Discover 15 engaging growth mindset activities for kids that boost confidence and resilience. Learn how to nurture a positive mindset in children. Find out now!
 |
| growth mindset activities for kids |
Encouraging kids to adopt a growth mindset boosts their confidence and resilience. Growth Mindset Activities for Kids teach them to value effort, embrace challenges, and see mistakes as growth opportunities.
These 15 activities are perfect for parents, teachers, and
caregivers.
Understanding the Growth Mindset Activities for Kids
Before diving into the activities, it's important to understand what a growth mindset is and how it differs from a fixed mindset.
Coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, a growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence.
This contrasts with a fixed mindset, where people believe their basic qualities are static traits.
Carol Dweck's studies reveal that people
with a growth mindset are more likely to:
- Embrace challenges
- Persist in the face of
setbacks
- See effort as a path to
mastery
- Learn from criticism
- Find inspiration in others'
success
By fostering a growth
mindset in children, we can help them develop resilience, adaptability,
and a love for learning that will serve them well throughout their
lives.
Best 15 Engaging Growth Mindset Activities for Kids
This activity helps
children reframe their thinking and embrace the concept of continuous
improvement.
Materials needed:
- Large poster board or bulletin
board
- Sticky notes
- Markers
Instructions:
1. Create a board titled "The Power of Yet"
2. Encourage kids to write statements about things they can't do on
sticky notes
3. Have they added "yet" to the end of each statement
4. Display the notes on the board
5. Regularly review and celebrate progress
This exercise
promotes positive self-talk and helps
children understand that their abilities are not fixed but can
be developed over time.
2. Growth Mindset Story Cubes
Story cubes are a fun
way to reinforce growth mindset concepts through storytelling,
enhancing creativity and problem-solving skills.
Materials needed:
- Blank wooden cubes or dice
- Markers or stickers with growth
mindset-related images or words
Instructions:
1. Create or purchase cubes with growth mindset-related images or words
2. Roll the cubes and ask kids to create a story using images or
words
3. Encourage them to include challenges and how characters overcome
them
This activity helps
children internalize growth mindset concepts while fostering imagination and
narrative skills.
3. Mistake Reflection Journal
Journaling is an
excellent tool for self-reflection and learning from mistakes,
key components of a growth mindset.
Materials needed:
- Notebook or journal
- Pens or pencils
Instructions:
1. Provide each child with a journal
2. Ask them to write about a mistake they made each day
3. Guide them to reflect on what they learned and how they
can improve
4. Encourage them to view mistakes as opportunities for growth
This activity helps children develop a healthy attitude towards mistakes and see them as valuable learning experiences
4. Growth Mindset Affirmations
Positive affirmations
can help build self-esteem and reinforce a growth
mindset.
Materials needed:
- Colourful paper
- Markers or crayons
- String or ribbon (optional)
Instructions:
1. Help kids create a list of positive affirmations (e.g.,
"I can learn anything I set my mind to")
2. Have they written these affirmations on colorful paper
3. Decorate the affirmations and display them in their room or
create a hanging mobile
Encourage children to
repeat these affirmations daily to reinforce positive thinking patterns.
5. The Learning Line
This visual activity helps
kids see learning as a journey and understand the concept of skill
acquisition.
Materials needed:
- A large piece of paper
- Markers or crayons
Instructions:
1. Draw a long line on the paper
2. Mark the starting point as "I don't know" and the
endpoint as "I'm an expert"
3. Ask kids to place themselves on the line for different skills
4. Discuss how they can move further along the line
This activity illustrates
the learning process and encourages kids to focus on progress rather than
perfection.
6. Growth Mindset Goal Setting
Setting and working
towards goals is an essential part of developing a growth mindset
and building perseverance.
Materials needed:
- Goal-setting worksheet
- Pens or pencils
Instructions:
1. Help kids identify a skill they want to improve
2. Guide them in setting a specific, achievable goal
3. Create a plan with small, actionable steps
4. Regularly check in on progress and celebrate small wins
This activity teaches
children the importance of setting goals and working consistently towards
them.
7. The "I Can't Do It" Jar
This activity helps kids
reframe negative self-talk and embrace a more positive, growth-oriented
language.
Materials needed:
- Glass jar
- Paper slips
- Pens or pencils
Instructions:
1. Set up a jar labelled "I Can't Do It"
2. When kids say "I can't," have them write it down and
put it in the jar
3. At the end of the week, review the slips and brainstorm positive
alternatives
This exercise raises
awareness of negative self-talk and encourages more positive, growth-oriented
language.
