Kids Against Stress Therapy Game for Coping Skills
A therapy game for big feelings, real-life challenges, and flexible coping skills
Kids Against Stress is a therapy game designed to help children explore everyday stressors and practice coping skills in a fun, low-pressure way. Using relatable challenge cards and multiple coping options, kids learn that there’s more than one “right” way to handle tough moments, and that skills can be custom to them. The game is inspired by our popular Humans Against Stress” game, which is another therapy game option for adults or teens.
Each round of the Kids Against Stress therapy game presents a common kid-sized challenge (school stress, peer conflict, family changes, worries, mistakes, and more). Players then choose from coping skills that range from calming and problem-solving strategies to movement-based and lighthearted options.
The game naturally opens the door to discussion, emotional awareness, and skill-building—without feeling like a worksheet. It plays similarly to category games like Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity.
What’s included:
Challenge Cards with realistic, kid-friendly scenarios
Coping Skill Cards covering:
Calming and body-based regulation
Movement and sensory strategies
Problem-solving and asking for help
Silly, playful, and connection-based coping options
Simple, flexible instructions that allow you to adapt gameplay for different ages, attention spans, and settings
Why therapists love it
Encourages emotional expression without putting kids on the spot
Promotes choice, autonomy, and insight (“Why would this help?”)
Easy to adapt for individual therapy, groups, or family sessions
Works well as a warm-up, skill-building activity, or rapport booster
Can be used repeatedly without feeling repetitive
Great for:
Individual and group therapy
School counseling
Telehealth or in-person sessions
Children who struggle to talk directly about stress or emotions
Kids Against Stress keeps therapy engaging while still doing meaningful clinical work—helping kids build coping skills they can actually use in real life.
Looking for a teen or adult option? Try our original Humans Against Stress game.
Needing a virtual version? This game can be creatively modified to use virtually, but for the best experience we recommend the digital version available at our interactive platform at www.onlinetherapytools.com
