5 Ways To Inspire Your Child To Try New Things

I have to admit that as a child, I was hesitant to attempt new things.

What was the point of doing something I'm not good at? Plus, if I'm not sure I'd succeed at a certain activity, I would avoid it. Now that I have a mini version of me running about, I notice this habit recurring now and again. “I'm sorry, Mummy, but I'm not up to it.” or “I'm not sure how to do this or that.”

When faced with new obstacles or situations, fear is a natural reaction. Children feel insecure, vulnerable, and uncomfortable under these circumstances. As a result, many shy away from new experiences. They would rather not take the risk of trying something different, resulting in wasted attempts and the developing a negative pattern that can last into adulthood.

I often wonder how much I lost out on as a result of my fears and shyness, and I don't really want my children to find themselves in the same position in the future. Hence, I'm working hard to encourage them to try new things.

Here are seven strategies for raising kids that aren't scared to try new things, learn new stuff, or overcome hurdles.

1. Encourage their efforts, acknowlege their growth, and reassure the process

For a variety of factors, including the culture, upbringing, prior experience, and personality, children may be hesitant to attempt new things. That's why, rather than celebrating good outcomes, we should attempt to encourage their efforts, acknowlege their growth, and reassure the process. 

Our aim should not be the outcome of their attempts but their willingness to do so in the first place. Hence, it is important to place emphasis on their efforts rather than their results. By doing so, it shows them that they are loved and supported, regardless of their success which can boost your child's self-esteem.

It's also essential to praise the process since it demonstrates to your child that there are several ways to accomplish a task. Show your child that "success" isn't always determined by results if you want him or her to be brave in the face of new difficulties. Success may well be defined as the desire to attempt new things, give it your all, and see gradual improvement over time. When your child takes a risk, tell them you're proud of them, and they'll be much more ready to attempt new things in the future.

2. Have an ‘I Can’ Piggy Bank

When your child is anxious about failing a task, reassure and remind them of all the things they can do with an ‘I Can’ can.

“Have you always been able to accomplish this?” you might question your child if you go back to the ‘I Can’ can. “What method did you use to teach yourself how to accomplish this? Can you tell me how you improved at this?” All these thoughts emphasize and reinforce the fact that none of their skills came naturally, and it may inspire them to attempt something new.

3. Allow for Brain Breaks

While you want to stretch your kid to constantly challenge, push limits, discover, and so on, you also want them to take little breaks and return re-energized to complete the activity/task. That's why there are brain breaks. You want your child's adventures attempting new things to be pleasant so they don't grow more risk averse.

Allowing your child to take small pauses and return to the hard activity re-energized is better than pushing them past their perceived boundaries. Allowing your kid to take small breaks to recover will make him or her feel more relaxed and at ease, making the experience more enjoyable.

You can utilize "brain breaks" if it's an academic assignment or your child will be sitting for a long period. Brain breaks help your schooling child feel calm and attentive when they are given new assignments.

Quick 3-5 minute activities such as dancing, colouring, or pre-planned activities such as a house scavenger hunt or board games are called brain breaks. They're all designed to break up the monotony of a child's present activity. We have the following:

Dancing & Singing

Inspire your child to get up and dance in a brain break party. Try freeze dance as a fun variant on the dancing concept, in which children must stop moving when the music stops. Alternatively, sing along to a joyful movement song like “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”.

Colouring

Colour cartoon characters in a colouring book with your child. This is a nice method to stimulate their imagination. Plus, after they're finished, they'll be able to show off the finished result! Use a colouring book, print an image from the Internet or provide a blank piece of paper for your child to doodle their own artwork.

Deep breathing

With some deep breathing techniques, you can help your child relax. This will let them relax and alleviate tension right away, concentrating on their next activity. Encourage your kid to do the following: take a deep breath in through your nose while resting your palm on your tummy to feel it stretch. Hold it here for a few moments, then gently exhale through your mouth as your tummy contracts. Repeat. Alternatively, try 4-7-8 breathing or five-finger breathing.

Scavenger hunt

Provide your child with a variety of items to discover and explore all throughout the house. They can try to find one new thing on their list during each brain break.

Alphabet game

Pick a category and take turns naming things from that category as you work your way down the alphabet. If it’s the food category, for example, someone may say “apple,” “banana,” and so on.

Board games

Allow your child to play a board game in between school assignments. You may all continue playing together after the assignment is done!

Since these brain breaks are a little goofy, they'll lift your child's spirits, divert their attention away from their concerns, and give them newfound energy to tackle the work at hand. Additionally, the enjoyable experiences you make will demonstrate to your kid that attempting new things isn't that awful after all.

4. Encourage your child to keep a journal of his or her adventures

Your child will have the confidence to succeed if they can see new difficulties as enjoyable rather than scary. Keep an adventure journal to help them change their outlook. Your or your child can take turns keeping track of all the experiences they've had as a result of attempting new things in the journal.

Make a record of all the occasions your child has shown bravery by trying something new, and keep it updated on a regular basis. You and your child can work together to decorate the journal with photos, doodles, or little memories if you want. You can also include things like how well your child performed or how much joy you and your child had attempting this particular task. Bring out the adventure journal next time your child is hesitant to attempt something new and speak about the wonderful moments you had because your child was courageous enough to try.

5. Climb the Bravery Ladder Slowly

Taking little steps towards a new mission can reduce a child’s worries and fears. Try using a “bravery ladder.” Having a bravery ladder with your child can assist them in identifying stages that will help them progressively master a new ability or overcome a certain fear. It’s like starting bicycle lessons with training wheels, then progressing to without training wheels.

If your child is apprehensive about performing a piano piece at a concert, for example, they can practice in front of mum and dad at home first. Following that, they can perform the piece for a buddy. They can then perform in front of a bigger audience, such as at your next family event. Each step takes your child closer to performing with confidence during their actual performance in front of people they might not know.

If your child is frightened of swimming, start by letting them play in the sprinklers and allowing the water to contact their faces. With each “rung” they climb on the courage ladder, your kid will face his or her anxieties and build confidence. Praise your child's accomplishments to help them feel more confident and driven.

As their self-esteem grows, they'll be able to tackle the new task or circumstance with less dread and worry.

We must support our children in overcoming their fear of trying something new if we want them to do their best and attain their maximum potential. These methods can help them gain confidence and collect a vault of pleasant experiences from attempting new things. Slowly and surely, our children will learn to stop fearing new difficulties and begin to welcome them.

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