My Worry Jar Worksheet: A Simple Tool to Manage Anxiety and Overthinking

July 17, 2026

Anxious thoughts don't always stay in one place. They can follow children from school to home and even into bedtime, which makes it difficult to focus, relax, or fall asleep.

A worry jar worksheet gives children a way to “put down” their worries instead of carrying them all day. Instead of asking a child to simply stop worrying, this tool teaches them to contain it, schedule it, and return to it on their own terms.

Below, we break down what the Worry Jar Worksheet is, how to use it, and why it’s such an effective tool for building emotional regulation skills in kids and teens.

My Worry Jar Worksheet

worry jar

The Worry Jar Worksheet is a printable tool designed to help children visually “store” their worries throughout the day.

Rather than letting anxious thoughts loop endlessly, kids write down each worry and place it in the jar. This simple act creates psychological distance between the child and the thought.

The worksheet also includes a “Worry Time” section, where children (with the help of a parent or caregiver) can set aside a specific window each day to revisit those stored worries. This prevents the worries from intruding at random moments.

This worksheet is also available in a Spanish-language version ("Frasco de Preocupación"). This is a great option for bilingual households, dual-language classrooms, or Spanish-speaking families looking for the same tool in their native language.

How to Use the Worry Jar Worksheet

Using the worksheet only takes a few minutes each day. Here's how to actually put it into practice with your child.

Introduce the concept: Explain to your child that worries are normal, but they don’t need to be thought about all day long.
Fill the jar: Whenever a worry pops up, have your child write it down and add it to the jar on the worksheet. They can also draw it if they prefer.
Set a daily Worry Time: Choose a consistent 10 to 15-minute window each day when your child is allowed to think through everything in the jar.
Review together: During Worry Time, sit with your child and talk through each worry. Some may resolve themselves once time has passed, while others may need a next step.
Close it out: Once the time is up, worry time is over for the day. This reinforces the idea that worries don’t have to control every hour.

Benefits of Using the Worry Jar Worksheet

One of the biggest benefits of the Worry Jar Worksheet is that it teaches children to set worries aside instead of thinking about them all day.

This approach is based on a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) technique called worry postponement. CBT is one of the most well-researched treatments for childhood anxiety, and studies have found that its benefits can continue long after treatment ends [*].

Worry postponement encourages people to notice when a worry appears, avoid dwelling on it immediately, and save it for a scheduled “worry time”.

Researchers combined the results of seven randomized controlled trials and found that this strategy helped reduce both how often participants worried and how much they spent worrying [*].

The findings suggest that setting aside a dedicated time for worries may help reduce repetitive worrying and encourage healthier coping habits.

When to Use the Worry Jar Worksheet

The Worry Jar Worksheet can be used anytime a child feels overwhelmed by anxious or repetitive thoughts.

You may find it helpful if your child:

Frequently worries about school, friendships, or family.
Has trouble letting go of anxious thoughts.
Repeatedly asks for reassurance about the same concerns.
Becomes distracted by worries during schoolwork or other activities.
Feels nervous before new experiences, such as starting a new school year, taking a test, or attending a social event.
Is learning coping skills in therapy and needs extra practice at home.

Summary

The Worry Jar Worksheet is a simple but effective tool that helps children manage anxiety and overthinking by giving their worries a designated place and time. Instead of allowing anxious thoughts to interrupt the day, children can write them down, set them aside, and revisit them during the scheduled “Worry Time. This worksheet encourages healthier coping habits while helping children feel more in control of their thoughts.