15 Fun Growth Mindset Activities for Kids (Printable PDF)

Growth Mindset Activities for Kids: In this post, we will learn about different mindsets and how they contribute to our achievements. We will explore examples of growth mindset activities, and you will be able to download one free growth mindset coloring activity.

Mindset is a state of mind that shapes our beliefs. Consequently, it influences what we think, feel or do and plays an important role in our success or failure.

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

We can’t write about mindset without citing Dr. Carol Dweck’s life-long research on motivation and the formation of mindsets.

Carol Dweck is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the author of the best-seller Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

According to Dr. Dweck’s research, there are two types of mindset:

• A fixed mindset is based on the belief that your intelligence or personality is a fixed trait you can’t develop. 
• A growth mindset is based on the belief that you can grow your abilities through effort, helpful strategies, and other people’s support.

The importance of a growth mindset becomes evident as you take in these definitions. Mindset is a critical factor in achieving success. It can enable us to pursue our objectives, motivate us to learn a new skill, push us to step out of our comfort zone, and imbue a positive attitude toward uncertainty.

A fixed mindset, on the contrary, traps us in a state of inevitability where it just doesn’t make sense to try. 

Dr. Carol Dweck suggests that it is possible to switch between mindsets. So, if you suspect your child (or yourself) is better represented by the fixed mindset definition, there are many things you can do to work on moving towards a growth belief.

So, what can we do to guide our kids into a growth mindset journey?

These fun growth mindset activities may be a good start.

(Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. You can also read our Disclosure & Disclaimer policy here)

Best Growth Mindset Activities for Kids

This section will explore some of my favorite growth mindset activities for kids.

You will find fun games and activities for both young and older children. These are great classroom activities but also fun activities for home.

List of growth mindset activities:

1. Yet crown
2. Growth mindset cards
3. Yet worksheets
4. Fixed mindset vs. Growth mindset worksheet
5. Growth mindset coloring pages
6. Growth mindset books
7. Movies
8. Interview in your community
9. Shoot for the moon
10. Dinner time questions
11. Research famous people’s “failures”
12. Growth mindset journal
13. Accomplishment jar
14. Trying new activities
15. Family affirmations
16. Bookmarks

YET Crown

Children in their early elementary years love to decorate crowns. So why not use that for a fun activity which is also a tool for growth mindset lessons?

Start by having your child list out 2-3 hard things that they can’t do, but want to be able to do. This should be something that can be achieved, like running a mile or reading a specific book (not something unattainable like adopting a blueberry).

Have your children decorate their crown with the goals they want to accomplish with the letters YET in the center.

Talking about how adding one simple word like ‘yet’ to a sentence is a simple and effective tool for kids when trying to succeed at something new.

This is a great way to instill that hard work is an excellent way to develop new skills.

I can’t XYZ… yet!

Growth Mindset Cards

These growth mindset cards offer a wonderful way to talk about important ideas that teach kids the value of trying hard, learning, and getting better every day. The set we recommend is special because you get three activities rolled into one!

1. You get a pack of bright, colorful cards that you can slip into a lunchbox for a surprise burst of encouragement or give as a little gift to cheer someone on.
2. Then, there’s a black-and-white set for coloring, which lets kids dive deeper into the messages as they make each card their own with vibrant hues.
3. Plus, every card comes with a reflection worksheet to help kids think about what the words on the card mean to them and how they can use those ideas in their lives.

It’s a great tool for parents and teachers to help children grow in fun and interactive ways.

Yet Worksheets

The previous growth mindset activity is geared toward younger kids. But we can all benefit from the power of yet.

The word “yet” allows adding a nuance of time frame going forward to any situation: I can’t do that…YET -> This powerful word implies that the current situation will probably change sometime in the future.

Ask your kids or students to create a list of things they would like to do but struggle to accomplish. Then, ask them to rephrase those statements adding the word yet.

This is an excellent opportunity to identify goals and create an action plan to achieve them (because just saying “yet” won’t take us there.)

Fixed Mindset Worksheet

Have your students write five sentences representing fixed mindset thoughts on the left side of the paper. This can be anything from ‘I’ll never get better at this difficult task ’ to ‘I will always hate this thing.’

On the right side of the paper, have them work individually to take each fixed mindset statement and turn it into a growth mindset thought.

Growth Mindset Coloring Pages

Having positive words of encouragement around a child is an easy way to help them digest the ideas behind a growth mindset, which is why I love these coloring pages.

Taking a simple activity like coloring is an incredible way to put a positive spin on something like helping kids develop a growth mindset. Not only are your kids learning and absorbing the ideas behind a positive quote, but you can turn it into a  growth mindset poster and hang it on their bedroom bulletin board or the fridge as a constant reminder.

This reminder is one of the easy ways to help adjust how kids see their own abilities.

