New Year’s Resolutions for Kids

Each year, adults promise to approach the New Year with a list of goals they aspire to achieve in the hopes of being a better person. However, these resolutions shouldn’t only be made by adults—children can work toward self-improvement as well. Teaching children early on how to set goals and better themselves is a great way parents can instill motivation and perseverance in their kids. It’s important to recognize the difference between an adult and child resolution; however, parents must assist their child’s journey towards achieving the resolution. Here are five resolution ideas for children of all ages:

Get Active

Find ways to be active as a family. Incorporate fun outdoor activities that the entire family can enjoy together. If your child has an interest in a particular sport, check out the team options that your local recreation center offers. Consider creating family traditions such as skateboarding at a local park on Saturday nights or playing a game of football on Sunday afternoons. Creating these opportunities to be active will inspire your child and motivate them to stay active all year long. Not only does an active lifestyle promote a healthy outlook, but it also helps your child prioritize their own health later in life.

Excel in School

Every child has a subject that they’re not particularly excited about. Inspire your children to tap into their strengths in order to make their weaknesses not so overwhelming. To help your child excel, seek out online opportunities such as games and other tutorial services that will keep your child occupied and interested. The online learning realm has an array of options for children struggling with math or reading. Block out time to explore the different options that are available with your child and write out the milestones that they want to achieve—it’s important to visualize goals and pinpoint progress. To get the process started, here is a fantastic printable to help point your child in the right direction:

Live a Greener Life

There are a number of ways a child can participate in a “go-green” lifestyle. Teach your children how to repurpose items and the importance of recycling. Another way children can partake in a greener life is practicing a conscious effort to use daylight as much as possible and turn off lights in rooms they’re not in. Educate your children on energy-saving items and how these inventions help our planet. Explain to your children how wearing secondhand clothes and reading used books also contribute to a greener lifestyle. Teaching children to be mindful of their lifestyle, early on, is important because it will help them see the value of how these small contributions make the world a better place.

Give More

Explore ways to be a better human being through kindness and understanding. Parents can help their children understand the need for charity across a number of platforms. From serving food at a shelter to raising money for a library, there are an infinite amount of possibilities to choose from. If your child is passionate about something, consider incorporating that interest into a charity opportunity. For example, if your child loves animals, contact your local animal shelter and find out how your child can create a drive for items that are needed. Items such as food, blankets, toys and animal beds are essential items that are always needed by shelters. Another way parents can help their child achieve the resolution of being a better individual is challenging them to do something nice every day. Once the act is implemented as a daily action, it will become part of a child’s basic day-to-day. Research ways your child can influence others through social media and other vehicles. There are a ton of how-to tutorials and informational assets that can help educate up-and-coming philanthropists to achieve their good deeds.

Try Something New

Teach your child to be brave and fearless. Life is not easy, and it is important for children to learn early how to use their voice. Take a trip to the library together and look for books that discuss ways to overcome fears and obstacles. There are plenty of activities and tools out there to help build your child’s confidence. Seek out ways you can introduce new opportunities that will widen your child’s horizons and help overcome anxieties.

These are just a handful of ideas. Talk to your child and see what things they want to improve on or what goals they have in mind. Creating New Year’s resolutions is a great way to bond with your kids and help them set goals and aspirations for the future.