The Best Words of Encouragement for Kids
Are you looking for words of encouragement for kids?
Encouraging words go a long way – especially for children. The best words of encouragement for kids will help them with self-esteem, self-confidence, and how they treat others.
More often than not, you are their primary sphere of influence. If not, you are influential somehow, which models your example the same way. While it is ideal for helping kids feel supported, not all days look the same, let alone feel the same! Bad days are a thing, and you’re focus and attention matter.
But where do you start?
There are plenty of great ideas that you come up with, many great scenarios where you can impart your kind heart and presence, such as using kind words to build a strong sense of self-worth, or you could make them feel pretty proud about accomplishments or learned lessons either big or small.
Teachers play a huge role in their students’ academic success, so confiding in them inspiring words to support, courage, and believe in their ability to succeed.
Allowing kids to make mistakes is a part of learning and not something to be ashamed of doing.
The options are endless and creative because encouraging phrases and words add value in all ways! So add some spice to those general words you use every day to let kids know you care deeper about them.
First, why use words to encourage kids anyway?
A child’s self-esteem helps kids develop into adults with enormous strength to deal with real-life issues and circumstances with a good mentality and drive.
When a child’s motivation receives negative feedback without intention and on a whim, the adverse effects are off the charts, as we often see! Lack of confidence, focus, self-esteem, and trouble making friends are snapshots, to name a few.
Instead, the goal is to make sure the words that come out of your mouth are positive messages, words that give life and empower their minds. When we do so, we validate the person, their self-worth, and their fantastic role in positively impacting this world.
Every child is endowed with the seed of greatness, and therefore, let’s smile and water it as a parent, a teacher, a person. Empowerment is a greater responsibility!
Top Words of Encouragement For Kids
Quick List – Words to Encourage Children
Here is a quick list of 45 words of encouragement for kids you can start using every day! Try one a day!
- Accomplish
- Ambitious
- Alive
- Active
- Attitude
- Breathtaking
- Breakthrough
- Bliss
- Blessed
- Believable
- Champion
- Complete
- Confidence
- Courageous
- Catalyst
- Caring
- Capable
- Deserving
- Dynamic
- Dedicated
- Disciplined
- Delightful
- Eager
- Earnest
- Endearing
- Energetic
- Enchanting
- Excellent
- Faithful
- Fantastic
- Fabulous
- Funny
- Fearless
- Hard-worker
- Helpful
- Inspirational
- Jovial
- Listener
- Leader
- Magnificent
- Positive
- Smart
- Timely
- Youthful
- Winner
Phrases of Encouragement:
- You can do it!
- I believe in you!
- You’re capable of great things!
- Wow, you are amazing!
- You are so thoughtful!
- Trust yourself.
- You are so kind!
- I believe in you.
- You did it! You must feel pretty proud!
- I love your enthusiasm for this task.
- I can’t believe how hard of a worker you are!
- You are a champion, a winner, and a leader!
- You have great people skills!
- People love you!
- You are such a bright spot in my day!
- I think the world of you!
- You can do anything you put your mind to!
Encouraging Words for Kids
Encouraging words for kids requires minimal effort on your behalf and can be construed in an easy, simple way of saying you are worth it, you are loved, or celebrating hard work, respect, or moments in time to be proud about.
Words like “beautiful, deserving, loved, excellent, enough” make an enormous difference in kids’ lives.
When your kids, students, and so forth are having a bad day, feel angry, or whenever honestly, speak words of affirmation, give praise, a compliment, something to get them going in the right direction. Kids love spending time with people who see themselves as more significant than they do and are genuinely invested in them.
Increase Your Positive Words
Make positive words a habit when you are at home as parents or in places around children who might hear you. You’d be glad to do so because sometimes we aren’t too keen on how the words we use affect the smaller ones on the inside. Parents and teachers need to be aware of the intentionality behind their words so that they are adding value at all times instead of taking it away.
Start but substituting negative words with more positive words like “loss” with “learned,” for example. Small changes, an enormous difference.
Positive Phrases at Home
Most words of encouragement for kids come in a phrase or saying, but they’re designed to help them carry out high-character actions!
Positive phrases for parents at home carry more weight than just a kind word here and there!
It emphasizes praising a particular action or state of becoming (not just being), which is like music to kids’ ears. It shows that people see them and that you’re grateful for their hard work, which is affirming most positively.
Such phrases can include but are not limited to:
- “Way to Go!”
- “Great Job!”
- “You’re enough.”
- “I love you and all that you do!”
- “I appreciate your hard work!”
Avoid Too Much Praise
Parents, when you praise your kids too much, you give your kids a big head, and honestly, it damages their sense of independence as they will therefore be seeking validation in every challenge that comes their way.
Praising too much can come across as disingenuous and does deliver a positive effect has you used it the right way. When it comes to praise, praise sparingly. Honesty makes the best out of every situation.
Create a Growth Mindset
A growth mindset values the sense of becoming and earning. When instilled in kids at an early age, you equip kids with the necessary skills to take responsibility/initiative in their life and their learning.
Remember when your mom told you that you could play outside if you cleaned your room?
Once you followed through (if you did, haha), I remember she would say, “Nice work! You’re awesome.” Praise on merit from time to time will help your kids develop a growth mindset. When you let them take ownership of their responsibility, your kids will have better confidence, self-esteem, and a strong sense of self-worth.
A few examples of a growth mindset would be to make sure you praise and encourage character and what is in their control. For example;
- Instead of saying, “You are so smart,” say, “Your hard work is apparent.”
- Instead of saying, “You are so pretty,” say, “You take great care of your health.”
- Instead of saying, “You have so much talent.,” say, “Your persistency is going to get you far in life.”
Avoid these words:
With all these words of encouragement for kids, you have to keep in mind to make sure you also avoid other words or phrases.
Words can encourage kids, but they can also stifle their growth and harm their self-esteem. Building a child’s self-esteem/confidence is vital for their success. Make sure you are avoiding saying things like:
- “This is my bad kid.”
- They are so shy!
- He/she is a bad boy/girl!
- My kids are crazy (in front of them)
- I don’t know why they always act that way (in front of them)
Never talk negatively about your child, which is harmful to their motivation and their developing self-image!
If you speak and say things like, “This is my bad kid,” that is essentially affirming they are bad. Over time, they might start thinking they’re bad!
The bottom line when encouraging kids
Words of encouragement for kids work when you use them!
When you encourage your kids, the bottom line is that you show that they are loved, worth it, and capable of doing great things.
Every kid is a future leader in some way, shape, or form, and at the earliest stages, they are influenced by you, whether you like it. So make sure the words coming out of your mouth indicate an example worth edifying and modeling.
You may plant many seeds with your kindness and empowered heart in the minds of kids, and some don’t grow, but the fact that some do makes it as if every seed you planted grew. Encouraging words are worth saying. Make it a lifestyle, and it will blow your mind!
