How to Help Kids Develop a Growth Mindset: Practical Tips for Parents

How many times has your child sat at their table, staring at a math problem with tears welling up? "I can't do this," they say. "Maybe I'm just not good at it." At this moment, you probably realize something critical about how your child sees themselves and their ability to learn. This is the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. Interestingly, it can shape your child's entire approach to challenges, learning, and success throughout life. Once parents experience this or something similar, this is when they start asking: 'How to help kids develop a growth mindset?'

Others might not realize the need for it right away. However, the answer ultimately involves more than just telling your children they can do hard things. It’s the belief that intelligence and abilities aren't fixed traits someone is born with, but instead, they can develop and strengthen through effort, practice, and learning from mistakes. Children with a growth mindset view challenges as learning opportunities rather than threats and embrace mistakes as part of the learning process.

In this article, you'll learn what a growth mindset truly means, why kids need to develop one from a young age, and practical strategies parents and educators use to help children develop this powerful attitude towards learning.

What Is a Growth Mindset?

The term "growth mindset" was coined by Carol Dweck, an educational psychologist at Stanford University, through several years of research on achievement and success. She identified two mindsets that fundamentally shape how people approach learning and challenges: a growth mindset and a fixed mindset.

• The fixed mindset believes that one is born with their skills and knowledge and that they cannot learn new things. As such, intelligence and innate abilities cannot be changed. When children have a fixed mindset, you may hear them say things like "I'm not smart enough" or "I'm just not good at this" when they encounter difficulty. They view mistakes as proof of their innate limitations rather than opportunities to grow. This also makes them avoid challenges to protect their self-image.
• A growth mindset is the belief that your brain can adapt and grow through effort and practice, enabling you to learn many new things. Children who have a growth mindset are more inclined to think of struggle or challenges as a welcome invitation to get better at something. They understand that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger and better in response to challenges. 

Helping children develop a growth mindset has been shown to help them:

• Be happier, healthier, and higher achievers, according to Dweck's work.
• Outperform classmates who have a fixed mindset and are more likely to bounce back from failures.
• Welcome new experiences and embrace challenges.
• Work harder, enjoy learning, and see its value in their lives.

This mindset makes a big difference in how kids approach school, relationships, and eventually, their careers. A child who's learned not to give up after a tricky math question will persevere at the workplace when things get tough.

Why Adults Must Model a Growth Mindset First

Children often learn by imitating those around them. Before you can help your child develop a growth mindset, you need to examine your own beliefs about learning and intelligence. It's also crucial that your actions match your words. For example, you can't tell your child that mistakes are opportunities to learn while you react with frustration when you make mistakes. Subconsciously, your child notices the inconsistency, which affects their developing mindset.

Here's how adults can model a growth mindset for kids to help them grow:

1. Share Personal Examples of Overcoming Challenges

Talk about times in your own life when you struggled with something but eventually succeeded through persistence and effort. These stories help children understand that challenges are normal and that perseverance pays off. When kids hear about your journey, including the setbacks, the adjustments, and the eventual success, they learn that struggle is part of growth, not a sign of inadequacy.

2. Share Your Current Struggles with Your Children

If you're struggling with something new like technology, a work project, or learning a new skill, make it a comfortable topic of discussion. Let them see your own process for handling such scenarios.

3. Admit When You Make Mistakes

Make it easier to say to yourself and kids, "I made a mistake here, so let me try a different approach." That alone can boost their self-confidence and change their outlook on intelligence.

4. Share Stories of Well-Known Individuals Who Faced Setbacks Before Success

Common examples are Michael Jordan, who faced many rejections on his way to becoming one of the greatest basketball players of all time, J.K. Rowling, who was rejected by many publishing houses before one finally said 'yes,' and Colonel Sanders, KFC founder, who did not achieve success until well into his 60s. You could also learn about some of their favorite people whom they look up to and talk about them. The stories will help children see failure and struggle as standard parts of the journey to achievement.

Our Guide to Courageous Heroes and our Guide to Inspiring Entrepreneurs showcase inspiring stories of amazing people who faced setbacks but managed to overcome them. See this and more in our books for teens collection.

5. Respond to Your Child's Mistakes Appropriately

Rather than get upset, help your child analyze what it took to get to that particular moment. Ask them what they think went wrong, what could be improved, and how they would approach it next time, given all the mistakes they have spotted. 

This approach shows that errors are more like information than a cause for judgment. For additional resources on developing critical thinking, explore our article on critical thinking exercises or see our free guide with 15 questions to help children develop critical thinking skills. 

