In a world where perfection is often glorified, helping kids learn from mistakes can be a radical act of growth. But mistakes aren’t something to be feared—they’re powerful tools that support resilience, encourage self-awareness, and nurture confidence. By shifting the narrative from shame to learning, educators and parents can help children view their missteps as opportunities rather than failures.
In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of learning from mistakes, offer strategies to guide children through error-based learning, and link to powerful tools and Elementary SEL curriculum like Tools of the Heart and Planet Responsibility. All of which supports social emotional learning and builds stronger, more reflective students.
Why mistakes make you stronger
Children often associate mistakes with punishment or embarrassment. But when adults model a healthy response to errors, children begin to understand that mistakes help us grow. Learning to recover from a misstep builds grit, perseverance, and emotional regulation—all traits that are critical to a child’s long-term success.
When students are taught that learning from your mistakes is not just acceptable but essential, they are more likely to take intellectual risks, engage in new challenges, and persevere through setbacks. Some of the most impactful learning occurs in the moments after a mistake is made.
The brain science behind learning from mistakes
Neuroscience research confirms that mistakes and learning go hand in hand. When a child makes an error and reflects on it, new neural pathways form. This means the brain is literally growing and adapting.
By creating space for discussion around what went wrong—and what could be done differently—teachers and caregivers help children take ownership of their growth. This builds not only academic skills but also emotional maturity.
Teaching kids that mistakes are part of the process
Here are a few ways educators and caregivers can encourage children to embrace the learning process:
- Normalize mistakes: Share examples from your own life. Let students know it’s okay not to get it right the first time.
- Celebrate effort: Acknowledge hard work and progress instead of only focusing on correct answers.
- Reflect together: Ask reflective questions like, “What did you learn from that experience?” or “What would you do differently next time?”
- Use growth-minded language: Replace “I can’t” with “I can’t yet.” Help students build the belief that their abilities can improve over time.
- Incorporate SEL tools: Programs like Tools of the Heart offer activities that teach kids to pause, reflect, and respond thoughtfully when challenges arise.
Activities that support learning from past mistakes
Hands-on learning is one of the best ways to help kids internalize new concepts. Consider trying the following mistakes and learning activities in your classroom or home:
- “Try again” stations: Create a station with puzzles, math problems, or creative writing prompts that encourage multiple attempts.
- Story swap: Invite students to share stories about a time they made a mistake and what they learned from it.
- Growth wall: Dedicate a section of the classroom to notes that say, “I used to struggle with ___, but now I can ___.”
- Responsibility circles: Use Planet Responsibility to explore how actions affect others and how we can take accountability with kindness and intention.
Benefits of making mistakes in a classroom setting
When classrooms embrace mistakes as part of the learning process, they become places where vulnerability is met with empathy—not criticism. Students are more likely to raise their hands, share ideas, and support one another when the fear of failure is removed.
Some benefits of this approach include:
- Increased confidence: Students who are not afraid to fail are more confident trying again.
- Stronger collaboration: Kids learn how to give and receive feedback respectfully.
- More creative problem-solving: When there’s no “perfect” answer, children learn to think outside the box.
- Deeper emotional intelligence: Understanding how to recover from mistakes supports empathy, resilience, and reflective thinking.
How do you learn from mistakes?
Learning from mistakes is a skill that can—and should—be taught. Adults play a crucial role in guiding children toward a mindset that sees errors as learning tools.
Here’s how to reinforce this:
- Model it: When you make a mistake, name it. Then talk through what you’re doing to make it right.
- Stay curious: Ask open-ended questions that help children dig into the “why” behind their choices.
- Practice forgiveness: Show children that making amends is a normal part of being human.
- Keep trying: Help students reflect on how mistakes led to new strategies, ideas, or understandings.
Mistakes aren’t a sign of weakness—they’re evidence that learning is taking place.
