Children are like wet cement, whatever falls on them makes an impression. In the early childhood development stages, it is often the parents and teachers who form and shape their self-esteem. Usually, a good way to do this is to help them see the good feelings that come from within with the accomplishment of a task. This intrinsic motivation directly leads to higher self-esteem.
It is absolutely rewarding to see a young kid do something new, especially when you are invested in their development. But more often than not, our words of encouragement barely go beyond ‘Good Job!” While this phrase can be a positive affirmation for kids, the truth is, we can do better.
Read here 25 truly meaningful and encouraging affirmations for kids that can help boost their self-confidence during their early childhood development stages!
The Need for Positive Affirmations for Self-Esteem
A child is always looking for acknowledgment from their parents and teachers that helps them build higher self-determination and cognitive hardiness. In a time when kindergarten has become the new first grade, kids are constantly pushed to develop academic skills from a very young age. What we fail to understand is that all those skills hold little value without the confidence to use them. This is solely the reason why building healthy self-esteem in preschoolers should be your first priority.
25 Positive Affirmations for Kids
- I know it’s hard, but I have seen you do it before.
- You did it! (Or specifically mention the thing they did: “Wow! You put your toys in their place.”)
- You make me proud.
- That sounds incredible, can you tell me more?
- You took a risk!
- It is fun to do things with you.
- That’s a splendid idea!
- You are a good listener.
- I know you tried your best and I am proud of that effort.
- I love your creativity!
- It is amazing that you are learning to do ‘insert a task’ on your own.
- This picture has such pretty colors.
- I like the way you are thinking.
- Sometimes we make mistakes, and that is how we learn.
- You showed kindness.
- That was so brave.
- You truly are an/a “artist, singer, builder, climber, etc.”
- You worked really hard on that.
- I can’t wait to see what you do next.
- This was a great choice!
- You are so good at doing hard things.
- Show me what you learned or what you did.
- You solved your problem.
- How did that make you feel?
- You are strong
Final Word
Acknowledging that you appreciate a kid’s words or actions encourages them to do it again in the future. A young child who feels beautiful and motivated inside and out has more confidence in themselves to meet new challenges and situations. A few words of encouragement from you can help them see that their words and actions impact others. But remember, the key is to be always genuine, specific, and positive.