There isn't one single "biggest" childhood fear, but common top contenders across ages include fear of the dark, separation anxiety, monsters/imaginary creatures, and loud noises like thunderstorms, with real-world concerns like animals, doctors, or failure growing as kids get older, often stemming from feeling vulnerable or experiencing new, unfamiliar things.
Young kids fear "pretend" things.
They fear what might be under their bed or in the closet. Many are afraid of the dark and at bedtime. Some are afraid of scary dreams. Young kids may also be afraid of loud noises, like thunder or fireworks.
Common fears for children of primary school age
Common fears include fear of the dark, burglary, war, death, separation or divorce of their parents, and supernatural beings (such as ghosts and monsters). Suggestions for helping your child include: Let your child know that you take their fears seriously.
Here are the 9 most common childhood fears explained and how best to handle them.
1. Social Phobia: Fear of Social Interactions. Also known as Social Anxiety Disorder, social phobias are by far the most common fear or phobia our Talkspace therapists see in their clients.
1. Arachibutyrophobia (Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth) Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. While the phenomenon has happened to everyone at one point or another, people with arachibutyrophobia are extremely afraid of it.
Specific phobias like hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia affect between 3% and 15% of the population. 1 Their relative rarity, however, does not change how devastating they can be for those who have them.
A childhood phobia is an exaggerated, intense fear "that is out of proportion to any real fear" found in children. It is often characterized by a preoccupation with a particular object, class of objects, or situation that one fears.
The "3-3-3 Rule" for kids is a simple mindfulness technique to manage anxiety by grounding them in the present moment: first, name three things they can see; next, identify three sounds they hear; and finally, move three different parts of their body. This engages their senses, shifts focus from worries, and helps them regain control when feeling overwhelmed, like during test anxiety or social situations.
The 10 Common Teenage Worries
It's very common to worry about struggles or dangers your child may or may not face as they grow. In a recent poll on BabyCenter.com, 2,400 parents listed expectations, stranger-danger, accidents and injuries, bullying, and weight concerns as their top five fears.
Common Reasons Kids Don't Listen or Follow Instructions
A hyper-focus on what they're doing right now. A preference to do something/anything other than what we're asking them to do. Additional needs (like ADHD or ASD) Being Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, or Stressed (HALTS)
The 3-3-3 rule for kids' anxiety is a simple mindfulness grounding technique where they name 3 things they see, identify 3 sounds they hear, and move 3 different body parts (like wiggling toes, turning a head, or rolling shoulders) to shift focus from worries to the present moment, helping to calm overwhelming feelings. It's a quick, portable tool to manage anxiety, but for persistent issues, professional help is recommended.
The 5 Core Fears
Lists vary, but often include the top 10 plus fears like public speaking, germs, darkness, thunder/lightning, driving, illness, death, being alone, failure, and certain animals/insects.
How to answer "What is your greatest fear?"
The Golden Rules for Children – Helping to Keep Life Simple!
Do:
As a result, the thirdborn is often a calmer, more easy going child. The youngest (even of two) tends to be smiley and charming and gets a lot of attention for his sunny disposition.
The "8 childhood traumas" often refer to common Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) from the CDC, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, household substance abuse, a household member with mental illness, and parental separation/divorce, though these can be expanded to include things like violence, discrimination, or sudden loss, which profoundly impact a child's development and well-being. These experiences, especially repeated ones (complex trauma), disrupt a child's sense of safety, leading to issues with trust, emotional regulation, and relationships, often manifesting as anxiety, depression, or attachment problems in adulthood.
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is the fear of the number 666, which stems from the belief that the number is the Biblical beast's mark. People with this fear experience an intense, unreasonable fear reaction when they encounter this number, which can interfere with a person's daily life.
Top 20 Most Common Phobias
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (45 letters) is significantly longer than hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (36 letters), with the former being the longest word in major dictionaries, describing a lung disease, while the latter ironically names the fear of long words.
THE PHOBIA
For many, Novinophobia – the fear of running out of wine – is very real. If you've been faced with surprise houseguests or the need for a quick, last minute gift you know the anxiety of an empty wine rack.
Yes, about 75% of people experience fear of public speaking (glossophobia), making it a very common anxiety, often ranking higher than fear of death or spiders, stemming from fear of judgment, lack of confidence, and worrying about appearing foolish, but it's manageable with strategies like deep breathing, practice, therapy (CBT, exposure), visualization, and focusing on audience connection.