32 Best Self-Esteem Activities For Kids To Develop Confidence in Your Child

As parents, it is important to instill confidence in our children. Unfortunately, many children experience anxiety and stress in their daily lives. Although there is no one-size-fits-all solution to relieving stress in children, some simple techniques and activities can go a long way.

That said, we have gathered some of the best self-esteem activities for kids that you can apply in your household. Ready to see a more confident version of your child? Scroll down a-hoy!

What Is Self-Esteem And The Importance of Self-Esteem in Children

Self-esteem is how a person sees themselves and their worth. Low self-esteem can lead to problems such as anxiety, depression, and problems in relationships. Children who have low self-esteem may be more likely to engage in risky behaviors or have problems in school.

Why is self-esteem important for kids? When children have good self-esteem, they can fond healthier bonds with people around them, can deal with challenges in life, feel confident to take up responsibilities, be courageous enough to own up to their mistakes and work to fix them, and know when and how to ask for help. The last thing every parent want is to see their kids feel downcast all the time, being afraid to ask and communicate, and constantly having a negative self-defeating mindset, which may affect their future if it isn’t rectified early.

There are many things parents can do to help boost their child’s self-esteem. One of the most important things is to praise your child for their accomplishments, big or small. It is also important to provide a supportive environment where your child feels safe to experiment and make mistakes.

32 Self-Esteem Activities to Boost Confidence In Your Child

If you don’t know where to start on self-esteem activities for kids, we have got your back! These 32 activities provide not only plenty of fun but also encourage your child to grow into a more confident person day by day!

#1 Gratitude Journal

Set up a book for your child to pen down things that they feel thankful for, things they like, their thoughts of the day and so on. It is one way to let them be mindful of their blessings and also allow for self-discovery of their feelings and personality.

#2 Slime-Making

Who would have thought playing with slime can build confidence in kids? Slime making is one of the fun self-esteem activities to promote creativity while developing positive self-esteem as they successfully craft their very own slime – you can check out this cool fluffy slime recipe. Remember to drop some praises in between for their slime-making achievements!

#3 Do Yoga With Kids

Yoga isn’t just for adults – kids can do yoga too! It’s a great stress reliever since it is a relaxing, healthy activity. Confidence comes along more naturally when your kid has a healthy mind and body, so yoga is a great way to go.

#4 Have A Session To Let Them Create

Allow your child some room to make art or create items from whatever materials you have. Not only does this inspire further creativity in them, but when they see their own masterpiece, they will feel a sense of accomplishment, and this is one way to build positive self-esteem within them.

Further reading: Sensory Activities for Infants and Toddlers

#5 Let Them Do Small Tasks and Simple Chores

Parents are always afraid of asking their young children to help out with chores but don’t be! Giving your kids a chance to complete small tasks and simple household chores is actually an excellent way to sharpen their confidence while getting things done. As long as you supervise them and provide them with clear instructions, your kids will feel proud of being able to complete their given jobs all on their own.

#6 Try Life Coaching Program for Kids

Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed trying to encourage your kids to be more confident and less afraid or anxious – this is where life coaching for kids programs may help. Usually, there will be certified life coaches to guide your child to discover themselves better and learn to manage their emotions while improving their cognitive skills altogether.

#7 Set Up A Goal Plan

Goal planning does not have to be limited to when your kids turn 21. Starting a goal plan since young is a good way to help your child visualize their dreams and how they can achieve them step-by-step. This can lead to more confidence as your child will feel like they are in control, even though they may not fully understand the impact of goal planning yet.

#8 Daily Act of Kindness

Helping others actually boosts self-esteem in oneself, so encourage your child to practice acts of kindness each day. It can be something as simple as helping you or your spouse with a task of the day, or helping their friend or playmates in need. At the end of the day, you can ask them to recap in their gratitude journal or tell their act of kindness to you so they can learn why it is good and how to improve on doing good deeds.

#9 What We Love About You Letter

One of the confidence-building activities that parents and family members can partake in is to create a “What We Love About You” letter. You can print a template with boxes to fill up qualities or traits each family member likes or loves about the child, then read them aloud to your kid once everyone has completed the letter. This self-esteem activity serves as a positive reinforcement that your child is loved and supported dearly by the family.

#10 Kid’s Bucket List

Perhaps your child has many wants, needs or requests? Have him or her list down a bucket list of exciting things they want to try, new hobbies, or places they would love to visit for the next few years and help them check each one out as much as possible. Explain to them if there are some requests that are deemed unreasonable or unsuitable, and suggest replacement activities or ask them to propose another item. Completing their bucket list will grant them a sense of accomplishment which further boost their inner confidence and happiness.

#11 Let Kids Pack for Trips

One of the good build self-esteem activities would be to leave some packing for the kids when you are going for a family getaway. This will help them learn to take up some responsibilities as they will feel good being in charge of an important task.

#12 List Out Achievements

Ask your kid to recap daily achievements before bed, either verbally to you or in written form. This allows them to recollect the wonderful things they have done for the day, which definitely adds brownie points to building confidence in kids. Don’t forget to praise them for their efforts as well.

#13 Play Games That Improve Social Skills

One of the reasons for the lack of confidence in kids is their inability to socialize well. You can consider playing games that will improve their social skills such as a kids’ escape room at home that utilizes social interaction with guaranteed hours of fun – like this Kids Escape Quest!

#14 Daily Positive Word

Make positivity a habit! Set up a whiteboard corner whereby your kid can write one positive word to start their day on a good note.

