Anger Activities

Acknowledging anger in grief can be tricky. Practice expressing your anger through art and these at home grief activities.

Show your anger – Family Activity

Acknowledging anger in grief can be tricky and finding the appropriate way to express it can be challenging, especially together as a family. This activity provides a chance for everyone to express and process their anger through art.

Invite each family member to take a sheet of paper, poster board or butcher paper and then proceed to create what their own anger looks like to them. It could be helpful to encourage one another to think about what makes you angry and what makes you feel better when you are angry. Family members could make several pieces of art or just one. For example, you could make two paintings: what my anger looks like and what feeling better looks like. After making your creations, encourage one another to share what they made and what it represents.

coping web – Youth Activity Ages 11- 18

On a piece of paper, create a list of physical coping skills (activities that release energy). For example: sports and exercise, cleaning, punching a pillow, dancing, etc.

Once a list has been created, create a web of categories and in the middle of a piece of paper, draw a circle with the feeling or feelings that get pent up inside (anger, worry, sadness, anxiety). Next, draw lines that connect to bubbles coming out for the different categories of physical coping. It may be helpful to identify a distinct and separate web for the different feelings identified such as anger or anxiety.

Angry dance – youth/adult Activity Ages 3 – 10

With assistance from an adult, watch Billy Elliot’s Angry Dance video. Billy learns that dancing is a helpful and supportive way to release his anger. After watching the video, try to make up your very own angry dance and if you can’t think of songs to dance to, you can ask an adult for some suggestions! Watching this video and coming up with a personal angry dance can help facilitate helpful ways to release anger.

Story Corner:

“A Little Spot of Anger” by Diane Alber. It can be really hard to handle BIG Emotions, especially ANGER! Kids experience frustrating situations everyday, whether it’s someone taking their toy or they feel like they can’t do something. This story shows them that instead of yelling or stomping their feet, they can practice some fun ways to help them stay CALM.