If you’ve ever watched your child go quiet, clingy, or emotional without quite knowing what is going on inside, a Worry Monster can be an incredibly helpful tool. These soft, friendly creatures are designed to help children manage their worries in a simple, playful way. The idea is straightforward: children write or draw their worries, pop them into the monster’s zip mouth, and the monster “eats” them. It sounds cute, but there is solid psychology behind it. Externalising big feelings can make them feel smaller, safer, and easier to talk about.
Worry Monsters are used at home, in nurseries, in reception and KS1 classrooms, and by teachers who want an accessible way for children to share their feelings without pressure. And most importantly, children actually enjoy using them.
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How a Friendly Worry Monster Helps Children Manage Their Worries
Young children often struggle to put feelings into words. Anxiety can show up as clinginess, sleep issues, tummy aches, or big emotional reactions that seem to come from nowhere. The Worry Monster gives them a place to store those feelings safely, turning something overwhelming into something they can see and touch.
Read my full blog post on childhood sleep anxiety here.
Writing or drawing their worries helps children understand what’s going on inside and gives parents and teachers a gentle opening to talk. The physical act of feeding the worry to the monster helps children feel in control, whilst still staying connected to a trusted adult. Over time, this simple activity can help them develop better emotional awareness and confidence in managing their worries.
Which Worry Monster should I choose?
Not all Worry Monsters are the same, and choosing the right one can make the whole experience feel more personal for your child. Some families prefer the small key-ring Worry Monsters, which are perfect for school bags or pockets so children can keep them close during the day.
Others like the bigger plush versions – colourful, soft, and brilliant for bedtime or for keeping on a bedroom shelf.
And then there’s the Worry Monster book available from Mind+Moon, which gives you a gentle bedtime story to go alongside the activity so children understand exactly how the monster helps.
Of course, you can also get creative – a hand-knitted Worry Monster from a grandparent or loved one can feel incredibly special and often becomes a real comfort item. What matters most is choosing a monster your child feels drawn to.
How to Use a Worry Monster: Step-by-Step
1. Begin by introducing the monster
Keep it light. Explain that this friendly worry monster has a special job. Children can look inside the mouth, unzip it, explore the colours, and get used to the idea that this is a safe place for their feelings.
2. Talk about worries in a simple way
You might say:
“Everyone has worries. Even grown-ups. Sometimes it helps to put them somewhere safe so they don’t take over our day.”
Parents and teachers can give small examples related to school, friendships, or separation to help children understand.
3. Write or draw the worry
There is no right or wrong way to do this. Children can:
• write a word
• draw a picture
• use a note
• twist pipe cleaners into a “worry shape”
• dictate to an adult if they cannot write yet
Seeing the worry displayed outside their body helps make feelings more concrete and less overwhelming.
4. Feed the worry to the monster
Help your child pop the worry into the zip mouth. This is often the part they love most. You can say something like:
“Right, let’s let the monster eat that one so you do not have to carry it around.”
This does not magically make the feeling disappear, but it can make it smaller and easier to manage.
Note! Make sure to remove the worry at night. In the morning the monster will have gobbled it all up!
5. Check back in the next day
Ask your child whether the worry feels smaller today. You can open the monster together and see what’s inside if they want to. If the same worry keeps coming back, that’s your sign to talk a little more or find out what’s really affecting them.
Fun Ways to Personalise Your Worry Monster
Make it your own. Children love the creative side of this:
• decorate the monster with stickers
• add pipe cleaner hair
• create a homemade version
• use colour or glitter pens to make it fun
• in a school? Why not make a class “Worry Monster” for group activities
These small touches help children feel connected to the activity, which makes it far more effective.
When a Worry Monster Is Especially Helpful
A Worry Monster can be especially helpful during big moments in a child’s life, such as starting school, navigating friendship changes, coping with nightmares or separation anxiety, or managing worries linked to major life events. It can also support children whose worries affect sleep or behaviour, giving them a simple, predictable way to offload what’s on their mind. For some children, the monster becomes part of their evening routine, helping them leave their worries behind before bedtime so they can settle more calmly.
If your child is scared of the dark, you can read my full advice here.
Final Thoughts
Children’s fears and worries are completely normal. A friendly Worry Monster is simply one way to help them share what’s inside, understand their emotions, and feel supported. It’s playful, practical, and easy to build into your day. Most importantly, it opens up conversations that might otherwise stay hidden.
Still need some help?
I’m here to help! I can tailor advice and plans to your family and situation.
I can help establish good sleep bedtime habits and provide tips on how to cope with inevitable nighttime disruptions.
Have a look at my sleep consultant packages or directly get in touch.
If your child is struggling with childhood sleep anxiety, sleep problems, or bedtime has become a battle, you don’t have to face it alone. Help is available – and better nights are possible.
