To learn how to overcome fears and anxiety, kids have to experience them. And the best way to experience them is to play.
Though many of us can remember childhoods full of exploring, tree-climbing and other risky behaviour, unsupervised, exciting play has been on the decline for decades now. At the same time, rates of anxiety have risen sharply, with children now being five times more likely to be diagnosed with generalized anxiety than they were in the 1950s.
Without the kind of play that brings them to the edge of their comfort zones, kids are left with little experience in confronting uncertainty and are less likely to feel a sense of control over their lives.
This article from Psychology Today highlights the benefits of letting our kids explore and face the things that frighten them. Engaging in scary fiction, like thrilling video games or frightening stories, allows kids to confront fear in a low-stakes and safe way while empowering them to deal with real world problems.
Source
