This post may contain affiliate links. Full privacy policy and disclosure here.
Fun self esteem games for kids to grow a child’s self-esteem and banish negative thoughts and feelings while promoting a growth mindset.
Being joyful, resilient, and successful all require a high level of self-esteem. When kids are secure in who they are, they are less likely to be bullied, have school problems, or have relationship problems. The issue of self-confidence is an important topic and we want to promote good self-esteem and get rid of negative feelings when raising our kids to feel safe and secure in the real world.
Self-esteem is an important aspect of a child’s development, and it can have a significant impact on their mental health and well-being.
One way to help boost a child’s self-esteem is through games and activities that are designed to build confidence and positive self-talk. In this blog post, we will explore different self-esteem games for kids that can be played at home or in the classroom.
If you need a good resource to share with your kids, I have just the thing for you! Global Tinker’s Mini Meditations for Kids is a mindfulness podcast series that is designed to help children develop a growth mindset.
The meditations are short, lasting about five minutes, to keep children’s attention. They are also free and easy to access. The meditations provide functional tips, breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques to help children in different situations such as taking a test, making mistakes and dealing with general anxiety.
The series is an offshoot of the award-winning animated series, The Paper Girls Show, which aims to empower children to be resilient, confident and curious learners. The podcast is a great tool for parents, educators and caregivers to introduce children to mindfulness and help them develop a positive attitude towards making mistakes and growing from them.
What role does self-esteem play in child development?
Self-esteem is the feeling of being confident in one’s own abilities and achievements. It is an important part of the overall development process because it influences how we see ourselves and how we behave.
When children have high self-esteem, they are more likely to feel comfortable in their own skin and to be able to bounce back from challenges.
On the other hand, when children have low self-esteem, they may struggle to believe that they are capable of doing certain things or that they are good enough. As a result, they may avoid trying new activities or speaking up in class.
Self-esteem is a complex concept that cannot be fully understood through one study or even one lifetime. However, research has shown that there are several factors that can play a role in how well a child feels about themselves.
These include genetics, temperament, family environment and experiences as well as individual traits such as ability level and motivation. Self-esteem develops over time and can be influenced by many different factors such as environmental toxins, trauma, bullying and abuse.
Self Esteem Games For Kids
Here are so really good interactive games to raise self-esteem for children of all ages and even improve social skills so that your child can gain confidence, positive self-image and a growth mindset.
Totem
This is a great board game that helps tweens and teens to discover their strengths and qualities as well as learn how to express gratitude.
Your kids will really enjoy these bonding opportunities and really begin to understand each other.
This game teaches kids how to be comfortable to receive praise and positive comments and be able to share their feelings about other people.
Such a great game to really create connections with a family member and between friends.
I Like Me 123
I Like Me 123 is one of those self-esteem activities that is a fun game to play with your friends or family. It incorporates another element of highlighting talents, positive affirmations and qualities you admire in each other while not focusing on negative thoughts. The nice part about this game is that it includes some ridiculous and enjoyable features to help relieve the worry and pressure that often accompany naming strengths, emotions, and other things which are all important when growing low self-esteem.
Playing CBT
There are 15 different games in one box and this game is often used in therapy offices to help children address emotions, including different ways work through physical sensations and be aware of cognitive traps and behaviors.
This game is designed to improve social skills, help regulate emotions and self-control.
You Know Social Skills
This is a great game for family game night, especially if your kids are older.
This game is perfect for rapport-building and starting a meaningful conversation and even promotes a positive body image and highlights positive traits your kids have which is the best way to promote positive self-esteem.
This game encourages people who are playing together to know each other better.
The Tower of Self-Esteem (Therapy Card Game)
This self-esteem game consists of a series of questions that relate each player’s personal, emotional, and social qualities.
Players take turns answering questions while working together to plan and construct a robust and durable structure which promotes the growth of children’s self-esteem.
In the game, there are three sorts of cards:
- Blue cards are used to help with personal growth (for example, what am I strong at?). Which of my stories is my favourite?)
- Red cards are used to improve emotional intelligence (for example, what makes me feel hopeful?). When do I have time to be patient?)
- Yellow cards are used to improve social skills (for example, what would I like to learn from others?). I did something kind for a buddy by)
Sketch Pen Scavenger Hunts
Sketch pen scavenger hunts are a popular game for young kids. To play, simply give each child a sketch pen and an index card. Then, create a list of simple tasks for the children to complete, such as finding a red object or drawing a picture of a flower. As the children complete the tasks, they can tick them off on their index card. This game not only helps to improve a child’s self-esteem but also encourages them to explore their creativity.
