diff --git a/.changeset/deprecate-animation-helpers.md b/.changeset/deprecate-animation-helpers.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d590a19d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/deprecate-animation-helpers.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+"@effex/dom": patch
+---
+
+Deprecate five under-used animation helpers with `@deprecated` JSDoc tags. All continue to work — they'll be removed in a future major.
+
+- `staggerEased` — compose your own: `(index, total) => easingFn(index / (total - 1)) * totalDurationMs`
+- `delay` — use `Effect.delay(effect, ms)` directly
+- `sequence` — use `Effect.all([...], { concurrency: 1 })` directly
+- `parallel` — use `Effect.all([...], { concurrency: "unbounded" })` directly
+- `calculateStaggerDelay` — was only ever an internal helper; not re-exported by anything downstream
+
+These wrapped effect combinators without adding real value beyond a slightly shorter name; the framework should be a thin layer over Effect rather than shadow its stdlib.
diff --git a/packages/dom/src/Animation/index.ts b/packages/dom/src/Animation/index.ts
index 5a41b512..cc67ffeb 100644
--- a/packages/dom/src/Animation/index.ts
+++ b/packages/dom/src/Animation/index.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ export const staggerFromCenter = (delayMs: number): StaggerFunction => {
  * @param totalDurationMs - Total duration for all staggers to complete
  * @param easingFn - Easing function (0-1 input, 0-1 output)
  *
+ * @deprecated Compose your own — `(index, total) => easingFn(index / (total - 1)) * totalDurationMs`. Will be removed in a future major.
+ *
  * @example
  * ```ts
  * // Ease-out: items near the end have smaller delays between them
@@ -99,6 +101,8 @@ export const staggerEased = (
 /**
  * Add a delay before running an effect.
  *
+ * @deprecated Use `Effect.delay(effect, ms)` directly. Will be removed in a future major.
+ *
  * @example
  * ```ts
  * yield* delay(200, runEnterAnimation(element, options))
@@ -112,6 +116,8 @@ export const delay = <A, E, R>(
 /**
  * Run multiple animation effects in sequence.
  *
+ * @deprecated Use `Effect.all([...], { concurrency: 1 })` directly. Will be removed in a future major.
+ *
  * @example
  * ```ts
  * yield* sequence(
@@ -127,6 +133,8 @@ export const sequence = <A, E, R>(
 /**
  * Run multiple animation effects in parallel.
  *
+ * @deprecated Use `Effect.all([...], { concurrency: "unbounded" })` directly. Will be removed in a future major.
+ *
  * @example
  * ```ts
  * yield* parallel(
@@ -144,6 +152,8 @@ export const parallel = <A, E, R>(
 /**
  * Calculate stagger delay for a given index.
  * Handles both numeric values and stagger functions.
+ *
+ * @deprecated Internal helper — no longer part of the public API. Will be removed in a future major.
  */
 export const calculateStaggerDelay = (
   stagger: number | StaggerFunction | undefined,