8. Famous Failures Gallery
Learning about successful
people who overcame failures can inspire kids to persist and embrace
challenges.
Materials needed:
- Posters or large paper
- Markers or crayons
- Information about famous people
who failed before succeeding
Instructions:
1. Research famous people who failed before succeeding (e.g.,
Thomas Edison, J.K. Rowling)
2. Create posters highlighting their failures and eventual successes
3. Discuss what these people learned from their failures
4. Displaying the posters in a "Famous Failures Gallery"
This activity
provides real-life examples of a growth mindset and inspires perseverance in
the face of setbacks.
9. Brain Plasticity Experiments
Simple experiments
can help kids understand how the brain grows and changes,
reinforcing the concept of neuroplasticity.
Materials needed:
- Varies depending on the
experiment chosen
Instructions:
1. Choose age-appropriate experiments that demonstrate brain plasticity
2. Conduct the experiments with the children
3. Discuss how the results show the brain's ability to grow and change
These experiments teach the science
behind a growth mindset and demonstrate how practice leads to
improvement.
10. Growth Mindset Book Club
Reading and discussing
books with growth mindset themes can reinforce these concepts
and promote critical thinking.
Materials needed:
- Age-appropriate books with growth
mindset themes
- Discussion questions
Instructions:
1. Choose books that showcase perseverance and learning from mistakes
2. Read together and discuss the characters' mindsets and actions
3. Relate the stories to real-life situations
This activity
provides relatable examples of a growth mindset and
encourages children to apply these concepts to their own lives.
11. Effort vs. Talent Debate
Engaging in debates helps
kids articulate and defend growth mindset concepts, enhancing
their understanding and communication skills.
Materials needed:
- Topic cards with statements about
effort and talent
- Timer
Instructions:
1. Present a statement related to effort vs. Effort (e.g., "Diligence
surpasses innate talent")
2. Divide kids into groups to argue for or against the statement
3. Allow each side to present their arguments, followed by a
discussion
This activity deepens
understanding of growth mindset concepts and develops critical thinking
skills.
12. Growth Mindset Superhero
This creative activity
helps kids embody growth mindset qualities and use their imagination.
Materials needed:
- Paper
- Colouring supplies
Instructions:
1. Ask kids to design a growth mindset superhero
2. Encourage them to give the hero powers like "turning
mistakes into learning opportunities"
3. Have they created a comic strip showing the hero in action
This activity makes
growth mindset concepts more tangible and fun, encouraging kids to
internalize these qualities.
13. Effort Tracker
This activity helps kids
see the connection between effort and improvement, reinforcing the
importance of perseverance.
Materials needed:
- Tracking chart
- Stickers or markers
Instructions:
1. Choose a skill to track (e.g., reading, math facts, a sport)
2. Create a chart to track daily practice and improvement
3. Regularly discuss the link between effort and progress
This exercise demonstrates
the power of consistent effort and encourages persistence.
14. Mindset Scavenger Hunt
This interactive activity
helps kids identify growth mindset behaviours in their
daily lives.
Materials needed:
- List of growth mindset
behaviours to look for
- Notebook or checklist
Instructions:
1. Create a list of growth mindset behaviours (e.g., asking for
help, trying a new strategy)
2. Challenge kids to find examples of these behaviours in their daily
lives
3. Discuss their findings and how they relate to a growth mindset
This activity helps
children recognize growth mindset behaviours in action and encourages
them to adopt these behaviours themselves.
15. Kindness Challenge Quest
Practicing kindness can
help kids develop empathy and a growth mindset, understanding
that social skills can also be improved with effort.
Materials needed:
- Kindness challenge cards
- Journal
Instructions:
1. Create a set of kindness challenge cards
(e.g., "Compliment three people today")
2. Have kids draw a card each day and complete the challenge
3. Ask them to journal about their experiences and what they learned
4. Discuss how being kind relates to having a growth mindset
This activity
develops empathy and social skills while showing how mindset affects interactions
with others.
Conclusion
Try these Growth Mindset Activities for Kids. These will improve their learning, confidence, and resilience. Remember, a growth mindset is a journey. Consistent support from educators and parents can make a world of difference.
Foster a love for learning, model
resilience, and encourage effort. Help kids thrive both academically and
personally by cultivating a mindset that embraces challenges and promotes
continuous improvement.
Recommended Reading
How to Build Confidence in Kids: Top 10 Proven Tips
Top 15 Activities to Improve Kids Focus: Parental Superpower