Also read: Word Games for Kids

#15 Mirror Moment

Confidence also comes from accepting who we are, and it is important to remind your child that they are loved for who they are. Spend some time looking into the mirror with your child, and ask your child to name about three things they like about their body or self. Simple self-love activities like this can help children create more appreciation for themselves.

#16 Spend Quality Time With Kids

Schedule some one-on-one time with your kids so they can share their thoughts and feelings freely without distractions. This will give them the opportunity to open up to you and avoid keeping things only to themselves.

#17 Ask Kids Open-Ended Questions Every Now and Then

Another self-esteem activity for children to get insights into your kids’ thoughts while letting them understand about having a life full of possibilities is by asking them some open-ended questions once in a while. This not only challenges their thinking about their dream future but also lets them slowly understand that they can choose to be happy and confident in life. You can check parenting books for ideas.

Some questions you can ask:-

• What would you like to be when you grow up?
• What are the things that make you scared?
• What do you look forward to every day?
• What do you love to do?

#18 Teach Time Management

Confidence can also falter when a person has no proper time management. Teach your child how to manage their time well and the bad habits to avoid so they can better manage themselves, responsibilities and stress around them as they deal with their daily activities.

#19 Explore Hobbies

Just like how we feel good and more confident when we embark on a new hobby or activity that we enjoy, kids feel the same way too! Let your child try out new games, crafts or recipes to encourage their inner child to play and find out more about their strengths and weaknesses.

#20 Rephrase Low or Negative Self-Esteem Phrases and Language

Negative reinforcements or repetition of negative phrases can gradually build a negative mold of self-defeating thoughts and poor confidence. This is why it’s crucial to eliminate negative phrases such as “I cannot”, “I fail”, “I’m bad at this” and the like from the start – rather, teach your child to rephrase those words into something more positive, actionable and beneficial such as “I will succeed next time”, “I will get better at this”, “I will give it another try”.

#21 Go for Walks, Jogs or Exercises Together

Taking short walks or going for jogs and hiking together can be a mood booster, leading to better self-esteem too. Try making the exercise session a regular activity together with your kids.

#22 Encourage Kids To Go Out of Their Comfort Zone

People love affirmations, and it is always good to encourage your children to step out of their comfort zones. Cheer them on to do something different or try new things.

#23 Paint Some Kindness Rocks

Kindness is a great virtue, and a thoughtful way to send some kind, positive vibes to others is by painting some kindness rocks. Have your kids write meaningful, positive phrases on the rocks and gift them to their friends or relatives to spread the love!

#24 Teach Anger Management

Anger issues can ruin confidence and self-esteem in oneself, hence it is a good idea to teach your little one proper ways to manage their anger. Let them express themselves and guide them through their emotions by questioning the reason behind their displeasure and slowly explaining to them the better way to deal with their anger.

#25 Play Problem Solving Games

Oftentimes, a lack of confidence stems from a lack of problem-solving skills. Going for child self-esteem activities that focus on creative problem solving such as playing puzzles or having a mini treasure hunt with simple riddles can train their minds to overcome challenges faced in games.

#26 Let Your Kids Serve Snacks

Time to grant yourself some rest and let your kids serve you snacks instead! This is one of the simple activities to build self-confidence in a child that you can apply at home.

#27 Roleplaying Fun

Roleplaying can provide a platform for your child to express themselves as well as learn to understand the different perspectives of the characters they roleplay as. Let them pick their favorite characters and watch as they bring those characters to life with their cute representations!

#28 Teach Positive Self-Talk

Just like how negative words can influence your child’s mindset, positive self-talk works wonders in building a more confident individual. Teach your child that it is okay to practice positive self-talk like “I can do it!” or “I love myself” et cetera whenever they feel the blues or feel demotivated. Raising children in a positive environment helps towards building solid confidence and self-esteem in them.

#29 Build A Boat

Want a fun way to test your child’s creativity yet build self-esteem? Provide your kid with some recyclable or reusable materials and ask them to build a functional boat that can float on water, and let them put their creations to trial once done! If they succeed, congratulate them; if they fail, discuss their failures so they can learn from the activity and do better next time!

#30 Give Room for Kids To Make Their Own Choices

Parents often fall into the trap of deciding everything for their children, so give your kids some leeway by allowing them to make their own choices whenever appropriate. It can be as simple as letting them pick their favorite clothes or shoes, deciding what to eat for lunch, or which movie to watch together.

#31 Educate Them on Realities of Life

Self-esteem can be easily crushed with false hopes and unrealistic expectations, and one of the best ways to avoid low self-esteem in kids is to educate them on the realities of life. Talk to them about the good and bad side of humanity, the dangers of the world, and what they can do when faced with problems. This will help them feel more in control of their emotions and reactions, and prepare them to deal with stressful situations with more confidence.

#32 Board of Happiness

Set up a board in your kid’s bedroom whereby both you and your kid can fill the board with happy thoughts and motivational phrases whenever you feel like it. Whenever your child feels sad or overwhelmed with negativity, the board of happiness will remind your child that sadness is a temporary phase and that happy things await!

Final Thoughts

Self-confidence is a very important attribute for children to have. It allows them to feel good about themselves, which in turn gives them the self-esteem and courage they need to take on new challenges.

Hopefully, the abovementioned self-esteem activities for kids help to give you some ideas! As parents, we can help our children build their self confidence by praising their accomplishments, providing positive reinforcement, and modeling confident behavior. By doing so, we will give our children the best chance for a successful and happy life.

Do you have other self-esteem boosting activities you know that are perfect for kids? Do share with us in the comments!