Table of Contents
- What Are Mindset Skills For Children?
- Why Are Mindset Skills So Important Today?
- What Are The 27 Mindset Skills Every Child Should Learn?
- How Can Parents And Coaches Teach Life Skills Effectively?
- Real-Life Success With Wisdom Coaching
- FAQs About Teaching Mindset Skills To Children
- Many Kids Experience A Noticeable Shift In The Very First Session.
- Most Children Experience Meaningful Changes Within A Few Sessions.
- Long-Term Growth Comes From Consistency And Reinforcement.
- How Can You Help Your Child Master Mindset Skills For Children?
What Are Mindset Skills For Children?
Mindset skills for children are the foundational tools kids need to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. They include the ability to manage thoughts and emotions, solve problems, make responsible choices, build self-esteem and confidence, and develop healthy and respectful relationships.
These skills aren’t typically taught in school, but they shape how children think, feel, and act in every aspect of life – academics, friendships, extracurricular activities, at home, and so much more. They equip kids to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and resilience.
Helping children develop powerful mindset skills to be confident and prepared to navigate life and thrive is at the heart of life coaching for kids.
Why Are Mindset Skills So Important Today?
With child mental health continuously in the news, parents are seeking ways to proactively develop strong mental health and well-being in their children. Mindset development is the missing link.
Without mindset skills, children may:
- Struggle with anxiety and low self-esteem
- Give up when facing a disappointment or “failure.”
- Develop limiting beliefs about themselves
With mindset skills, children learn to:
- Bounce back from setbacks
- Believe in themselves
- Make thoughtful decisions
- Approach life with confidence and courage
- Respect others and themselves
Adventures in Wisdom® is filling this critical gap by helping children build these essential mindset skills through life coaching for kids and storytelling.
What Are The 27 Mindset Skills Every Child Should Learn?
In addition to academics, children also need tools to manage emotions, build self-esteem, handle challenges, build confidence, and make responsible choices. These tools are called mindset skills, and they shape how children think, feel, and act every day.
At Adventures in Wisdom®, the 27 core life skills are taught through the WISDOM System for Coaching Kids. Each letter in the WISDOM System represents a critical area for social-emotional development, and each area contains skills that help children grow into confident, resilient, and self-led individuals.
Below is a clear breakdown of the WISDOM System and the 27 mindset skills within it.
W – Wire Your Mind for Happiness, Confidence, and Success in Life with MindPower™!
MindPower™ helps children learn about the power of their mind! Children learn how their thoughts create their experiences, and what they can do to shape their thoughts. This gets deep into the mindset and the brain science behind why mindset skills work. Children learn how both their conscious mind and subconscious mind works, how neural pathways are key to creating what they want in life and stretching outside of their comfort zone, how their Reticular Activating System (RAS) helps them achieve their goals, how to use power shifting to change their own thoughts and words to shape how they experience themselves and their lives, and how to build belief systems based on possibility.
MindPower is based on brain science and is the foundation for all of the skills that are taught in The Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum.
There are five mindset skills in MindPower™:
- How Your Mind Shapes Your World…and What You Can do to Shape Your Mind
- Power of Possibility – Why You Achieve What You Believe (The Good & the Bad)
- Building Neural Pathways – How to Create Your Path to Success
- The Secret Radar in Your Brain – How to Use Your RAS to Achieve Your Goals
- Power Shifting – How to Choose Your Power Even When Things Don’t Go Your Way
I – Identify Who You Want To Be and What You Want For Your Life With InnerPower™!
InnerPower™ helps children develop their “inner compass”. Children learn how to think for themselves and make good decisions (using a powerful framework for decision-making). They learn the core values of self-leaders (self-responsibility, integrity, respect, and self-respect). And they learn how to identify 5 types of peer pressure and techniques to stand up to peer pressure.
There are six mindset skills in InnerPower™:
- The Power of Self-responsibility – How to Be “The Boss of Me”
- Choosing Integrity – What You Do When No One is Looking
- Make Your Mark with Respect – Understanding Your Impact on Others
- Make Your Mark with Self-respect – Understanding Your Impact on You
- How to Make Good Decisions – Choosing What You Want for You
- Standing Up to Peer Pressure – How to Say “Yes” to You and “No” to Peer Pressure
S – See Your “Inner Superstar” and Shine With MePower™!
