Children can begin to internalize negative messages about themselves and their abilities from an early age, impacting their attitude and confidence for a lifetime. Positive toddler affirmations can counter those messages, giving kids the foundation they need to be happier and achieve more in their lifetimes.
Why Simple Toddler Affirmations are Important to Boost their Confidence
Young children can internalize negative messages about themselves, which can last a lifetime. Negative self-talk can create limiting beliefs that prevent adults from realizing their true potential, inhibiting their confidence and happiness, and many of these beliefs originate in childhood.
Positive toddler affirmations can help to counteract these negative messages, improving self-esteem and confidence and, in turn, improving childhood social relationships and success in school.
Positive affirmations are especially effective for children exposed to negative messages about their gender, body type, skin color, and other groups they may belong to, improving their performance in an academic setting.
Children need to hear positive messages about their values, abilities, behaviors, and interests rather than positive messages about their appearance or external attributes that are out of their control.
Affirming a child’s core values and abilities helps establish confidence and build the growth mindset that will benefit them for a lifetime.
160 Simple Toddler Affirmations to Boost their Confidence
- I am kind
- I breathe in; I breathe out
- I’m learning
- I try everything new
- I’ll try again
- It’s OK
- I’m OK
- I’m happy
- I can sing
- I can think
- I can smile
- I can go!
- I can be still
- I love people
- I’m a good listener
- I love animals
- I love plants
- I’m a good friend
- I love flowers
- I’m helpful
- I love trees
- I’m a good brother/sister
- I do my best
- Mommy loves me
- Daddy loves me
- I love mommy
- I love daddy
- I am happy
- I have fun
- I make friends
- I’m not scared
- I’m brave
- School is fun
- I have friends
- I remember
- I feel feelings
- I am strong
- I am safe
- I am big
- I don’t quit
- I am smart
- I can do it
- I’m cool
- I’m good at learning
- I’m good at trying new things
I’m good at trying new things”
- I don’t give up
- This is a great day
- I am lucky to be me
- I am important
- I work hard
- I am fun
- I like to laugh
- I have good ideas
- I am growing every day
- I learn every day
- I make good choices
- I am not afraid
- I am not a quitter
- I am proud of myself
- I keep going
- I have a happy life
- Today is a happy day
- I do my best today
- My family loves me
- It’s OK to make mistakes
- It’s OK to try again
- It’s OK to be sad
- It’s OK to be mad
- I can say my feelings
- People listen to me
- I have a lot of ideas
- I do the best I can
- My feelings are important
- I ask good questions
- I listen to my mommy
- I listen to my daddy
- I listen to my teachers
- I listen to my friends
- I like to move around
- I figure things out when I try
- People like me
- I am friendly
- I can do hard things
- I can help
- I like being me
- There’s no one like me
- I am special
- Everything is OK
- It’s smart to keep trying
- I get better and better
- I do the right thing
- I don’t hurt anyone
- I laugh every day
- I am healthy
- There is nobody else like me
- I choose to be happy
- I like the whole world
- It’s OK to ask why
- I don’t know everything, and that’s OK
I don’t know everything, and that’s OK”
- I choose to be friendly
- I choose to learn
- I like learning
- I have a kind heart
- I have a smart mind
- I can ask for help when I want
- I have a strong body
- Every day is exciting
- I have beauty inside
- I belong to me
- I like to be myself
- I am just right
- I have a lot of questions
- I have fun every day
- I have everything I need
- Sometimes I get frustrated, and that’s OK
- I can do cool things
- I try new things
- I’m growing every day
- I help my family
- I can work
- I can play
- My family takes care of me
- I take care of my family
- I am the boss of my body
- I like to take care of myself
- I like to choose for myself
- I know how to share
- I am gentle
- Sometimes I need help, and that is OK
- I feel tired sometimes, and that’s OK
- It is easy to be happy
- It is easy to learn
- I can do lots of fun things
- I have lots of choices
- I help my friends
- I can do great things
- I am powerful
- I am loved
- I keep trying
- Sometimes I feel scared, and that’s OK
- I like being myself
- Everybody is different, even me
- I listen to my feelings
- I can ask for help
- My friends can help me
My friends can help me”
- My family can help me
- Today is great
- I am honest
- I feel great today
- Mommy is proud of me
- Daddy is proud of me
- I do my chores at home
- If I can’t do something, I try again
- I like figuring things out for myself
- I feel happy with my family
- Sometimes I mess up, but it always works out OK
- I get better every day
- I am important
- I am special
- I like to feel special and important
How to Use Simple Toddler Affirmations to Boost their Confidence
Here are some ways to use confidence-boosting affirmations with very young children.
Begin By Affirming Your Child
Take time to recognize and appreciate your child's positive attitudes, behaviors, and attributes. Get on their eye level, affirm these qualities with statements like “you are so generous with your toys” or “you did a great job sticking with that task,” and hug them. This type of recognition and affirmation is deeply meaningful to children and helps lay the foundation for their own self-affirmations.
Repeat Affirmations Together
As you use positive affirmations daily, perhaps as part of your morning or evening routine, include your toddler. Alternate saying your affirmations out loud while smiling at yourself in the mirror, so you are modeling self-affirming behavior for your child.
Invent an Affirmation Song
Simple songs are incredibly memorable, and small children love singing along with their families. Invent a simple song that includes the child’s positive affirmations, sing it together while driving, doing chores, etc.
Make Affirmations Part of Learning and Homework
Children can use positive affirmations while practicing spelling, handwriting, and other learning activities. Get creative and ask them to count how many things they like about themselves or create affirmations using specific letters.
Make “Affirmation Games”
Some ideas for positive affirmation games for children might be:
These positive activities can be incorporated into a toddler’s daily routine or part of play therapy activities for the family. Regular use of positive toddler affirmations will shape a child’s positive core beliefs about themselves and their abilities, improve their confidence and mindset, and create the foundation for a lifetime of success and happiness.
Final Thoughts on Simple Toddler Affirmations to Boost their Confidence
It is never too early to shape a child’s positive self-image and counteract negative messages. Making positive toddler affirmations part of your daily family life and incorporating them into different activities helps to create a positive mindset and a lifetime of benefits.
And if you want more encouraging affirmations, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 9 Affirmation Decks to Reinforce What’s Important in 2023
- 100 Affirmations for Focus and Concentration
- 88 Positive Postpartum Affirmations for New Moms
Finally, if you want a simple tool to record and recite these affirmations, then check out these 13 affirmations apps that help you create a positive mindset.