Positive affirmations are statements that kids can repeat aloud, or quietly to themselves, when they need a boost of confidence. This can be especially helpful for kids (or any of us!) when creativity is involved.
Why do kids need positive affirmations?
It’s no secret that it can be a tough world out there for kids today. Kids often feel powerless to affect much change when they find themselves in hard or unhealthy situations.
Even in the best of circumstances, kids are constantly challenged to learn new things. While learning something new can inspire feelings of victory, it can also involve a great deal of struggle.
Art class also brings its own pressures that even the most creative kids wrestle with. But in all these cases, positive affirmations can help.
The benefits of positive affirmations
Positive affirmations are a tool kids can use to help relieve the various forms of stress they encounter.
With a handful of positive affirmations in their “toolbox”, kids can be ready to use them as needed. You can create a positive affirmation for any situation or need that might come up.
Positive affirmations are a confidence booster when a child is feeling insecure. They enhance well-being and inspire a growth mindset and positive self-talk. They can give kids a sense of agency in a world that often feels beyond their control.
Positive affirmations in action
The first time I saw the effect of positive affirmations in my classroom was with a kindergartener I’ll call “Jenna”. Jenna seemed to come “pre-wired” with her own set of affirmations that she used in different situations.
When she was feeling especially stressed, Jenna would repeat quietly to herself, “I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay.”
One day, I complimented Jenna on the bright colors she was painting with. She laid down her paintbrush, looked up at me, and said with complete seriousness, “I know! I’m doing FANTASTIC!”
I later asked Jenna’s mom about her use of affirmations and was surprised to learn they hadn’t taught her this. Jenna had somehow picked it up on her own as a preschooler as a way to self-soothe and it just stuck… because it worked!
12 positive affirmations for the creative kids in your life
1.) I am creative.
2.) I have good ideas.
3.) I enjoy learning new things.
4.) It’s okay to make mistakes.
5.) I can do hard things.
6.) Challenges help me grow.
7.) I can make the world a better place.
8.) Practice makes progress.
9.) It’s okay to ask for help.
10.) I can move forward by taking one step at a time.
11.) It feels good to spread kindness with my art.
12.) I learn new things every day.
Through regular use of positive affirmations, kids can develop a habit that boosts both their self-confidence and their creativity. Soon they’ll begin to form their own positive thoughts to draw on whenever the need arises.
an inspiring quote
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” ~ Pablo Picasso
These words from one of history’s most prolific artists imply having a single gift to cultivate and share.
But I prefer to interpret this quote in terms of multiple gifts. And these gifts don’t need to be “Picasso-level” to be worth sharing.
Anything kids can do with reasonable proficiency can (and should) be shared. They don’t need to wait until they’ve “mastered” something to use it to benefit others in some way.
Even the smallest “random act of kindness”, like a handmade card, can make a difference in someone’s day.
Let’s encourage kids to see the skills they’re learning as “gifts” they can use to bless others. Positive affirmations can help kids have the confidence to believe their skills are worth sharing.
