Helping Kids Cope with Change: How to Build Emotional Resilience in Times of Transition

Change is a part of life—but for kids, even small shifts can feel seismic. A new school, a family move, a change in routine, or even a new babysitter can send big ripples through a child’s world.

When their routines are upended or familiar anchors disappear, kids don’t always have the words to say “I’m struggling.” Instead, their distress might show up as clinginess, outbursts, tummy aches, withdrawal—or questions they don’t know how to ask.

That’s where coping strategies for kids come in. 

These are not magic fixes, but gentle tools to help kids feel safe, supported, and seen as they navigate life’s inevitable changes. With the right support, change doesn’t have to feel like chaos—it can be a powerful opportunity to build emotional resilience.

Let’s explore how.

What are the 5 R’s of coping skills?

A helpful framework for caregivers and educators working on coping strategies for kids is the “5 R’s” model—five key principles that support children through emotional distress and transitions:

1. Reassure

Let kids know that it’s okay to feel big emotions. Offer calm, grounded presence and consistent reminders: “You’re safe,” “It’s okay to feel this,” and “I’m here with you.”

2. Routine

Create predictable rhythms. In times of transition, even simple routines like bedtime stories, morning check-ins, or familiar snacks can become emotional anchors.

3. Regulate

Help kids calm their bodies through sensory tools or breathing exercises. Regulation often starts with the caregiver co-regulating—offering your calm presence as a model.

4. Relate

Build connection before correction. When kids feel understood and accepted, they’re more likely to open up and engage in problem-solving.

5. Reflect

Support kids in naming their feelings and experiences. This helps build self-awareness, language for emotions, and a sense of empowerment.

The 5 R’s remind us that coping strategies for kids aren’t just about managing meltdowns. They’re about building trust, connection, and capacity—one small moment at a time.

How to explain coping to kids?

One of the best gifts we can give children is emotional language. But how do we explain something like “coping” in a way that makes sense to young minds?

Try this:

“Coping is what we do when we feel big feelings—like scared, sad, or mad—and we need to feel better. It’s like having a toolbox in your brain full of things that help you feel calm, strong, and safe again.”

You can even make a physical “coping toolbox” with your child—filled with items like fidget toys, coloring books, calming music, or a soft blanket. Then say:

“These are your tools. Everyone has different ones. When you feel upset or worried, we can try one and see what helps.”

When it comes to coping strategies for kids, simple is best. Make it playful. Make it visual. And most of all—make it shared. Kids learn coping not just by being told what it is, but by experiencing it with you.

What are the 5 types of coping strategies with examples?

Coping looks different for every child. Understanding the five main types of coping strategies for kids can help you spot what your child naturally leans toward—and introduce new options they might not have discovered yet.

1. Physical coping

Movement helps discharge nervous energy and soothe the body.

• Example: jumping on a trampoline, squeezing a stress ball, taking deep breaths, dancing.

2. Cognitive coping

Using thoughts to reframe, distract, or make sense of emotions.

• Example: positive self-talk (“I can do this”), visualizing a calm place, playing a focus game like “I spy.”

3. Emotional coping

Recognizing, expressing, and validating emotions.

• Example: drawing how they feel, naming their emotion (“I feel scared”), using a feelings chart.

4. Social coping

Connecting with others for comfort and support.

• Example: asking for a hug, talking to a friend, playing a board game with a sibling.

5. Spiritual or creative coping

Using imagination, belief, or artistic expression to make sense of feelings.

• Example: writing a story, praying, making art, building with blocks to “rebuild” a hard moment.

Different kids gravitate toward different strategies. The goal is to normalize all five types and encourage flexibility—so kids learn they have options when big feelings show up.

What are creative coping skills for children?

Creativity isn’t just fun—it’s powerful. For many children, art, play, and imagination are the language of healing. That’s why creative coping skills for children can be especially effective during change and transition.

Here are a few creative tools to add to your child’s coping toolbox:

Feelings Art Station

Set up a simple art area with markers, paper, and prompts like “Draw what worry looks like,” or “Make a picture of your safe place.”

Storytelling Time

Invite your child to tell or write a story about a character going through change. Then ask, “What helped them feel better?” This externalizes the experience and sparks solutions.

Emotion Puppets

Use stuffed animals or puppets to act out feelings and model healthy coping.

Music & Movement

Create a playlist of “calm down songs” and “shake it out” songs. Let your child choose which type they need.

Worry Jars

Write down worries on slips of paper and put them in a jar. Then say, “We can visit them later if we need to, but for now they’re safe in here.”

When thinking about coping strategies for kids, creativity often bypasses the pressure to say the right thing—and instead invites emotional safety through expression, play, and imagination.

Change is hard—but it’s also a chance to grow

Transitions—big or small—can stir up fear, grief, excitement, and everything in between. And that’s okay.

The goal isn’t to prevent children from ever feeling discomfort. It’s to walk alongside them as they learn to move through it. When kids practice coping strategies in safe, supported ways, they build emotional muscles that last a lifetime.

Here’s the beautiful part: as kids grow their toolbox, so do we. Supporting children through change often invites us to reparent ourselves—to slow down, tune in, and remember that even adults need comfort during chaos.

Final thoughts: You’re not behind—you’re building

If your child is struggling with a recent change—or if emotions seem bigger and louder than usual—you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re in the middle of something important: growth.

At Sarah Cline Counseling, I work with kids and parents who are navigating change, loss, and transition with compassion, not perfection. Whether your child is facing school stress, a family shift, or just the growing pains of childhood, therapy can offer tools, language, and emotional safety.

Because resilience isn’t born—it’s built. And it starts with moments like these.

If you’re looking for ways to support your child (or yourself) with healthy coping strategies, reach out.

Let’s build a toolbox you can both count on—full of warmth, wisdom, and room to grow.

You’ve got this. And you don’t have to do it alone.