Guess Who
You’ll want to play this game with your entire family while you grow your child’s confidence. Begin by writing each person’s name on a sheet of paper and folding it in half. Distribute the names. (If someone chooses their own name, that’s OK!)
After that, have everyone think about 3-5 beautiful things about the person they received. Encourage your children to think about distinctive skills and specific character qualities if they are old enough to grasp. (I frequently emphasise that “niceness” is a rather broad attribute.) “They are particularly good at assisting others with homework,” on the other hand, is a more specialised skill.)
Once everyone has their fantastic characteristics, go around the table and have each player describe 3-5 of them. Everyone else attempts to figure out who they’re talking about once they’ve shared. Just watch the real time high self-esteem pop out in young and older children.
See also: 5 Ways To Support Your Child Through Their Post Holiday Meltdowns
Martial Arts
Martial arts is another great way to boost a child’s self-esteem. Not only does it teach them discipline and respect, but it also helps them to learn self-defense and to take on new challenges. Many martial arts classes also focus on positive self-talk and encouraging children to say “good job” to themselves when they achieve something.
Great Books
Reading is a great way to build self-esteem, particularly for older kids. There are many great books that focus on building self-confidence and positive self-talk. One such book is “I’m Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem” by author Barbara Sher. This delightful book is filled with fun activities and exercises that can help children to build their self-esteem.
Recommended Resource For Parents who Want to Raise confident Kids
Written in 2019 this is an awesome 5-star book that talks about raising confident kids with a healthy self-esteem.
This book comes in Kindle, Paperback and Audiobook versions so you can choose the best version to suit your needs.
I highly recommend this resource for all parents trying their hardest to raise confident kids.
Help your child cultivate real, lasting confidence! In Kid Confidence, a licensed clinical psychologist and parenting expert offer practical, evidence-based parenting strategies to help kids foster satisfying relationships, develop competence, and make choices that fit who they are and want to become.
Get Your Kid Confidence Book Here.
How to Boost Self Esteem in a Child
Self-esteem can begin as early as infancy. It takes a long time to develop. It can begin simply because a child is secure, loved, and accepted. When a newborn receives positive attention and loving care, it might begin.
As babies grow into toddlers and young children, they gain the ability to accomplish some activities independently. When they can put their acquired skills to use, they feel good about themselves. When parents pay attention, let a child attempt, smile, and show pride, their self-esteem grows.
Self-esteem can develop as children get older. Any time children try new things, do new things, or learn new things, their self-esteem can rise. This can occur when children:
- make strides in achieving a goal
- Learn new things in school, meet friends, and get along with them. Develop new abilities — music, athletics, art, cooking, and tech skills — and put them into practise.
- For positive actions, such as helping, giving, or being kind, you will be praised.
- Others include them and make them feel understood and welcomed when they work hard at something they enjoy.
- acquire a trophy or a good grade they’ve worked hard for
Self-esteem allows children to feel secure, capable and accepted for who they are.
Self-esteem is a key part of healthy development. It’s important to build self-esteem, because low self-esteem can lead to feelings of low self-worth and a lack of confidence in both yourself and your abilities.
There are many ways you can boost your child’s self-esteem. Some obvious ways are talking positively about your child, praising them when they do well, and spending quality time with them.
You should also be sure to praise their strengths as much as their weaknesses, so that they understand that even though they may not have some skills as a result of inexperience or circumstance, they still have many positives qualities that make them special.
Caring for your child’s physical needs is another way to build their self-esteem. For example, if you feed them nutritious meals, give them lots of rest and sleep, and take care of their hygiene and general appearance, it will show them that you care about their health and well being.
Spending time taking care of needs such as bathing, dressing well, eating before playing or leaving the house for school is also an important part of building self-esteem in children.
By taking care of these basic needs, your child will see that you respect them and value their worth. When kids see this kind of behavior from caregivers they start to believe that they too are valuable and worthy individuals deserving of love
Benefits Of Raising Confident Kids
- Children who are self-assured form stronger bonds with their peers.
- The majority of self-assured children have a very good mental attitude.
- Children that are confident are usually healthy.
- Many self-assured children are more comfy in social situations and are not afraid to meet new people.
- Confident children outperform their classmates in school and extracurricular activities.
- The more self-confidence and self-esteem a child has, the higher chance they have of resisting peer pressure.
Bottom Line
As you can see, there are numerous actions that parents may do to grow a child’s confidence.
If you keep trying, you can help your child in becoming more self-assured with a high self-esteem and games are a great way to promote this confidence.
They will carry these habits into adulthood and grow to learn how to handle their emotions properly and pass that skill down to their kids. Be a cycle breaker with me and raise confident kids.
Remember to practice positive affirmations and use a gratitude journal to raise those kid with a growth mindset and a high self esteem.
