Introduction

As educators, we often encounter situations where our kindergarten students find something difficult and feel frustrated. It is crucial to teach them the importance of perseverance and positive thinking in overcoming challenges. By fostering an open-minded approach and encouraging them to come up with strategies to tackle obstacles, we can help them develop essential life skills. In this blog post, we will discuss an engaging no-prep activity, thought-provoking discussion questions, and related skills to support students’ growth in these areas.

No-Prep Activity

This activity, called “The Power of Positive Words,” requires no preparation or materials and can be implemented in the classroom or any learning environment. Follow these simple steps:

1. Ask students to think of a challenging task they recently faced or are currently facing.
2. Have them share how they felt during the task and what thoughts crossed their minds.
3. Guide students to identify any negative thoughts they experienced, such as “I can’t do this” or “I’m not good at this.”
4. Together, brainstorm positive statements they can tell themselves when facing challenges, like “I can keep trying” or “I will find a solution.”
5. Encourage students to practice using these positive statements during challenging moments, and remind them that staying positive helps maintain an open mind and find strategies to overcome obstacles.

This activity allows students to recognize the impact of their thoughts on their emotions and actions, fostering a growth mindset and promoting perseverance.

Discussion Questions

To further explore the concept of positive thinking and perseverance, consider using these discussion questions with your students:

1. How does it feel when you face a difficult task? How do your thoughts influence your feelings?
2. What are some examples of positive statements you can use when facing challenges? How can these statements help you?
3. Can you think of a time when positive thinking helped you overcome an obstacle? Share your experience.
4. Why is it important to keep trying even when something is hard?
5. How can staying calm and focused help you find strategies to solve problems?

Related Skills

Teaching students the power of positive thinking and perseverance also helps them develop other essential social-emotional skills, such as:

• Growth Mindset: Believing in their ability to learn and improve through effort and persistence.
• Problem-Solving: Identifying and implementing effective strategies to overcome obstacles.
• Self-Awareness: Recognizing and understanding their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
• Emotion Regulation: Managing and expressing their emotions in a healthy and appropriate manner.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about the importance of positive thinking and perseverance in kindergarten students’ development, we encourage you to explore more resources and activities to support their growth. Sign up for free sample materials at Everyday Speech that cover a wide range of social-emotional learning skills. These resources will provide you with additional tools and strategies to help your students succeed in their learning journey.