Child Self Esteem Building Activities

Kids build confidence during sports activities.

Milestone events in children's lives such as potty training, learning the alphabet and attaching shoes help build self-confidence. These accomplishments serve as stepping stones for future success. The more a child experiences success, the more self-assured he becomes. Parents help their children build self-esteem when they provide positive reinforcement for achievement and supply a strong support system.

Picture Discussion

Display several pictures of your child during various stages of her life. Discuss with your child what she was capable of doing during each stage. For example, point out that when she was a baby, she could hold a bottle but couldn't feed herself with a utensil. Then point out that by the time she was a toddler, she learned how to use forks and spoons. Once your child understands the discussion, ask her to point out things she can has learned to do over the years. Let her know how proud you are that she has learned so much and discuss ways that she will continue to learn and grow.

"I Can Do This" Book

Create an "I Can Do This" book. Have your child brainstorm everything he can do, such as throw a ball, brush his teeth and sit still during class. Then have him illustrate each activity and write a caption underneath the illustration. Next he can create a list of activities he would like to learn in the future. Bind the pages together to create the book, leaving several blank pages where he can add the activities he will learn in the future.

Family Discussion

Have a family discussion to discuss the positive traits of each member. Have each family member say something he likes about every other family member. Try to focus on behaviors that can be controlled rather than physical characteristics that no one has control over. For example, instead of saying, "I really like the color of your eyes," say, "I really like the way you always share your train set with your sister."

Independent Tasks

Allow your child to complete tasks without any help. This isn't a specific activity, but an idea to use daily. When children complete tasks, such as tying their shoes, brushing their teeth and making their beds, without any help, they feel a huge sense of accomplishment and pride. While it's probably easier and faster to simply do most tasks for your child, they'll miss out on the feelings of accomplishment they get from performing those tasks alone. So give them opportunities throughout the day to accomplish tasks independently.

References

• Building Blocks Family: I Can Do It! Raising Confident Children
• Building Blocks Family: Look What I Can Do