Expert-Designed Worksheets for Kids with Behavioural Issues

The Cadabam’s Difference: Expertise in Every Resource

In a digital world full of generic printables, it's vital to know the source of your child's developmental tools. The behavioral worksheets for kids offered here are a direct reflection of Cadabam’s core principles: clinical excellence, compassionate care, and family empowerment.

Designed by a Multidisciplinary Team

These aren't just generic worksheets. They are carefully curated, designed, and reviewed by our leading multidisciplinary team of child psychologists, behavioral therapists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and special educators. This collaborative approach ensures that each activity is developmentally appropriate, evidence-based, and sensitive to the wide spectrum of childhood development, including an understanding of neurodiversity and developmental delay.

Rooted in 30+ Years of Clinical Experience

Cadabam's has been a pioneer in mental health and developmental care for over three decades. Our resources are not based on theory alone; they are informed by tens of thousands of hours of hands-on work with children and families. This deep clinical experience ensures our worksheets for behavioral issues in kids are practical, effective, and empathetic to real-world challenges.

A Bridge from Therapy to Home

We believe that the most profound change happens when therapeutic strategies are integrated into daily life. These worksheets serve as a vital tool to support the therapy-to-home transition. They empower parents to reinforce concepts and skills learned during sessions with occupational therapists or behavioral specialists, creating a consistent and supportive environment for the child.

Looking for support for yourself? Discover our Parent Mental Health Support program.

Common Behavioral Issues We Help Children Navigate

Behavior is communication. When children exhibit challenging behaviors, they are often communicating an unmet need, an overwhelming feeling, or a skill they haven't yet developed. These expert-designed child behavior worksheets are crafted to help you and your child decipher that communication and build the skills needed to address the root cause.

Difficulties with Emotional Regulation

This can look like frequent, intense tantrums, outsized emotional reactions to seemingly small problems, or an inability to calm down without extensive help. These children often feel overwhelmed by their feelings. Our worksheets provide a language and a framework for understanding these big emotions, and our emotional regulation activities for kids help them practice self-soothing.

Anger Management and Aggression

If your child frequently resorts to hitting, shouting, defiant language, or intense irritability when frustrated, they are struggling with anger management. The goal is not to eliminate anger—a normal human emotion—but to teach constructive ways to express it. Our anger management worksheets for kids pdf focus on identifying triggers and choosing healthier coping strategies.

Social and Communication Difficulties

Does your child have trouble making or keeping friends, understanding social cues like body language, sharing, taking turns, or initiating conversations? These are common challenges that can impact self-esteem and school life. Our social skills worksheets for children with behavior problems break down complex social interactions into manageable steps.

Inattention and Impulsivity (ADHD-like Symptoms)

Struggling to focus on homework, acting without thinking through consequences, constant fidgeting, and difficulty with organization are hallmark signs of inattention and impulsivity. While a formal diagnosis requires a professional evaluation, these behaviors can be supported with structured activities that promote focus and planning. Learn more about our approach to ADHD-specific services here.

Anxiety and Avoidance Behaviors

Anxiety can manifest as behavior. This might include a refusal to go to school, avoiding social gatherings, excessive worrying that leads to meltdowns, or a deep fear of trying new things. Worksheets can help externalize these worries and teach children practical CCT-based techniques to challenge anxious thoughts.

Oppositional and Defiant Behaviors

A consistent pattern of arguing with adults, actively refusing to follow rules, deliberately annoying others, and blaming others for mistakes can be signs of oppositional behavior. Addressing this requires a focus on collaboration, problem-solving, and understanding the "why" behind the defiance. Professional guidance is often key, and you can explore our Behavioral Issues Therapy at Cadabam’s.

Free Printable Behavior Worksheets for Kids: Download Your Toolkit

Welcome to your resource hub. Here you'll find a curated collection of free, printable behavior worksheets for kids, each designed by the Cadabam's CDC team. Each category includes a brief explanation of the skill, a practical tip for parents, and PDF downloads. To get the most out of them, work on them with your child in a calm, connected moment—not in the heat of a conflict.

A. Anger Management Worksheets for Kids PDF

What is Anger Management for Kids? For children, anger management means learning to recognize the physical and emotional signs of growing anger (the "rumble"), identifying what caused the feeling (the "trigger"), and choosing a pre-planned strategy to calm down before the anger "explodes."

How These Worksheets Help: These tools provide a visual and cognitive framework for a process that can feel chaotic. They help children externalize the feeling of anger, making it easier to observe and control. They build a "cool-down plan" for when they are calm, which they can access during moments of frustration.

Parent Tip: "Role-play a situation from the 'What Pushes My Buttons?' worksheet with your child. Pretend to get frustrated and then model using one of the strategies from their 'Cool-Down Choices' list. This makes it a safe, shared practice."

Worksheets to Download:

Worksheet 1: My Anger Thermometer - A visual tool to help children rate their anger level from 1 to 5. ➡️ Download PDF

Worksheet 2: What Pushes My Buttons? - An activity to identify personal anger triggers at home and school. ➡️ Download PDF

Worksheet 3: My Cool-Down Choices - A creative exercise to build a personalized menu of effective coping strategies. ➡️ Download PDF

B. Social Skills Worksheets for Children with Behavior Problems

Why Are Social Skills Crucial? Strong social skills are a cornerstone of a happy childhood. They are essential for building friendships, succeeding in the classroom, navigating conflicts, and developing healthy self-esteem. For children with behavioral challenges, social missteps can often be a source of frustration and isolation.

How These Worksheets Help: These worksheets demystify complex social rules. They break down abstract concepts like "being a good friend" or "reading the room" into concrete, observable actions. They provide scripts and scenarios for practice in a low-pressure setting.

Parent Tip: "Use the 'Friendship Builder' worksheet before a playdate. Talk with your child about what they could do to be a good friend that day, like asking their friend what they want to play first. This primes them for success."

Worksheets to Download:

Worksheet 1: Reading the Room - Helps children connect facial expressions and body language to feelings. ➡️ Download PDF

Worksheet 2: Friendship Builder - An activity to define the positive actions that build and maintain friendships. ➡️ Download PDF

Worksheet 3: Problem-Solving Together - A guide to navigate common disagreements, like sharing a toy, in a fair way. ➡️ Download PDF

Preparing your child for academic success? Explore our School-Readiness Program.

C. Emotional Regulation Activities for Kids

Moving Beyond Worksheets: Emotional regulation is a physical and mental skill. It's about learning to manage the body's response to big feelings. While worksheets help with the cognitive part, they must be paired with physical activities that help regulate the nervous system. The concept of sensory integration is key here.

How These Activities Help: These activities build self-awareness ("My heart is beating fast"), develop a nuanced vocabulary for feelings ("I feel frustrated, not just mad"), and give children a toolbox of physical strategies to find calm. They teach mindfulness in a kid-friendly way.

Parent Tip: "Create a 'Calm-Down Corner' or a 'Peace Box' in your home. Use the '5-Minute Regulation Boosters' list to fill it with items that help your child, like soft pillows, a weighted lap pad, a stress ball, headphones with calming music, or a bottle of bubbles for deep breathing."

Activities & Worksheets to Download:

Worksheet 1: The Feeling Wheel - Expands emotional vocabulary beyond 'happy, sad, mad' to include 'frustrated, worried, excited, disappointed'. ➡️ Download PDF

Worksheet 2: Size of the Problem - A visual tool to help children match the size of their reaction to the size of the problem. ➡️ Download PDF

Activity List: 5-Minute Regulation Boosters - A printable list of sensory-based activities like Star Breathing, Wall Pushes, Animal Walks, and a Listening Walk. ➡️ Download PDF

D. CBT Worksheets for Children's Behavior

What is CBT for Kids? CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is a highly effective, evidence-based approach. We explain it to kids this way: "Our thoughts, feelings, and actions are all connected, like a triangle. If we can catch and change our unhelpful thoughts (we call them 'buggy thoughts'), we can change how we feel and what we do."

How These Worksheets Help: These CBT worksheets for children's behavior make abstract psychological concepts concrete and accessible. They help children become detectives of their own thoughts, identifying common "thinking traps" (like all-or-nothing thinking) and learning to challenge and reframe them into more helpful or realistic ones.

Parent Tip: "Focus on just one 'thinking trap' or 'buggy thought' per week. Don't make it a lecture. When you hear your child say something like 'I never get to go first!', you can gently say, 'That sounds like a buggy thought! Let's be thought detectives. Can you think of a time you did go first?'"