Growth Mindset Books

Reading with elementary students is the best way to encourage a strong vocabulary and ability to see beyond a problem and onto a solution (Rowe and Leech).

Try to read books slightly above their current reading level to help push their worldview and develop their personal growth mindset. Seeing beloved characters get into trouble and being able to find a way out is a fun way for kids to see the signs of a growth mindset in others.

Some wonderful children’s books that I love with characters that have a growth mindset are:

• The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
• A World Without Failures
• The Mysterious Benedict Society

And a great book for parents, educators, and even teenagers: Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck, a must-read book if you wish to dive deeper into this topic.

Watch Movies

Like reading, movies are another way to show children’s characters get out of trouble using a growth mindset. This is the best part about social-emotional learning – there are so many different ways to help people grow.

One simple example is the popular children’s show Sesame Street. Not only do the characters practice positive self-talk, but they are creative in helping struggling learners develop skills to develop their own growth mindset. They also are a nonprofit full of plenty of free resources.

For older kids, I recommend some very inspiring TEDtalks for kids.

Growth Mindset Interview

Interview Somebody in your Community

A growth mindset activity that may be interesting for your high school students and is always fun is interviewing someone in their community who has overcome challenges thanks to a positive attitude or effort. This discussion is an excellent tool to help them see how a growth mindset helps others.

These are some examples of interesting questions to add to their interview:

• What are some challenges that you have faced?
• Do you have any advice for someone else overcoming a similar challenge?
• Would you do anything differently next time?

Shoot for the moon

There is a famous quote by Norman Vincent Peale “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”

When someone has a growth mindset, they believe that much more is possible than you might first think with effort, experience, and the right strategies.

Ask your students to make moonshot goals.

Then, ask them to start a goal-setting activity:

• Creating smart goals that will help them achieve those moonshot goals
• Make a plan with steps that will lead them there
• Exploring different scenarios and what decision would help them problem-solve those scenarios.

Dinner Time Questions

This is one of the best growth mindset activities!

Go around the table and ask questions to push your kids’ (and your own!) growth mindset.

Some example questions that you can ask are:

• What challenges did you face today? How did you handle them?
• Did you make any mistakes today? What did it teach you?
• What is something that you would like to get better at?
• Is there anything that you did today that made you proud?

Research Famous People’s “Failures”

It’s a fact of life that before you are successful, there may be a lot of trial and error beforehand. Take some time to look into some well-known people and how they failed.

A few people that you could research are:

• Walt Disney.
  The first newspaper that Walt Disney worked for (they fired him because of his lack of imagination)
• Thomas Edison.
  Thomas Edison’s teachers (they all said he was too dumb to learn)
• J.K. Rowling
  How many publications rejected the first Harry Potter manuscript (12 overall)?

Growth Mindset Journal

There are so many benefits for a young person to keep a journal, specifically as an opportunity for your kids to sit and reflect on the actions of their day.

To help encourage a growth mindset, add a few writing prompts as a way to help. This can be something as simple as:

• What is one thing that you want to be able to do?
• List a new experience and how that helped you see the world in a new way.
• Who do you believe can do anything they put their mind to? What makes you think that about them?

Accomplishment Jar

For younger kids, try an accomplishment jar. Find a special place for your growth mindset jar and add notes or drawings that remind them of things they’ve accomplished or goals they’ve met.

Try New Things

One of the behaviors that a kid with a fixed mindset may display is avoidance of trying new or difficult things. Their fixed mindset leads them to believe that if they fail, it will be proof of their lack of ability.

So, encourage your kid or student to try new things.

Whether it is a new sport, video game, or visiting someplace new, trying new things may lead to interesting conversations that will help everyone develop a strong growth mindset.

If you can’t imagine anything new to experience, why not try a 30-day challenge instead? Have everyone in your family implement a habit for an entire 30 days. This can look like everyone does 25 pushups, journals, or goes to bed 30 minutes earlier.

Growth Mindset Family Affirmations

Affirmations are an incredible tool to help family members keep a growth mindset and always be their best selves. Choosing one or two positive affirmations that the entire family can repeat often will help remind everyone to keep growing.

Some good ideas for family affirmations are:

• I give my all in everything I do.
• I embrace all challenges presented to me.
• I do not just fail; I also learn for the next time.
• I can complete challenging tasks.
• Difficulties make me stronger.

Be intentional about what affirmation your family chooses. Make sure it helps aid in your children’s learning process and gets them to the next step of their goal.

Do you need more positive affirmation ideas? Check out these 130+ positive affirmations for kids (it includes tips to teach kids how to practice affirmations).

Or check out these gorgeous affirmation cards for kids.

Growth Mindset Bookmarks

Choose growth mindset quotes and create some cool bookmarks (or any other type of paper craft like door hangers!)

Fun Growth Mindset Activity(Free Printable)

Download your free growth mindset coloring activity by filling in the fields below:

Pin for later ⬇️