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Stress Reliever Games for Kids

The American Institute of Stress points out that stress has a strong impact on our bodies, including hormonal triggers that impact our emotions. Kids are not immune from the problems stress causes; they have to deal with hectic schedules, split families, bullying, puberty and a host of other issues. Stress games may not eliminate such stressors from a child's life, but they may make stressful situations easier for the child to handle.

Water War
- Water War is a game that teaches the concept of letting go of stress. Children set up a target outside in a safe area in which nothing will break. The children take a water balloon and call out anything that is stressing them out. Then they hurl the water balloon at the target. Points are awarded based on how close the water balloon gets to the center of the target. The child with the most points wins. If an adult is willing to be a good sport, he may be the target (stationary or moving). This provides an opportunity for the adult to explain that he is willing to take a few hits in order to help the child feel good, and the child will love watching the adult get doused.
Shadow Chase
- Shadow Chase is a flashlight game intended to teach children that stressors, like shadows, aren't permanent, and that the child has some control over the stressors (shadows). The adult leading the game uses a separate light source to create shadows on a wall or a sheet that has been hung up. The child uses the flashlight to try and tag the shadows. This game may be played with more than one flashlight at a time, and if multiple children are playing, they may follow the rule that the first one to tag the shadow that appears, wins.
Fireman, Fireman
- Fireman, Fireman is a game about getting help in stressful times. The children separate into two teams. One member from each team sits or lies down about 20 to 30 feet from the teams. These team members then shout "Fireman, Fireman, I'm stressed out! Fireman, fireman, carry me out!" When the team members finish saying "out," all the other team members rush to their teammate and try to carry him across a finish line. The trick is that those who are carrying must use only one hand, which means that everyone has to cooperate and that it's much harder for one person to carry the majority of the teammate's weight. The team who gets across the finish line first wins. Players may relieve stress further by making siren sounds as loud as they can as they go through the rescue.

Kids Games