The Movement Coping Style

Children will experience a variety of different emotions as they live and play in the world. They will need coping skills to help them manage their feelings in safe and healthy ways. But there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” strategies. Not all skills will work for all kids or all the time. The strategy that will work will be different, depending on their emotions, where they are, and their personal preferences.

Sometimes when children experience big emotions, their body gets full of energy and they need ways to expend that energy safely. The Movement style focuses on simple ways to encourage small and big body movements to help kids do that! There are some strategies that work outside, some that work inside, and some that work in both locations.

Small Body Movements

Flexing and pointing feet, or rolling your shoulders, squeezing play dough or silly putty, playing with a fidget, etc

Big Body Movements

Skipping, riding a scooter, roller skating, riding a bike, etc.

Movement Coping Style Products

To see research studies about coping skills that fall into the category of movement, visit the evidence-based page.

*Please note, while I do place coping skills into styles, but these are not hard and fast categories. Something like doing push ups against a wall could fall into either sensory or movement. The styles are there to help bring order to the mountain of coping skills ideas, but aren’t meant to be rigid categories that can’t be changed.