a wellbeing or emotional regulation toolkit. The Anxiety Meter helps children and young people feel understood, supported and more in control when anxiety starts to rise.