8 Practical Tips on How to Help Kids Develop a Growth Mindset

Creating a growth mindset in children requires intentional, consistent action. Here are effective strategies parents and teachers can use to help kids develop this transformative attitude toward learning:

1. Praise Effort, Not Intelligence or Ability

Make sure to praise your child’s efforts more than their intelligence or ability. This can have a significant positive effect on their academic potential and self-confidence. Instead of saying "You're so smart!" say "You worked hard on that math problem. I can see how much effort you put in." 

This focuses attention on the process rather than innate traits. Kids need to understand that their hard work drives success. This means they're more likely to persist when facing challenges. Focus on the learning process and the strategies they used, not just the result.

2. Use the Powerful Word: "Yet"

The word "yet" is powerful and can help children shift their mindset from a fixed to a growth mindset. When your child says, "I can't do this," add "yet" to the end: "You can't do this yet." This simple addition transforms a statement of inability into a statement of potential. Remind them that everyone who is good at something started as a beginner and had to practice. Let your child know that they, too, can learn, practice, and become good at whatever they set their mind to.

The concept of "yet" helps children shift to a more positive attitude and outlook on life, reminding them that abilities develop over time with practice and effort.

3. Reframe Mistakes as Learning Opportunities

Encourage children to view mistakes as opportunities to learn and improve rather than as failures. When your child makes an error, resist the urge to fix it immediately or express disappointment. Instead, demonstrate curiosity: "That's interesting. What do you think happened?" or "What could we try differently next time?" 

This approach helps children see mistakes as information and feedback, not judgment. Making mistakes becomes part of the learning process rather than something to fear. This mindset helps build resilience and teaches kids that setbacks are temporary and fixable.

4. Set SMART Goals and Celebrate Progress

Goals should be set as specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) to create a growth mindset. Help your child set realistic goals that focus on learning and improvement rather than just outcomes. For example, instead of "Get an A in math," try "Practice three math problems every day this week." Celebrate progress along the way, not just the final achievement. This teaches children that growth happens incrementally and that the journey matters as much as the destination. Encouraging children to set realistic goals helps them develop a growth mindset by showing that improvement comes from consistent effort over time.

5. Encourage Positive Self-Talk

Model and encourage positive self-talk to develop a growth mindset in children. The way kids talk to themselves shapes their beliefs about their abilities. Teach them to replace fixed-mindset phrases like "I'm terrible at this" with growth-mindset statements like "This is challenging, but I'm getting better" or "I haven't figured this out yet." 

Positive self-talk helps children feel empowered to tackle new challenges rather than defeated by difficulty. Listen for negative self-talk and gently guide your child to reframe it in more constructive terms.

6. Create a Safe Environment for Taking Risks

Create a supportive learning environment where children feel comfortable making mistakes and taking risks. When kids know they won't be criticized or mocked for errors, they're more willing to embrace challenges and try new things. This safety allows for the most growth because children experiment, test ideas, and push beyond their comfort zones. At home or in the classroom, establish a habit of celebrating attempts and effort, not just correct answers. Remind students (or your children) that everyone is learning, and that struggle is a sign of growth, not weakness.

7. Share Personal Examples and Stories of Resilience

Discussing personal examples of overcoming challenges helps model a growth mindset for children. Share your own challenges: times you failed, struggled, or had to learn something difficult. Talk about what strategies you used, how you persevered, and what you learned from the experience.

8. Use Books and Visual Reminders

Books are an excellent tool for promoting a growth mindset in the classroom or at home. Reading books about growth mindsets can help students become more familiar with the strategies needed to develop this mindset. 

Visual reminders, such as posters or charts with growth mindset phrases, can help reinforce these concepts daily.

Place reminders where children will see them regularly, such as on bedroom walls, in study spaces, or in the classroom. These visual cues keep the language of growth present and accessible. 

If you want even more resources on fostering critical thinking and learning, explore the Tuttle Twins homeschool hub for educational materials that support children's development.

Common Fixed Mindset Phrases and How to Fix Them

Fixed Mindset	Growth Mindset
I can't do this.	I can't do this yet.
I'm not good at this.	I'm still learning this.
This is too hard.	This is challenging, but I can try different strategies.
I give up.	I'll try a different approach.
I made a mistake. I'm so stupid.	Mistakes help me learn.
I'll never be as smart as them.	I can learn from their approach.
This is good enough.	What could I improve?
I failed.	I haven't succeeded yet, but I learned something.
I'm either good at something, or I'm not.	My abilities grow when I challenge myself.
I don't want to look dumb.	Making mistakes is how I get smarter.

Conclusion

Helping children develop a growth mindset isn’t a one-time conversation. Think of it more like a journey where you both learn more about yourselves and each other. It requires constant modeling from the adults, nurturing language, and support. When kids understand that their intelligence and abilities can grow through effort, practice, and learning from mistakes, they are fully equipped to take on whatever challenges they encounter in the world.

Start implementing these strategies today to help your child grow into the best version of themself yet.