MePower™ guides children in developing a foundation for strong confidence and self-esteem from the inside out, so that their confidence and self-esteem don’t rise and fall with the ups and downs of life. They learn to honor their uniqueness and the uniqueness of others. They learn how to develop powerful self-talk that shapes who they are and how they experience their lives, and they learn how to “coach themselves” throughout their day.
There are five mindset skills in MePower™:
- I Love Me! How to Develop Soaring Self-esteem
13. I Honor Me! How to Be Yourself and Honor Your Uniqueness
14. I Believe in Me! How to Develop Unstoppable Self-Confidence
15. Self-talk – Mastering the Secret Behind Self-esteem and Self-confidence
16. Self-coaching – How to Conquer the Day-to-day Ups & Downs & Create Daily Mastery
D – Dream Big, Live With Purpose, and Make it Happen With DreamPower™!
DreamPower™ guides children in developing a vision for their lives so that they can live life with intention instead of drifting through life. Children learn how to set and achieve their goals and learn how to use the Law of Attraction tools like Visualization, Affirmations, and Gratitude to “program” their mind for success. These are powerful mindset skills based on research and brain science that support children and grown-ups in achieving their goals!
There are six mindset skills in DreamPower™:
- Creating Your Vision – What do You Want?
18. Goal Setting – How to Turn Your Vision into Action!
19. Law of Attraction – Using Attraction and Action to Manifest Your Goals
20. Visualization – How Winning in Your Mind Creates Winning in Life!
21. Affirmations – How to Program Your Mind to Reach Your Goals
22. Gratitude – How an Attitude of Gratitude Prepares You for Your Dreams
OM – Overcoming Obstacles and Managing the Ups & Downs of Growing Up with Slaying Dragons
Slaying Dragons™ helps children learn how to navigate the tough stuff in life, like moving through anxiety, facing fear, and managing change, as well as managing mistakes and disappointments, so they can pick themselves up and continue to go for their dreams.
There are five mindset skills in Slaying Dragons:
- Overcoming Mistakes – How to Learn from Mistakes and Let Them Go
- Managing Fear – How to Create Courage and Bust Outside of Your Comfort Zone
- Moving Past Failure – How to “Put it in a Box” and Keep on Goin’
- Managing Change – How to Embrace Change and Thrive
- Conditional thinking – How “if…then” Keeps You from Happiness
These skills help children navigate life’s difficult moments while staying confident and grounded.
Together, these 27 skills give children a comprehensive mindset toolkit that supports emotional well-being, confidence, and long-term resilience.
How Can Parents And Coaches Teach Life Skills Effectively?
The key is using a system that’s built for kids’ brains. At Adventures in Wisdom®, WISDOM Coaches use the STORY Coaching Process to bring mindset skills to life.
The STORY Coaching Process
Additional Tips For Parents And Coaches
- Use everyday situations to practice skills (e.g. setbacks in school, in sports, or with friends)
- Look for small coachable moments, reinforcing the skills
- Celebrate growth, not just outcomes
- Model the skills yourself! Share how you shifted your thinking to help you navigate a difficult situation, share how you used visualization before giving a speech to help calm your nerves, talk positively about yourself. There are so many opportunities to live this work!
Children learn best through repetition, reflection, and relevance. Stories make learning engaging and memorable.
Real-Life Success With Wisdom Coaching
Children from around the world are building confidence, resilience, and self-leadership through WISDOM Coaching. These real-life stories show how learning mindset skills can help kids thrive.
7-year-old “G” Uses the Power of Her Thoughts to Overcome Anxiety
When a child struggles with anxiety, it affects the whole family. G wouldn’t go to the grocery store or out to dinner, and going to school was an everyday struggle. G was struggling, and her Mom was exhausted. When her mother reached out to WISDOM Coach® Sharon, her daughter had already worked with a few specialists. See how WISDOM Coach® Sharon shares how she helped G rebuild her confidence!
