Goal setting teaches kids the importance of planning ahead, improves confidence, builds focus, and fosters a can-do attitude for bigger dreams. Most kids understand the concept of wanting something and can easily be shown the process to obtaining it. When it comes to realizing future ambitions, knowing how to break down the vision into actionable steps is important. Teaching kids about goals at an early age can provide them with a valuable foundation to one day accomplish this. Read on for the steps on how to effectively support your kid in building the habit of goal setting.
Worksheets to help teach kids goal-setting will be on the Goal Setting Resources page.
Does your kid aspire to be a teacher? Purchase our Future Teacher T-shirt as a positive reminder of their goal. Available for purchase in toddler and youth sizes.
Introduce the Concept
Bringing up the idea of goal setting so your kid can understand it can be done in different ways depending on how old they are. You can use an example of where you have seen them already achieve a goal they set out to do, even if it is a small challenge they overcame. Ask them how it felt after their achievement. Explain that the same process can be used for other goals.
You can also share goals you have set in the past or are currently working on now as examples. Explain why these goals are important to you and how setting goals has helped you.
Brainstorm and Write Down Ideas
Having your kid be part of the brainstorming process for goal ideas will allow them to feel personally invested in the process. It is best if the goal is something they choose. Ask them questions like:
- What do you want to achieve or obtain?
- If you couldn't fail, what would you try?
- Why is this important to you?
Writing down the goals will also formalize the intent to achieve them. Goals and/or plans can be posted up somewhere in words and pictures as a reminder.
Start Small and SMART
While the brainstorming process may provide many goal possibilities, it is best to start with one small goal. The small goal, ideally, would span over one or two weeks. By starting with smaller goals, kids will learn the benefits of goal setting and build the habit to accomplish them. Setting smaller goals will help them feel confident later when they have bigger ambitions in mind.
Choose a goal that best fits the SMART acronym for goal setting. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Learn more on SMART goals, including an example and worksheet here.
Breakdown Goals Into Steps
Some people call this the goal ladder, others the branches on the goal tree. The idea is to simplify the goal into small steps that are easily achieved. It allows kids to gain small wins while completing their bigger goal and helps maintain motivation. Make sure the smaller steps also follow the SMART goals process explained above.
Identifying the following 3 W's can help with breaking down goals into step:
- Who can help?
- What do I need to do?
- When?
Download a worksheet for breaking down goals into steps here.
Track and Reward Progress
Methods for tracking goals can become a fun process. For example, you can create a star chart where your kid adds the stars themselves after completing each step.
Provide small rewards along the way to recognize your kids’ accomplishments with each step towards their goal. Come up with a special surprise to congratulate your kid on each milestone. Small rewards are usually best, so there is no expectation for big rewards every time. Besides monetary gifts, there are many ideas that can be rewarding, including letting your kid choose a dish for dinner or have 15 more minutes before bed. Praise and high-fives can also go a long way to letting your kid know you are proud of them.
Remember to Focus on Process
When introducing goal setting to kids, it is crucial to focus on the process and the mindset required and less about the result. Each milestone in the journey of the goal they set out to achieve is something to be celebrated.
Life also doesn't always turn out as planned, so be open to adjusting to circumstances. If more time is needed, highlight what they have learned despite not yet achieving their goal. Explain that it is okay if a goal is not achieved - learning how to fail is also a valuable life lesson; this should be a fun learning experience for your kid and boost their self-esteem around facing challenges.
Summary
Download Setting Goals With Kids PDF
For a black and white printer-friendly version and additional resources, visit our Goal Setting Resources page.
Does your kid aspire to be a teacher? Purchase our Future Teacher T-shirt as a positive reminder of their goal. Available for purchase in toddler and youth sizes.