Worksheets to Download:

Worksheet 1: Thought-Feeling-Action Triangle - The foundational CBT tool to map out how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are linked. ➡️ Download PDF

Worksheet 2: Catching My Buggy Thoughts - A fun way to identify and name common cognitive distortions. ➡️ Download PDF

Worksheet 3: My Thought Detective - A structured guide for challenging a negative thought by looking for evidence. ➡️ Download PDF

Learn more about our expert Cognitive Behavioral Therapy services for children.

When Worksheets Aren't Enough: The Next Step in Your Child's Journey

These worksheets for behavioral issues in kids are powerful tools for support and skill-building. However, they are not a substitute for a comprehensive evaluation or personalized pediatric therapy. If your child's behaviors are causing significant distress at home or school, or if you feel stuck and overwhelmed, it's a sign that more support is needed.

The Cadabam's Assessment Process: Getting a Clear Picture

Understanding is the first step to helping. Our process is collaborative and thorough, designed to give you clarity and a concrete plan. It involves:

Initial Consultation: A conversation to understand your concerns and goals. Developmental Screening: Standardized tools to assess key developmental areas. Multidisciplinary Assessment: Our team of experts collaborates to evaluate your child's unique strengths and challenges from every angle. Collaborative Goal Setting: We work with you to create a personalized therapy plan that is meaningful and achievable for your family.

How Our Therapy Programs Create Lasting Change

Based on the assessment, we recommend a path forward that truly fits your child's needs. This can include:

Full-Time Developmental Rehab: An intensive, integrated program for children requiring comprehensive support. OPD-Based Programs: Regular, targeted sessions for occupational therapy, speech therapy, or behavioral therapy. Parent-Child Integration & Coaching: We see parents as co-therapists. We provide you with the coaching and strategies to build on what these worksheets start, creating lasting change.

Explore our world-class Occupational Therapy programs.

Meet the Experts Guiding Your Child's Development

The quality of any resource comes down to the expertise behind it. At Cadabam's CDC, we are proud of the team that informs every worksheet, every therapy plan, and every piece of advice we share. This is the foundation of our E-E-A-T.

Our Child Psychologists & Behavioral Therapists

Our psychologists are experts in the "why" of behavior. They understand child psychology, developmental neuropsychology, and family systems. They lead the design of our CBT and behavioral interventions, ensuring they are rooted in the most current, evidence-based practices.

Our Occupational & Speech Therapists

Our OTs and SLPs understand that behavior is profoundly linked to sensory processing and communication abilities. They provide critical input, ensuring our resources address underlying needs related to sensory integration, motor planning, and the ability to express wants and needs effectively, reducing frustration-based behaviors.

Expert Quote Block: "These worksheets are a fantastic first step. They open a dialogue between parent and child about difficult feelings. Our job is to build on that foundation with personalized strategies that work for your family." – Lead Child Psychologist, Cadabam's CDC.

Expert Quote Block: "Behavior is often linked to unmet sensory or communication needs. An activity that helps a child regulate their body can be more powerful than words. That's the integrated approach we use to create tools that truly help." – Senior Occupational Therapist, Cadabam's CDC.

Success Stories: Small Steps, Big Changes

The goal of our behavioral worksheets for kids is to create real, positive change in the lives of families. Here are a few stories of how parents have used these simple tools to make a big difference.

Anjali's Story: From Tantrums to Talking

Five-year-old Anjali's parents were exhausted by her daily, hour-long tantrums. Using the "Anger Thermometer" worksheet during a calm moment, they helped her give a name and a "number" to her frustration. Soon, instead of screaming, Anjali started coming to her mom and saying, "I'm at a 4!" This was the opening they needed to help her use her "Cool-Down Choices" before the tantrum ever started. It was a game-changer for their parent-child bonding`.

Rohan's Journey: Building Friendship Skills

Seven-year-old Rohan was bright and funny but struggled on the playground and was rarely invited to birthday parties. His dad started using the "Friendship Builder" and "Problem-Solving Together" worksheets with him on weekends. They role-played scenarios, which Rohan found silly at first, but it gave him the confidence he needed. After a few weeks, he came home from school beaming, announcing, "I invited Aarav to play, and he said yes!"