Using Positive Affirmations with Kids (Free Printable Handwriting Pages)
Kids need tools to deal with their inner critic, and positive affirmations are one of the simplest, most powerful ones we can hand them. In my day job I see how many children quietly struggle with sadness, anxiety, and low self-esteem, and I remember trying to navigate those same feelings in my own childhood. As parents and educators, we get to arm our kids with the tools to empower themselves before the world tells them who to be.
Being a tween or teen is rough. It is a season of constant transition, and kids are looking to everyone around them for validation. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to give them the tools to validate themselves instead? Before we dig into how to use positive affirmations with your kids, take a second to pin this post to your growth mindset board so you can come back to it.
What Are Positive Affirmations?
Positive affirmations are positive statements about who you are and what you can become or experience. They help us focus on what we want, and they help us feel good. Most of us lean a little more negative than positive. We tend to believe the “I can’t” more than the “I can,” and the “I am not” more than the “I am.” For a lot of us, that is something we have been taught generation after generation.
Some people are naturally more positive, and that is wonderful. The rest of us have to work at it, and I am absolutely one of those people who has to work at it. But I intend to raise my kids to be positive, empowered human beings who have tools like affirmations to carry them through the hard days.
Why Affirmations Work for Kids
If you believe, like I do, that “what we think, we create,” then it is easy to see why our thoughts, words, and beliefs are such powerful tools, working all the time whether we are conscious of them or not. Our thoughts shape our emotions, and our emotions are powerful in attracting and creating what shows up in our lives.
When we feel good, we are more positive, and more positive things tend to follow. Even when something disappointing happens, we handle it better. Affirmations alone are not the be-all and end-all, but they are a wonderful place to start with your children. I think it is so important to give kids that “I can do it” attitude early.
How to Use Positive Affirmations with Your Kids
The Younger the Better
I started using affirmations with my teen back when she was very young, and it made a real difference. That is why I created printable handwriting practice pages built around positive affirmations. There are two copies of each page, one in manuscript (print) and one in cursive (script), so they grow with your child.
Writing Affirmations Out
The simple act of writing and saying affirmations out loud helps kids slow down and truly take them in. It also surfaces the negative thoughts that pop up while they work, which is completely normal. When a negative thought appears, just acknowledge it, reaffirm the positive, and move on.
You can use the printable pages or just the affirmations themselves. Try giving your child one affirmation a day to write as copywork or to decorate with creative lettering. You can also have them complete a whole sheet at once, or cut the sheet into strips, line by line.
For Older Kids
For older kids, encourage them to journal and to close each entry with a positive affirmation. It is a gentle way to end the day on a hopeful, grounded note.
140+ Positive Affirmations for Kids
Want to start right now? Here are some of our favorite affirmations to read, write, and say out loud together:
Today is a great day.
I am smart.
I can do anything.
I am nice.
I am loved.
I am helpful.
I am very creative.
I am unique and valuable.
I believe in myself.
I am healthy.
I am important.
I am worthy of good things.
I create a joyful day for myself.
I am grateful for all the good in my life.
I am full of good ideas.
I am a fast learner.
I can do it.
I am truthful.
I like myself.
I am beautiful inside and out.
I am loving.
I love my life.
I feel happy.
I am friendly.
I am a good listener.
I make friends easily.
I am strong.
I am special.
I am a good influence on others.
If you love these, you will love our 140+ Positive Affirmations with Affirmation Cards Craft and our Positive Thinking with Positive Affirmations post.
