Encourage Growth Mindset For Kids

Hey! Ever wondered how to help build a growth mindset for kids?

It’s all about getting them excited to try new things without freaking out about failing – like when inventors and creative folks dive into something new with gusto, knowing they can tackle any challenges that come their way.

Here’s how to get your child into a growth mindset at home, which is part of Social Emotional Learning.

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Ever wondered how to help build a growth mindset for kids? Get them excited to try new things without freaking out about failing!

Sometimes, as kids face failures, they can start feeling pretty down on themselves. That’s where we come in! By nurturing that growth mindset, we can show them that learning and growing in any area is totally doable and sets them up for success in the long run.

So, here are three cool tips to get those growth mindsets flourishing!

Give props for effort

Yeah, we all love celebrating success, but let’s not forget to cheer them on for putting in the effort, too.

For example, my son loves to ski and is learning how to handle more difficult trails.

He decided he wanted to try a black diamond and told me that he was so slow going down that folks were waiting at the top for him to finish.

Did he wipe out along the way? Yes. Did he do amazingly well? No.

But he was absolutely thrilled that he tried – saying that was all that mattered and he would try it again next time he went skiing. Now that’s a growth mindset.

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It’s all about letting them know that trying new things is awesome, even if it doesn’t go perfectly.

That way, they’ll learn that it’s the journey that counts, not just the destination and develop that growth mindset for kids.

Focus on the process

Instead of only praising them when they’ve finished something, let’s give them props along the way.

Like when they’re drawing a tree, we can say, “Wow, you’re really focused on getting those details right! That’s what makes it look so lifelike!”

And once they’re done, let’s keep that encouragement going by proudly displaying their artwork for all to see.

One of my sons is in high school on the cross country team. He had a goal for the season to beat a certain time. During the last race, he missed it by 10 seconds.

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His coach told him that he couldn’t have worked any harder for such a goal and that he should be proud of his efforts.

Instead of feeling defeated, he vowed to work on his training over the winter and ran the whole winter season on his own to improve his speed.

Be a growth mindset role model

Show them how it’s done by talking through your own challenges.

Like, “Man, this shelf is giving me a hard time, but I’m not giving up. I’ll take a break, then come back to it.”

And let’s ditch those negative words like “I can’t” or “I’m stupid” from our vocab.

Even when we’re joking, kids might take it seriously, so let’s keep it positive! (Not to mention the fact that we often talk most cruelly to ourselves – we all deserve grace.)

Just last night I tried a new dinner and it was a failure. I’m not kidding. No one wanted to eat it.

Rather than apologizing for a failed meal, I just said – oh well, at least I tried something new. What should we try next?

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It turned into a sharing of funny stories about failed meals both their dad and I had created and/or been served. (My mom once made a pie and the pie crust was SO hard that not even a steak knife could cut through it.)

By doing all this, we not only help them develop a growth mindset but also boost their confidence and sense of self-worth.

Growth Mindset for Kids Activities

One summer when my boys were in middle school, I bought them a growth mindset journal.

I thought maybe they would like some of the activities.

Big Life Journal helps children develop strong Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and growth mindset skills through inspiring stories, colorful illustrations and engaging guided activities.

They actually did the entire book that summer! I’d find them in the backyard hanging out on the trampoline writing in the pages and talking up a storm.

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It became an activity that they did together and it really reinforced what the growth mindset I was trying to teach them.

I cannot recommend that Big Life Journal enough! There’s a journal for kids in elementary school and a journal for tweens and teens.

More Emotional Learning Resources

In today’s fast-paced and dynamic environment, the importance of emotional intelligence is a crucial skill set for personal and professional success for our children.