Confidence is key!

5 ways that we build confidence in our Ninja’s and how you can continue it at home!

Confidence is a key ingredient in a child’s development, shaping their self-esteem, resilience, and ability to tackle life’s challenges. Fostering confidence in children is crucial to their future success and well-being. In this months blog, we’ll explore a range of activities and appropriate language to help you build confidence in the your Ninja!

Praise and Encouragement

Children thrive on positive feedback and reinforcement. We regularly offer praise and encouragement for their efforts, even if they don’t succeed at first. It’s important to celebrate small achievements to boost their self-esteem and motivate them to keep trying – especially with more complicated or difficult skills like those they learn at Ninja Fitness! Use language like “You’re doing a fantastic job, you ran so fast!” – be specific with your praise, it means so much more.

At home you could create a “Wall of Achievements” where you can display their artwork, schoolwork, or Headbands! Highlight their progress and discuss their achievements to instill a sense of pride.

Set Realistic Goals

Help children set attainable goals and break them down into smaller, manageable steps. We do this in class by breaking a handstand or tumble into small steps and eventually putting them all together. Encourage them to take responsibility for their goals, teaching them that hard work and determination can lead to success. Chat with them using language such as: “What do you want to achieve, and how can we work towards it?”

At home create a vision board with your child, showing the steps required to achieve the goal and provide guidance and support throughout the process.

Encourage Problem-Solving

At Ninja Fitness we love problem solving! We foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills by involving children in decision-making processes. Encourage them to brainstorm solutions to everyday challenges and support their efforts to implement these solutions. We do lots of team challenges but also throw in problem solving whenever we can such as; make 4 even groups, line up smallest to tallest, oldest to youngest or design an obstacle course – it gives children the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership skills and express themselves all great confidence boosters. Ask them “What do you think we should do to solve this problem?”

At home you can give children a puzzle or riddle to solve, promoting problem-solving and logical thinking. As they tackle more complex puzzles, their confidence in their abilities will grow.

Embrace Failure as a Learning Opportunity

Teach children that mistakes are a natural part of life and should be embraced, not feared. Use their failures as opportunities for growth and encourage them to try again with newfound knowledge. “It’s okay to make mistakes. That’s how we learn and grow.”

At home you could start an “Ooh No” jar activity where each family member shares a recent mistake or failure and discusses what they learned from it. This helps create a safe environment for learning from setbacks.

Foster Independence

Empower children by giving them responsibilities and allowing them to make decisions appropriate for their age. Encouraging independence can boost their self-confidence and sense of competence use language like “I believe in your ability to handle this on your own.”

Yes, you read that correctly, chores and responsibilities around the home are good for your child! Look around your home at the age appropriate activities they could be tackling so you don’t have to! Let your child plan and prepare a simple meal or snack with minimal supervision. Matching socks, sorting clothes, tidying and organising toys, sweeping the floor, scrubbing a dirty pot and there are many more which most kids actually enjoy doing! As they see their efforts result in something tangible (that puts a smile on a parents face), their confidence in their abilities will soar.

By using positive language, setting achievable goals, encouraging problem-solving, embracing failure, and fostering independence, you can help your child grow into a confident, resilient individual ready to face life’s challenges. These activities and language approaches can make a significant difference in your child’s self-esteem and future success. Remember that confidence is a journey, not a destination, and your support and guidance are essential along the way.

Make sure to try some of these activities and share your confidence building approaches with us on our social media @ninjafitnessireland on Instagram or Facebook