Want to learn about positive affirmations for kids? These tips from a behavior support specialist will help you set up your own for your family!

Positive thoughts are a huge game changer for all of us, especially for kids.  When I was in the classroom, I used to start each day with my students with my favorite positive affirmations for kids and it really kicked the day off on a good note.  When my now six year old started kindergarten this year, I decided it was important to take the experience I had creating positive affirmations for kids in my classroom and to apply them as a parent.  Our morning mantra is one of my favorite daily practices, and something I'm so glad we started as a family.

Positive Affirmations for Kids

So what did we choose? And why?

Our Morning Mantra is filled with four simple sentences of positive affirmations for kids.

“I am brave.  I am kind.  I am smart.  I am ready!”

Why these choices? Those are the feelings that I wanted my new kindergartener to have as she started her school day.  Starting elementary school was a huge change.  We had also just moved to a new city.  So she was starting from scratch.  No preschool friends.  Not a campus she was familiar with.  To ease the transition and combat school anxiety, and help her feel more comfortable in general, we implemented a morning mantra (our version of a positive affirmation) that we say together each morning before entering school.  It's been so interesting to see how she's adopted it herself and now doesn't even like me to say the mantra with her (she'd prefer to take ownership and do it on her own and I'm all about teaching her to empower herself)!

How to Choose and Implement Affirmations for Kids

Wondering how to select positive affirmations for your kids and how to implement them? Here are a few tips:

1. Focus on the feelings you want your kids to have.  Want them to be more confident? Less afraid of transitions? To have an easier time finding friends to play with? I'd suggest picking two or three phrases (more than that can be overwhelming to young kids and they'll miss the point).
2. Repetition is Key.  Kids thrive in a routine.  I can guarantee, it will take a few weeks of repeating the same phrases for them to “hit home” with your kids.  Stay the course.  Pick a certain time of day (for us it's once we've parked at school and before I walk my daughter into the classroom) and do the SAME thing at the SAME time every single day.  I promise, it will be easier for YOU and the kids if you set up the routine in advance.
3. Consider making affirmation cards: if you have a visual learner or a kid who easily forgets routines, I'd definitely suggest making affirmation cards with your phrases.  It doesn't need to be fancy, write each sentence on an index card.  Write them on pieces of paper and put them on a clip board.  Whatever is easy and portable (you can even just put them on a note in your phone).

My biggest piece of advice? Stay committed.  It will take a little while to sink in.  But it's totally worth it.  Creating positive affirmations for kids is one of the best things you can do for them!