Making mistakes and learning from them builds resilience
Building resilience starts with helping students understand that making mistakes and learning from them is a lifelong process. Each stumble is a stepping stone toward growth. Whether it’s an academic error, a social misunderstanding, or a forgotten responsibility, students gain emotional strength when they are given the space to process and learn.
Pairing this process with SEL tools such as the Elementary SEL curriculum, which reinforces self-awareness and self-management, creates lasting change in how students navigate their world.
Teaching responsibility and reflection with SEL
Programs like Planet Responsibility and Tools of the Heart give students the vocabulary and structure they need to process mistakes thoughtfully. When embedded into classroom culture, these tools help students pause, reflect, repair, and move forward.
Additionally, Soul Shoppe’s social emotional learning programs encourage growth from the inside out, teaching students not just to process what they did wrong, but how they can make it right.
Turning mistakes into powerful teachers
We all make mistakes. What matters most is what we do next.
By shifting the focus from punishment to possibility, adults can help children grow into confident, capable, and compassionate learners. Whether it’s a misspelled word, a conflict with a friend, or a poor decision made in frustration, each mistake carries with it the chance to try again.
Let’s help students embrace their errors and see them for what they really are: some of the greatest teachers they’ll ever have.
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As more of our children’s social lives unfold in digital spaces—text threads, classroom platforms, gaming apps, and social media—the need for online empathy is more urgent than ever. The same skills we teach face-to-face—kindness, perspective-taking, and emotional awareness—need to carry over to online spaces.
But how do we teach compassion and connection when body language, tone, and real-time reactions are often missing? This article explores practical strategies to help children bridge the gap between real-world and digital interactions and offers tools to support teaching empathy in every environment.
Why Online Empathy Matters
The internet gives kids incredible opportunities to connect, learn, and express themselves—but without guidance, it can also become a space for disconnection, miscommunication, or harm. Practicing empathy online is about more than being “nice.” It’s about teaching children how to consider other people’s experiences, recognize emotional cues, and respond with care, even from behind a screen.
Empathy online means slowing down before hitting “send,” reading between the lines, and pausing to ask: How might my words affect someone else?
That kind of reflective behavior doesn’t always come naturally, but it can be learned.
What Is Online Empathy?
Online empathy is the ability to understand and be sensitive to the emotions and experiences of others in digital interactions. Whether replying to a friend’s comment or engaging in a group project online, children who develop this skill are more likely to foster healthy digital relationships.
While face-to-face empathy often relies on facial expressions and body language, online empathy asks children to tune in more intentionally to written tone, timing, and context. Teaching these skills helps kids avoid misunderstandings, cyberbullying, or emotional withdrawal from peers.
Building Online Empathy in Kids
Here are simple ways to teach empathy in kids that extend into their digital lives:
1. Make Emotions Visible
Online, emotions can be easily misinterpreted. Encourage students to use words to express how they feel clearly. Phrases like “I felt hurt when…” or “I’m really excited about…” create space for open and respectful conversation.
Use the Feelings Poster as a tool for helping kids build emotional language that can be used offline and online.
2. Model Empathy Yourself
Whether you’re responding to an email or sharing feedback in a virtual classroom, show what it means to respond with compassion. Name the feeling before correcting the behavior. Validate the child’s experience even when setting boundaries.
Modeling is the most powerful empathy training we can offer.
3. Practice Digital Role-Playing
Explore online empathy scenarios by acting out digital conversations with your students. What happens when someone is left out of a group chat? How might you respond to a classmate who shares a tough experience in a forum?
These exercises function like an online empathy map, helping students consider multiple perspectives and possible reactions before engaging.
Teaching Empathy Through Soul Shoppe Tools
Soul Shoppe’s programs offer interactive ways to help children explore empathy, both in the classroom and beyond:
- Tools of the Heart: This SEL curriculum includes emotional regulation practices that prepare kids to manage reactions before responding online.
- Respect Differences: This curriculum teaches inclusion and understanding—key foundations for online and offline respect.
These tools give children the foundation to not just know what empathy is, but live it out.
Teaching Compassion in the Classroom and Online
Whether in person or online, teaching compassion to a child begins with naming what we see and feel. Here are some classroom activities that can build empathy across environments:
- Empathy circles: Invite students to share how they’d feel in different scenarios, including online ones.
- Gratitude emails or messages: Encourage students to send a kind note to someone in their class or family.
- Digital kindness walls: Use a shared space (like a Jamboard or classroom bulletin) where kids can write affirmations or supportive messages.
Games and resources like online empathy games can help reinforce positive digital behavior in fun and interactive ways.
When Does Empathy Fully Develop?
While studies show that empathy in children begins in early childhood, it continues developing into adolescence. Kids may show varying levels of emotional awareness and empathy depending on age, temperament, and experience.
This is why consistency matters. Whether you’re guiding a second grader through an argument on a classroom iPad or helping a fifth grader understand sarcasm in a text, every moment is a chance to build stronger empathy muscles.
If you’re wondering how to measure growth, tools like the child empathy test or journaling exercises can help assess how students are recognizing and responding to others’ emotions over time.
Supporting All Students—Not Forcing Extroversion
Keep in mind: not every student will express empathy in the same way. Quiet students may internalize more. Neurodiverse learners may struggle with social cues. That’s okay.
By using strategies from social emotional learning, teachers can differentiate their approach and help every child grow at their own pace. What matters most is that children feel safe, seen, and supported as they learn to care for themselves and each other.
Empathy Is a Skill, Not a Trait
Some people think you’re either born empathetic or not, but the truth is, empathy is a skill that grows with practice. That’s especially true for kids navigating digital spaces, where emotional nuance can be hard to spot.
By teaching online empathy in the same intentional way we teach reading or math, we help kids become better digital citizens and better human beings.
It starts with small moments: pausing to think before posting, offering support instead of judgment, listening deeply—even across a screen.
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Every child experiences big emotions—those moments when feelings become so intense they feel overwhelming. These experiences are part of growing up, and they’re not something to “fix” or “avoid.” Instead, they’re opportunities for growth. With the right tools, guidance, and emotional support, children can learn how to process big emotions in healthy ways, transforming those tough moments into powerful learning experiences.
This article explores calming strategies, emotional processing techniques, and practical ways adults can support children when those big feelings surface.
Understanding Big Emotions in Children
Big emotions might include frustration, fear, sadness, excitement, anger, or joy. While emotions are a natural part of life, it’s often the intensity or expression of these feelings that can seem difficult to manage, for both kids and the adults supporting them.
It’s helpful to distinguish between feelings and emotions. Feelings are our conscious experiences of emotional states, while emotions are instinctive responses that arise before we even know what’s happening. Teaching children about emotions gives them the vocabulary to name what’s happening inside them. This is the first step toward managing those responses.
Teaching children about emotions helps them pause and reflect rather than react. Through social emotional learning (SEL), children begin to understand the big 5 emotions—joy, sadness, anger, fear, and love—and how these show up in their bodies and behaviors.
Why Emotional Processing Matters
When children don’t have the tools to process their emotions, they may act out, withdraw, or struggle to focus. This doesn’t mean they’re “misbehaving.” It means their emotions are too big for them to manage alone.
Supporting a child unable to control emotions starts with empathy. Instead of rushing to correct behavior, adults can get curious: What might this child be feeling? What need is going unmet?
Managing emotions for elementary students is about creating emotional safety. Kids are more likely to open up when they feel heard, not judged.
Teaching Kids to Recognize and Name Their Emotions
One of the most powerful things adults can do is help children recognize and name what they’re feeling. This skill—called emotional literacy—is foundational to self-regulation.
Some tools and resources that support this include:
- The Feelings Poster – a visual that helps students name their emotions with words instead of behaviors.
- The Tools of the Heart – Soul Shoppe’s core emotional regulation curriculum is designed for elementary school students.
- The Elementary SEL curriculum – Multiple courses that offer step-by-step guidance to teach emotional awareness, empathy, and healthy expression of feelings, and how to interact with the world around them.
Calming Strategies for Big Emotions
Every child is unique, so it helps to offer a variety of calming strategies. When big emotions rise, here are several activities that can support self-regulation:
1. Movement Breaks
Simple stretches or jumping jacks help shift energy and release tension. Movement activates the body in a way that can support emotional release without words.
2. Breathing Exercises
Teaching mindful breathing gives children a tool they can access anytime. Try the “Smell the flower, blow out the candle” method or introduce them to Soul Shoppe’s Empty Balloon exercise.
3. Quiet Corners or Sensory Spaces
Create a calm-down space with soft seating, fidget tools, sensory bottles, or coloring materials. These managing feelings and behavior activities help kids process without pressure. To learn more about creating a peace corner, click here.
4. Journaling or Drawing
Some kids may prefer to write or draw what they’re feeling rather than speak it aloud. Journals or drawing sheets provide a safe outlet for self-expression.
5. Guided Visualization or Music
Listening to calming sounds or participating in a short visualization exercise can help students re-center during emotionally heavy moments.
When Big Emotions Disrupt the Classroom
Big emotions don’t always wait for the “right time” to show up. A child may experience a meltdown in the middle of math or burst into tears during lunch. Instead of seeing this as a problem, shift the perspective to an opportunity for connection.
What teachers can do:
- Pause and make space for the emotion.
- Validate what the student might be feeling: “It looks like you’re feeling really frustrated right now.”
- Offer choices: “Would you like to take a few breaths or visit the peace corner?”
- Reconnect later when the child is regulated.
These approaches model emotional intelligence and show students that big feelings are okay and manageable.
Integrating SEL Throughout the School Day
Supporting big emotions isn’t just about one-off interventions. The most lasting impact comes from integrating social emotional learning across the school day.
Here are a few ideas:
- Start the day with a morning meeting to check in on feelings.
- Practice calming techniques as a class before big transitions.
- Use storytime to explore emotional scenarios and reflect on them together.
- Celebrate emotional growth and personal wins, not just academic success.
Creating these habits sends a powerful message: emotions belong in the classroom, and kids are safe to be themselves.
When to Get Extra Support
While all kids experience big emotions, some may need additional support to regulate. If a student seems persistently overwhelmed, it may be helpful to involve a school counselor or refer families to managing emotions resources that align with SEL values.
What’s most important is that no child feels alone in what they’re feeling.
Supporting Adults, Too
Teaching SEL isn’t just for kids—it starts with the adults. If you’re a teacher, caregiver, or school leader, remember that your calm presence makes a big difference.
Tools like Tools of the Heart and other Elementary SEL curricula include guidance, not only for students but for the adults helping them navigate big feelings.
Emotions as Messengers, Not Enemies
The goal of teaching children about emotions isn’t to get rid of the tough ones. It’s to create space for them—to honor their messages and teach students how to respond with care.
When we treat big emotions as something to listen to, not something to fear, we empower kids to grow into emotionally strong, compassionate people.
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Confidence doesn’t come from being the best. It comes from knowing we can try, grow, and handle whatever comes our way. Building confidence in kids starts by helping them recognize their own inner strength, not because they always succeed, but because they learn from every experience. In the classroom, at home, and in peer relationships, confidence can blossom when children are encouraged to celebrate effort, character, and progress.
Why Confidence Matters
Confidence gives kids the courage to speak up, try new things, take healthy risks, and recover from mistakes. When children believe in themselves, they’re more likely to engage in learning, navigate social situations, and persevere when things get challenging.
But true confidence is not about perfection. It’s about resilience, self-trust, and the ability to move forward with compassion for oneself. This mindset is especially vital when supporting children who experience child anxiety and low self-esteem, or struggle with setbacks.
Teaching Confidence: What it Really Looks Like
Teaching confidence means more than giving compliments. It means creating an environment that shows children they are valued for who they are and what they try, not just for what they achieve.
Here are some approaches that help:
- Celebrate effort, not just outcomes: Praise hard work, creativity, and perseverance.
- Encourage reflection by asking questions such as “What did you learn from that?” or “How did you solve that problem?”
- Model self-compassion: Let students see adults handle mistakes with kindness.
- Reframe failure: Show that trying and not succeeding is part of the learning process.
- Use confidence-building activities for kids: Group games and classroom routines can help kids develop a sense of identity and connection.
Try using the You’re Amazing Poster as a daily reminder in your classroom or home space. This visual tool helps kids recognize positive character traits in themselves and others.
How to Help a Child with Low Self-Esteem
Children with low self-esteem may be quiet, withdrawn, overly self-critical, or reluctant to try new things. Support these students by:
- Giving them leadership roles in low-stakes settings.
- Listening actively without judgment.
- Creating small wins: Help them succeed in tasks that match their current abilities.
- Teaching calming strategies to manage anxiety and self-doubt.
When you’re wondering how to build self-confidence in a child, start by acknowledging their feelings and strengths. Offer consistent encouragement and structure while avoiding comparisons with peers.
Confidence-Building Activities for Kids
Confidence-building activities for groups and individuals should focus on strengths, collaboration, and reflection. Some examples include:
- “Strength Circles”: Have kids name one thing they like about themselves.
- “Compliment Chains”: Create a chain where each student says something kind about the next.
- Role-playing challenges: Practice common social or academic situations where confidence is needed.
- Peer teaching: Let students teach each other something they know well.
Explore more engaging confidence-building activities for kids in Soul Shoppe’s Elementary SEL curriculum, which weaves confidence and emotional growth into every lesson.
How to Build Confidence in a Child at School
Schools can support confidence by creating inclusive, emotionally safe environments. Some key strategies include:
- Promoting growth mindset language: Avoid labeling kids as “smart” or “bad at” something. Instead, highlight growth.
- Empowering through choice: Let kids make decisions about their learning process.
- Recognizing all types of success: Celebrate academic, creative, emotional, and interpersonal milestones.
Teaching perseverance is deeply connected to confidence. Soul Shoppe’s Tools of the Heart curriculum gives kids real-world practice in understanding emotions, staying motivated, and building self-trust.
How to Explain Confidence to a Child
Confidence means believing in yourself. One way to explain it to kids is: “Confidence is like a voice inside you that says, ‘I can try!’ even if something feels hard.”
Use metaphors that make sense to them, like:
- “Confidence is like a muscle—the more you use it, the stronger it gets.”
- “Confidence is like a flashlight—it helps you see your way when things feel dark or confusing.”
You can also explore child self-esteem activities that support these ideas. Journaling, drawing, and sharing stories about overcoming challenges all support a child’s understanding of self-worth.
SEL and Confidence Go Hand-in-Hand
At Soul Shoppe, we believe that social emotional learning (SEL) lays the foundation for confidence. SEL gives kids the tools to identify emotions, practice self-awareness, and express themselves with clarity and respect. Through SEL, students learn:
- How to name their feelings
- How to recognize strengths in themselves and others
- How to recover from setbacks with courage and care
Explore more through Soul Shoppe’s full suite of social emotional learning tools and programs, including:
Final Thoughts
Confidence built from the inside out is lasting and empowering. When we help kids see their strengths, try new things, and embrace who they are, we give them a foundation that will carry them far beyond childhood.
Whether you’re a teacher, caregiver, or parent, your encouragement and guidance matter. With intentional strategies, meaningful conversations, and engaging tools, you can nurture confident, resilient kids who believe in their ability to grow and thrive.
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Not every student raises their hand first or eagerly volunteers to lead group work, and that’s perfectly okay. Introvert students bring a different kind of energy, one that’s thoughtful, observant, and often deeply creative. But in a classroom that rewards loud participation and quick thinking, these students can be easily overlooked.
Creating a learning environment where introverted students can thrive doesn’t mean changing who they are. It means recognizing their strengths, making space for their voices, and offering opportunities that don’t demand extroverted behavior in order to succeed.
Let’s explore how to support introverted learners with intention, care, and confidence.
Understanding Introvert Learners
Introversion isn’t shyness or social anxiety. It’s a personality trait rooted in how a person recharges and processes the world around them. Introverted learners often:
- Prefer small groups or independent work
- Reflect deeply before speaking
- Feel overstimulated by too much noise or chaos
- Excel in creative, structured, or analytical tasks
Understanding this introverted learning style helps educators avoid misinterpreting silence as disengagement. These students might not always raise their hands, but they’re listening, thinking, and processing in meaningful ways.
Creating a Classroom That Welcomes Quiet Voices
A supportive classroom culture gives introvert students space to contribute on their terms. Here are some inclusive strategies:
- Think time: Build in quiet moments for reflection after posing a question so students have time to process before answering.
- Written responses: Allow students to share ideas through journaling, sticky notes, or digital platforms instead of only verbal participation.
- Small groups or pairs: These allow for more meaningful conversation without the pressure of a large audience.
- Choice in participation: Let students choose how they show their understanding—through art, writing, one-on-one discussion, or presentations.
These shifts help all students, but they’re especially powerful for those who process internally, need time, and want to feel safe and seen.
Introvert Students and Self-Confidence
When quiet students are constantly nudged to “speak up” or “participate more,” it can send the message that who they are isn’t enough. Instead of pushing them toward extroverted behaviors, we can focus on building their confidence in ways that honor their nature.
This includes:
- Celebrating thoughtful contributions, not just loud ones
- Validating their strengths, like deep listening, empathy, and reflection
- Offering private praise or one-on-one encouragement
- Teaching that leadership comes in many forms, not just from the loudest voice
For ideas that build confidence in all students, including introverts, explore our Elementary SEL Curriculum that celebrates unique qualities in every child.
Social Emotional Learning Tools That Support Introverts
Social emotional learning (SEL) lays the groundwork for inclusion and confidence. Through SEL, students learn how to understand themselves, express their needs, and relate to others.
Some tools that support introverted learners:
-
- Tools of the Heart: Teaches emotional awareness and self-regulation in a way that resonates with all learning styles.
- Respect Differences: Teaches kids how to recognize all the things that make us unique, building up their self-esteem so they can show empathy and tolerance towards others.
- Planet Responsibility: Helps students learn that our actions and interactions have power, even seemingly small choices, and impact the world around us.
- Free To Be: An anti-bullying program that teaches kids to have empathy.
- The Empty Balloon: A calming activity that encourages mindfulness and reflection.
These tools aren’t about changing quiet students—they’re about giving them language and strategies to feel safe and capable just as they are.
Ideas for Daily Classroom Practice
Looking for ways to make your classroom more welcoming for introverts? Try:
- Silent morning meetings: Give students a calming start to the day with quiet journaling or breathing exercises.
- Choice boards: Offer a menu of activity types (written, spoken, creative) so students can choose what fits their energy and learning style.
- Introvert buddy system: Pair students for gentle collaboration, reducing the anxiety of big group tasks.
- Classroom agreements that emphasize respect for all communication styles, not just outgoing ones.
For even more inclusive ideas, check out our guide to building a Positive Classroom Culture.
Why This Matters
Supporting introverted students in the classroom isn’t about fixing something that’s broken—it’s about celebrating quiet strengths. When we create space for different ways of being, every student benefits. The classroom becomes a place of balance, empathy, and authentic expression.
Let’s remember: being quiet isn’t a weakness. It’s another way of showing up—and one that absolutely deserves to shine.
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