Young Girl Conquers Swimming and First Day at New School
Miss M’s mother was concerned. At her recent pre-school graduation, Miss M (5-1/2 years old) refused to go up to collect her graduation certificate so her mother worried how she was going to start kindergarten in a few weeks. WISDOM Coach® Karen took Miss M through the Confident Kids program from Adventures in Wisdom and you won’t believe the things Miss M achieved with just a few coaching sessions. Prepare to be inspired by her story!
These are just two of the many children who are learning to handle the ups and downs of growing up with courage and clarity, using tools they’ll carry for life.
FAQs About Teaching Mindset Skills To Children
At What Age Can Children Start Learning Mindset Skills?
Children can start learning foundational mindset skills as young as age 4, and the ideal age range for structured mindset development is 6–12 years old.
These early years are powerful because children are forming beliefs about who they are, what they can do, and how the world works. Their brains are highly adaptable, making it the perfect time to teach skills like self-talk, self-esteem, emotional regulation, respect, confidence, and resilience.
Ages 4–5: Introducing Early Mindset Concepts.
Young children can begin learning simple mindset concepts when they are introduced in a developmentally appropriate way. At this age, children can learn:
- That their thoughts create their feelings
- How to use kind and respectful self-talk to themselves and others
- How to pause, breathe, when they are upset
- How to treat themselves and others with respect
These concepts work best when taught through storytelling, play, and simple language, always supported by a trusted grown-up who helps them connect the ideas to real life.
Some WISDOM Coaches work with preschoolers and children in kindergarten; however, they simplify the coaching story and use scenarios that are appropriate to that age group.
Ages 6–12: The Ideal Window for Mindset Development
Elementary school is the sweet spot for mindset training because core beliefs and habits are taking shape. During these years, children also begin to:
- Understand cause and effect
- Ask deeper questions about themselves and the world
- Form identity and beliefs (“I am…”, “I can…”, “I’m not good at…”)
- Experience comparison, peer pressure, academic challenges, and friendship issues
This is why the Adventures in Wisdom® curriculum was designed for ages 6–12. At this stage, children are old enough to understand the lessons at a deeper level.. Teaching mindset skills in elementary school creates a foundation that supports them throughout middle school, high school, and for life.
Why Are Stories the Key to Helping Kids Learn These Skills Early?
Mindset concepts like self-talk, confidence, and emotional regulation can feel abstract to young children. That’s why we use a story-based coaching approach.
Stories help children:
- See the skill in action
- Feel the emotions of the characters
- Understand what positive choices look like
- Remember the lesson long after it’s taught
- Apply the concept to their own life
Storytelling taps directly into how the brain learns best, through imagery, emotion, repetition, and connection. With stories, even complex ideas like neural pathways, identity statements (“I am…”), or managing “dragons” of fear and self-doubt become simple, relatable, and fun.
With WISDOM Coaching, stories become a powerful tool for learning and transformation.
Can Parents Teach Mindset Skills At Home?
Yes. Parents can absolutely teach mindset skills at home, and many families find it to be one of the most meaningful parts of their parenting journey. In fact, a significant number of parents choose to become Certified WISDOM Coaches® specifically so they can bring these skills to their own children in a consistent, structured, and research-backed way that is fun and engaging for their family.
Parents are a child’s first and most important teachers. When parents learn how to teach skills like:
- positive self-talk
- self-esteem
- confidence
- emotional regulation
- resilience
- goal-setting
…they become even more effective at supporting their child through everyday challenges such as school stress, friendships, comparison, setbacks, and big feelings.
While there are free resources online, many parents choose to become a Certified WISDOM Coach so that they have a proven framework and shared language for helping their children develop mindset skills. The curriculum gives them a step-by-step framework for talking about thoughts, feelings, and choices at home while proactively practicing and strengthening skills.
Why Many Parents Choose to Become Certified WISDOM Coaches®
Many parents choose to become a Certified WISDOM Coach® to enhance their parenting skills. WISDOM Parents become coaches because they want to:
- Feel confident they’re teaching the skills correctly
- Use proven stories, tools, and activities developed for children
- Create a consistent, step-by-step experience for their family
- Deepen their own understanding of mindset principles
Once parents start using the curriculum at home, something powerful often happens. They discover how much they love this work and want to help other children, too.
