8 Brilliant and Fun Ways to Foster Positivity
Positive thinking isn’t just about wearing rose-coloured glasses. It’s about building a fortress of resilience, equipping our kids with the tools they need to face the world with a spirit that’s brave and open-minded.
Of course, this is all easier said than done! Did you know that our brains are wired to reinforce the stories we tell ourselves? So, when we tell ourselves that ‘everything is going wrong today’, our brain is actively looking for moments in the day that will back up that story, so that we prove to ourselves that we’re right in our way of thinking.
This is why instilling a positive thinking mindset (especially in kids!) is so important, because otherwise it’s all too easy to write off a full day, week, month or even year as being a disaster – just because we told ourselves that it would be.
So, how do we teach our kids to think positively, and to know that one bad event, moment or day doesn’t mean that it will be that way forever?
Well, we’ve got some tried and tested positive thinking exercises that kids will love. These go way beyond thinking of a glass being ‘half full’ rather than ‘half empty’. These positive thinking exercises are built to last, using characters and visualisations that can be called upon as a toolkit in dark moments, to remind kids to feel that light of positivity still bright inside themselves.
1. Try a Positive Visualisation
It’s a fact that kids have better and more vivid imaginations than grown ups. So, a grown up might see the recommendation ‘try a positive visualisation’ and just dismiss it as nonsense that won’t work. Well, that might be the case for a grown up, but kids are brilliant at visualisations thanks to their amazing imaginations!
Children have a more active imagination than adults, as kids aren’t constrained by their own prior patterns of thought. As people become “good at life,” they develop habits of thought that serve them well, but these ‘thought habits’ stifle our imaginations.
One of our favourite visualisations that can get kids into a habit of thinking positively is ‘Climbing Up’. In this Zen Den, we ask kids to imagine themselves climbing up a ladder. As they take each step on that ladder, they remember a time that they felt happy and confident.
Visualisations like this can reinforce the positive emotions that kids feel and when they remember that feeling, they’re more likely to find themselves repeating it.
2. Building Positivity With Storytelling & Characters
Getting kids to think positively doesn’t happen simply by telling them to ‘be more positive’. But, one effective way is to get them to think more like their favourite characters. For example, ‘what would spiderman do?’, or ‘isn’t Moana positive and brave, even when she’s left alone by Maui?’
Kids adore stories, and what’s better than tales full of hope and confidence-building lessons? Create or choose stories that are embroidered with characters who overcome obstacles with a positive spirit, tales that sparkle with morals of hope, kindness, and the beauty of seeing the good in the world. These stories act as gentle reminders that we can all borrow the traits of our heroes in our own lives.
By talking to kids about the stories and their characters, the morals behind them can really hit home too.
Here at Cosmic Kids, we feel passionately about the power of storytelling when it comes to building confidence and resilience in kids. That’s why we base all of our Yoga Adventures on either famous stories and fairy tales full of brilliant life lessons, or we make our own originals where each character overcomes a setback. It leaves kids feeling wonderful at the end – and, because they are stretching and following along with the moves during the adventure, they really get to be the main characters themselves!
3. Finding Your Happy Place
When kids are feeling down in the dumps, it can help them to imagine themselves in a place that makes them feel happy. This might be at home, at the park or at the beach – anywhere they feel safe and content.
Ask your kids or class where their happy place is. They’ll love telling you all about where it is and why it makes them feel happy. Then, when they’re next feeling sad for any reason, ask them about that place again and how they feel when they’re there. They could even close their eyes and imagine themselves there.
Finding your happy place is a brilliant way for kids (and grown ups!) to recentre themselves so that they can feel positive about whatever comes their way next.
4. Make a Magic Worry Box
Sometimes our worries and fears need a place to live that isn’t in our minds. Writing our worries down can help, but physically putting them somewhere can really help kids to connect that the worry has left their brain and gone away and into the box.
Once you’ve made your magic worry box, encourage kids to write or draw something they want to put in the box!
5. Crafting Positivity
Crafting is not just a festival of colours and creativity but also a canvas where kids can paint their visions of positivity. Engage them in crafting activities where they can create ‘positivity shields’, ‘dream catchers’, ‘joyful masks’, or even simple ‘smiley badges’. These crafts become their buddies, always there to remind them of the power of positive thinking and imagination.
6. Positive Affirmations
Sometimes we just don’t hear positive words enough and we might even forget when we last told someone that we think they’re absolutely brilliant or that we appreciate them. Teach kids magical words and affirmations that they can feel themselves but also share with others. Words like ‘I am strong’, ‘I can do this’ and ‘today is a beautiful day’ can be their companions guiding them to embrace each day with hope, confidence, and a heart full of positivity.
If you’re looking for a list of positive affirmations for kids, then we’ve made one here!
7. Garden of Goals and Growth
A garden of goals is a metaphor about your goals. We have decided what we’re going to do and then nurture your dreams by feeding them. Help kids plant their imaginary garden of goals where each flower represents a dream or aim. It’s not just about setting goals but also nurturing them with belief, effort, and a sprinkle of positive thinking. Guide them to understand that even if some flowers don’t bloom, it’s a garden of learning, growing, and becoming.
8. Build a Growth Mindset for Kids
A growth mindset is a belief that abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed over time. Unlike a fixed mindset, where abilities are believed to be static, a growth mindset fosters a love for learning.
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly video that helps kids to understand what a growth mindset is and how they can enjoy feeling positive about new challenges that life can throw their way, then check out our Growth Mindset Zen Den episode! It sums up all of these learning points beautifully.
Positive thinking brightens the pathways of children’s minds, guiding them through life with warmth and light. As parents and teachers, weaving these brilliant and fun practices into the fabric of their daily lives can be invaluable to shaping their mindsets more positively as they grow. 🌈🌟🌼
