Do It

Tightrope

Standard: 10.4.PK.A – Demonstrate coordination of body movements in active play 10.4.K.B.2 Engage in large motor activities that require strength and balance. 16.1.K.B.4.4 Demonstrate confidence in own abilities.

Have you ever seen a tightrope walker? Walking on a tightrope takes a lot of practice. Tightrope walkers have to keep on trying for a long time before they become good at their craft. Here’s an activity to help your child learn that “If you keep trying, you’ll get better!”

Keep Trying – Create a Tightrope to Talk About Practice

Learn Together

Standard: 16.1.K.B.4.4 Demonstrate confidence in own abilities. 16.1.PK.B – Recognize that everyone has personal traits which guide behavior and choices

Try to learn a new skill together. Try a new recipe. Practice balancing on one foot. Try jump-roping. Model for children that we aren’t always good at something the first few times we do it. The key is to keep trying.

Make It

Encouragement Jar

Standard: 1.4.PK-K.B – Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing. 16.1.K.B.4.4 Demonstrate confidence in own abilities. 16.1.PK.B – Recognize that everyone has personal traits which guide behavior and choices

Daily encouragements help kids learn to support themselves when the going gets tough, as well as start the day off right! Your child can pull a card from their jar every morning or whenever she needs a boost.

Encouragement Jar

Proud Pictures

Standard: 1.4.PK-K.B – Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing. 16.2.PK-K.5S Express an opinion about a story or experience using visual supports and speaking prompts (e.g., I think…; I like…).

Tell your child about a skill you learned that made you feel different. Invite your child to share how they felt when they learned to do something new, like tie their shoes, pour juice or write their name. You may want to define new words for them, such as “proud.” Help your child create artwork of them doing something new. Older children might also want to draw pictures of what they want to be when they grow up.

Proud Pictures – Drawing What We Learned

Set Goals

Standard: AL.2.PK.A – Work toward completing a task, even if challenging, and despite interruptions. 16.1.PK.B – Recognize that everyone has personal traits which guide behavior and choices

Help your child set a goal and work towards achieving it! Help your child set a small goal this week and work to achieve it. Maybe your child wants to be a good friend. Ask your child for one small thing they can do to work towards that. Maybe your child would like to read more this summer. Set a goal to read together once a day. Recognizing that big goals are made up of small steps is a good lesson for all of us.

Build Self Confidence with a Goal Setting Activity

Share It

Talk Together

Standard: 16.2.PK-K.5S Express an opinion about a story or experience using visual supports and speaking prompts (e.g., I think…; I like…). 16.1.K.B.4.4 – Demonstrate confidence in own abilities. 16.1.PK.B – Recognize that everyone has personal traits which guide behavior and choices.

What are some ways you can be your best self?

• Recognize and reinforce when children are trying their best
• Let your child teach you about something they have learned

I Can’t…Yet

Standard: 16.1.K.B.4.4 – Demonstrate confidence in own abilities. 16.1.PK.B – Recognize that everyone has personal traits which guide behavior and choices.

Sometimes children say “I can’t…”. “I can’t write my name.” “I can’t read that story.” Try helping them to replace “I can’t” with “I can’t yet…” or “I’m learning to…”. Those simple changes will make a big difference in how a child feels about their skills.

Read About It

I Am Enough, by Grace Byers

This book helps us reaffirm the idea that we are all here for a purpose, we are more than enough and we need to believe it. Use this text to start a conversation with children about how they can be their best selves.

Tomorrow I’ll be Brave, by Jessica Hische

This book helps children understand they don’t need to be everything, every day. There is always tomorrow to try more and be their best self.

Amazing Grace, by Mary Hoffman

This book reminds us that we can do our best despite what others say.

All In a Day, by Cynthia Rylant

This book brings a subtle message that every day is a chance to be our best selves.