Black and White Thinking Activity: CBT Activity for Anxiety in Counseling
Counseling Card Game to Help Kids Challenge Black-and-White Thinking: Say goodbye to "all or nothing" thoughts and hello to flexible, confident thinking!
Not-So Black and White is a fun, counselor-designed card game that helps kids break free from black-and-white thinking by teaching research-backed skills in a playful and engaging way. Whether you're a counselor, teacher, or caregiver, this social-emotional learning game is the perfect tool to support kids who struggle with rigid thinking, big emotions, or perfectionism.
✅ This CBT-based game helps kids:
- Recognize black-and-white thinking traps (like “I’m a failure!” or “No one likes me!”)
- Practice coping strategies to calm strong feelings
- Use thought-challenging tools to reframe extreme beliefs
- Explore flexible problem-solving and build resilience
- Name and normalize tough emotions with self-compassion
🧠 Built for Play: Created by a counselor using principles from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), this game includes:
- 200+ engaging prompts across 30 essential thinking, feeling, and behavior skills
- A mix of calming activities, thought-check questions, creative scenarios, and reflection prompts
- Easy-to-follow instructions for individual therapy, small groups, classrooms, or at home
🎯Ideal For:
- Kids ages 7–12
- School counselors, therapists, social workers
- Parents and caregivers looking to build emotional intelligence
- Children with anxiety, perfectionism, emotional dysregulation, or rigid thinking
🌈 Why It Works:
These activities and prompts help children replace “always/never” thinking with more balanced, realistic perspectives. By combining emotional awareness, mindfulness, self-talk strategies, and behavioral tools, kids gain real-world skills that stick.
📦 What’s Included:
- 200 cards, sorted by skill category
- Instructions with tips for counselors, educators, and families
- Bonus ideas for therapeutic games, journaling prompts, and role-play activities
- Color & black/white printing options
🔍 Key Areas of focus:
Black-and-white thinking game for kids, flexible thinking activities, coping skills for children, CBT card deck for kids, social-emotional learning game, emotional regulation for kids, anxiety support tool for children, SEL resource for counselors
“This is my go-to resource for kids who think in extremes—it’s fun, insightful, and incredibly effective!” — School Counselor
👉Help kids color outside the lines of rigid thinking.
🎉Grab your copy today and make emotional growth a game worth playing!
Find more resources for kids who worry here!
Please Note: This is a digitally downloadable resource. You will not receive anything in the mail.