30 Fun Self-Esteem Games for Kids
Self-Esteem Games for Kids: Explore 30 fun games that could assist your kid or student in building their confidence and fostering a strong sense of self-worth while having a great time.
Self-esteem is how we feel about ourselves and our personal characteristics.
Self-esteem is shaped by how we assess the various elements that make up our self-concept.
Our evaluation can range from low to high self-esteem (“I’m worthless” – “I’m worthy”).
For kids, self-esteem is about feeling good about who they are, their abilities, and their value to the world. It’s an important part of their overall happiness and mental health.
Kids naturally learn and grow through play, absorbing valuable lessons and skills as they engage in fun activities. Recognizing this, we’ve curated a collection of games that could assist in nurturing children’s self-esteem and confidence.
Fun Self-Esteem Games for Kids
Self-esteem games for kids are structured activities designed to enhance a child’s sense of self-worth, confidence, and value. These activities focus on helping children recognize and appreciate their own abilities, qualities, and potential.
Let’s explore some self-esteem games for kids that are creative, engaging, and freely accessible!
- Compliment Tag: Similar to traditional tag, but when a player is tagged, they must compliment the person who tagged them before continuing the game.
- The Compliment Game: In a group, each child takes a turn sitting in the “hot seat” while others say what they like or admire about them. This game will help kids see themselves through others’ eyes.
- Compliment Chain: Kids sit in a circle. One starts by complimenting the person to their left, and the chain continues around the circle.
- Compliment Exchange Box: Set up a box where kids can drop anonymous compliments for each other to be read together at the end of the week.
- Affirmation Circle: Kids sit in a circle and take turns saying positive affirmations about themselves. This game aims to help kids focus on their strengths and positive qualities.
- Design Affirmation Cards or Posters: Design personalized cards with positive affirmations to reinforce self-worth and confidence.
- Positive Affirmation Jar: Fill a jar with affirmations and encouraging statements; kids can draw one to read whenever they need a confidence boost.
- Vision Boards for Dreams: Encourage kids to create vision boards that display their hopes, dreams, and affirmations, reinforcing a positive outlook.
- Self-Esteem Rocks: Unleash creativity and boost confidence by painting inspirational messages on rocks.
Related: Gratitude Rocks Tutorial - Mirror, Mirror: Each child stands in front of a mirror and lists things they like about themselves. They may choose to mention physical attributes or character traits. It’s a great way to encourage self-appreciation.
- Strengths Bingo: Create bingo cards with different strengths and positive traits (like kindness, creativity, etc.). As kids recognize these traits in themselves or others, they mark off the squares until they get a bingo.
- Gratitude Scavenger Hunt: Children go on a scavenger hunt to find things they are grateful for. This can include items, people, or situations. It promotes a positive outlook and gratitude.
- Talent Show: Organize a small talent show where kids can showcase their skills and hobbies. This allows them to take pride in their abilities and receive positive reinforcement from others.
- Positive Relay Race: Set up a relay race where each station has a task that involves saying something positive about oneself or a teammate.
- Self-Esteem Simon Says: Play “Simon Says” with a twist, where Simon instructs players to do things that involve positive self-talk or affirmations.
- Self-Love Musical Chairs: A variation of musical chairs where people without a chair say something awesome about themselves when the music stops.
- Positive Pictionary: Play Pictionary where the items to be drawn are all positive traits or actions.
- Kindness Bingo: Players complete acts of kindness listed on their bingo cards until someone achieves bingo.
- Self-Esteem Freeze Dance: When the music stops in this dance game, kids freeze and shout out something they are proud of.
- The Encouragement Game: Players travel around a game board, landing on spaces that prompt them to encourage or compliment each other.
- The Confidence Building Obstacle Course: Create an obstacle course where each obstacle represents a challenge, and overcoming each one symbolizes personal growth.
- Affirmation Pass-the-Parcel: Circulate a parcel among the group; when the music halts, the person holding it shares a positive affirmation
- The Confidence-Building Treasure Hunt: Set up a treasure hunt where each clue leads to a task or question related to self-esteem and personal strengths.
- Positive Words Ball Toss: Players sit in a circle and toss a ball to each other; whoever catches the ball shares something positive about the person who threw it.
- Self-Esteem Conversation Cube (printable) We shared this fun game in our Conversation Cubes blog post. It will facilitate conversations about self-esteem and help kids think more positively about themselves.
Most confidence-building games featured in this article are non-commercial and designed for easy and accessible play. However, we have included a few commercial ones below for those interested in adding these resources for home, the classroom, or professional practice.
(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)
- Totem the feel-good game, Self-Esteem Game for Counseling, Team Building, Family. (Age 8+)
This game helps kids discover their strengths and qualities, express gratitude, become comfortable with praise and positive comments, and share their feeling about other people - The Tower of Self-Esteem (Therapy Card Game). This game consists of a series of questions connecting personal, emotional and social strengths of each player. Players take turns with question cards as they simultaneously cooperate to plan and build a strong and sturdy tower.
- It’s a great conversation starter that encourages positive thinking.
The next two games were designed for mental health professionals and educators:
- You Know Social Skills Games. It helps kids and teens open up and talk about themselves in groups and start conversations that encourage them to reflect on their existing strengths and weaknesses.
- Playing CBT: Therapy Game to Develop Awareness of Thoughts, Emotions, and Behaviors: Improving Social Skills, Coping Skills and Enhancing Self-Control. Playing CBT is designed specifically to improve social skills, emotional regulation, self-control, and self-resilience in children and adolescents.
You don’t necessarily need specialized therapy games to boost a child’s self-esteem; many everyday games can effectively foster a healthy sense of self-worth.
For example, cooperative board games are a great way to build confidence and self-esteem. They involve working together, making choices as a team, and figuring out problems, which all help kids feel more capable and sure of themselves:
- Friends and Neighbors: The Helping Game Emotional Development Cooperative Game for Kids
Other Self-Esteem Resouces for Kids
Are you seeking other healthy self-esteem resources like worksheets, journals, and fun activities? Check out the following resources:
