Let's chat about something really cool - setting goals. We know, there's alot of talk about it now, and it might sound like something only adults do, but it's definitely for children as well.
In our first blog post, we chat with young author, Michael J. Skinner, about his recent experience with setting goals for the first time.
"When I first heard about setting goals, I was like, 'What's that?' But now, I think of it as just things I want to get done, like getting to a next super level in one of my favourite video games or learning something new at school," - Michael.
GOALS: A Fun Acronym for Kids
To make goal setting super fun and easy to remember, we came up with a cool acronym for GOALS:
- G is for 'Get Excited': Find something you really like and make a goal about it.
- O is for 'One at a Time': Stick to one goal so you don’t get overwhelmed.
- A is for 'Ask for Help': It's okay to ask parents or teachers for help with your goals.
- L is for 'Little Steps': Break your goal into small steps that you can check off.
- S is for 'Share Your Success': Tell someone when you reach your goal, it's more fun that way!
Why Kids Should Set Goals
Goals aren't just for grown-ups. They help little ones learn to plan, be patient, and feel proud when we achieve something. Having worked on his first goal setting excercise at home, Michael felt confident when the topic came up at school, "Guess what? My teacher talked about goal setting in class too! It was so cool to hear her say things that I just learned," said Michael.
Keeping Goals Simple and Fun
Here are some easy ways to keep goal setting fun and not stressful:
- Write It Simply: Just like how you talk. If the goal is to read more, you can say, 'I want to read a little every night before bed.'
- Choose Something You Like: If you love playing video games, set a goal to reach a new level or score.
- It's About You: Your goals should be things you want, not what someone else wants for you.
- Parents, Share Your Goals Too: When mom or dad shares their goals, it's like the family is in it together.
- Break It Down: Turn the goal into small parts. Let's say you want to learn to ride a bike. Start with little steps like, 'Today, I will learn to balance.'
Examples of Easy Goals for Kids
- Reading: 'I want to read one chapter of my book every night.'
- Playing: 'I will learn two new soccer tricks this month.'
- Helping: 'I will help by sorting out the clothes when it's laundry day.'
Tracking Progress
It's super cool to see how you're doing with your goals, and it feels just as good for children. Keep track by keeping a chart or a little book where they can check off each step completed. And when you're done, remember to celebrate!
Celebrate the wins by doing some fun things together or something your child loves. Allow them to choose their reward to match their effort. There is no wrong or write way, do what works.
"My mom helped me write my goals and then we came up with smaller parts to do...they are like mini battles in my video games" - Michael.
One of our goals for Skinner's World was starting out blog, where we get to share and connect even more. One part accomplished! Thank you for reading and we hope you find this useful in some way.
Michael completed his goal setting in a cool way and we are excited to tell you all about it in our next post. We will let you know directly when we have new posts, offers and other exciting news. Subscribe below and let us know where to send them.
Until then, why not give the goal setting adventure a go? What are some goals you think are great for children who are doing so for the first time? Share them in the comments, we'd love to hear from you!
PS - We are giving away our goals poster, so be sure to subscribe below, so we can let you know when you can get yours for free.