Smart Goal Setting for Kids | Kids Goals Worksheet

With the school year about to begin it’s a great time to start thinking about smart goal setting for kids!

Teaching our kids about goal setting really sets the foundation for them to have a successful year.

Even though goal setting is good to help your kids through the school year you can really set goals with them any time during the year.

Getting in the habit of creating goals throughout the year keeps more consistency and helps them

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Why is goal setting important for kids?

It is so important to start goal planning with kids at a young age.

Use the steps in this post to help your kids create their own goals or create family goals together!

Your kids will have several short term and long term benefits from goal planning including:

Better achievement in school and extracurricular activities
Increased self confidence
problem solving skills
persistence
patience
decision making skills

Marilyn Price-Mitchell Ph.D. says in her Psychology Today article that being goal oriented is a critical skill for children to learn in order to become resourceful problem solving adults in the future.

What are your goals for your child?

If you have small children you will definitely have to help them get started with their goal setting.

Start by thinking about your child and what goals you have in mind for them. Here are some things to think about to get you started.

What are your child’s strengths and weaknesses?
Is there anything your child has been struggling with?
What is your child’s favorite hobby/sport?
What is your child’s worst and favorite subject in school?
Is there anything your child has been wanting to do or buy?
Are there any skills your child needs to learn or improve? (brushing teeth daily)

What are smart goals?

For kids smart goals should be realistic, simple, and easy to follow.

Your child’s goals should help them achieve something. If their goal is too challenging to achieve they may not want to plan future goals.

So, help them make their goals smart and easy to reach for.

What are the steps to goal setting?

Now that you’ve thought through your child’s strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, etc. you are ready to help them make some smart goals.

Remember that these goals should be realistic and easy to achieve.

Sit with your child and talk with them about some things they would like to accomplish or improve this year.
If you have little ones give them some suggestions based on easy things you think they could accomplish. These age appropriate healthy habits for kids are good goal making ideas.
Buy your kids a journal that they can write their ideas on or use our free kids goals worksheet below.
Help your kids make a time frame of when they would like to accomplish their goal or check their progress.
Assist your kids in planning the steps it would take to make their goal a reality. If this is a goal they need to work on daily help them make a reminder in their planner, journal, or somewhere they would see it daily (on the fridge).
Make updates of the progress they are making and results in their journal. Were they able to accomplish their goal? Was the goal too hard to accomplish? Did they need more time?

Free Goal Planning Worksheet for Kids

Help your kids get started on their goal planning with my free goal planning worksheet and check out some of our favorite goal planning journals below!