Parents begin coaching their own children, then their children’s friends, then children in their community. Many eventually turn their passion into a part-time or full-time coaching business, helping kids thrive while creating meaningful income.
Certification becomes a path for parents to:
- Elevate their parenting
- Make a difference in the lives of other children
- Create a purposeful, flexible business they love
How Long Does It Take to See Results When Teaching Mindset Skills to Children?
The timeline for results depends on how mindset skills are taught. There is a big difference between information and transformation.
Information is when children learn about a skill. For example, hearing that “positive self-talk helps you feel more confident.”
Transformation happens when children can experience the skill, understand it deeply, and apply it to their own lives. That is where coaching makes the biggest impact.
Why the Coaching Approach Speeds Up Results
The Adventures in Wisdom® Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum uses a STORY Coaching Process™ that is specifically designed to move children from information → experience → transformation.
In every session, children:
- Learn the skill through a story (so the concept becomes concrete and relatable).
- Experience the skill through discussion, reflection, and connection.
- Apply the skill through guided activities, real-life examples, and practice with a coach.
Under the guidance of a Certified WISDOM Coach®, this process creates a learning experience that “sticks” because children aren’t just hearing the lesson; they’re living it.
Coaching turns information into transformation.
And for many children, it is life-changing.
Many Kids Experience A Noticeable Shift In The Very First Session.
This is especially common with skills like:
- Positive self-talk
- Managing nerves or fear
- Understanding neural pathways
- Recognizing the “I am…” identity statements they’re using
When a child suddenly realizes, “I can change my thoughts,” they often feel an immediate sense of confidence and control.
Most Children Experience Meaningful Changes Within A Few Sessions.
Across thousands of coaching sessions worldwide, parents and WISDOM Coaches® consistently report visible results within the first 2 – 4 sessions, such as:
- Reduced anxiety and quicker recovery from stress
- Stronger self-esteem
- Improved emotional regulation
- More positive self-talk
- Better problem-solving and decision-making
- Increased confidence in school or activities
These early shifts build momentum and motivate children to keep practicing their new skills.
Long-Term Growth Comes From Consistency And Reinforcement.
Mindset skills are like muscles. The more children practice, the stronger they become.
Just like physical fitness isn’t a one-and-done activity, developing a resilient, confident mindset requires:
- Regular practice
- Guided reinforcement
- Using the tools in real-life situations
- Ongoing encouragement from a trusted adult
- Weaving mindset discussions into everyday life
When children keep using their skills, the transformation becomes part of who they are, not just something they learned once.
Are mindset skills taught in schools?
Some schools teach mindset-related concepts, like growth mindset or resilience programs, but not to the depth or consistency children need. Because the academic curriculum is already full and academic requirements take priority, mindset skills often aren’t taught in a structured, ongoing way.
This is why life coaching can be such a powerful complement, because it gives kids dedicated time to learn, practice, and strengthen these essential mindset skills.
How Can You Help Your Child Master Mindset Skills For Children?
Every child deserves to grow up equipped with the mindset skills to thrive. Teaching mindset skills for children is no longer optional. It’s essential in today’s world.
With Adventures in Wisdom®, children learn how to believe in themselves, think for themselves, and lead themselves. The WISDOM System for Coaching Kids gives children a complete toolkit for navigating life with courage, confidence, and purpose.
If you’re ready to help a child develop the life skills they need to succeed:
Click here to get started and receive your FREE coaching story
Ready to become a Certified WISDOM Coach®?
Learn more about our program HERE
Renaye Thornborrow is leading a worldwide mission to bring life coaching to kids. Since 2013, Adventures in Wisdom® has certified hundreds of coaches in over 30 countries, helping them create a business they love as a life coach for kids, while helping children build the mindset and skill set for resilience, self-esteem, achievement, and self-leadership so that they are confident and prepared to thrive in life.
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Adventure well, my friend!
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