New Year’s Resolutions Aren’t Just for Adults!
Making New Year’s resolutions with your preschooler can be a fun, meaningful way to start the year while teaching valuable life skills. At this young age, resolutions aren’t about strict goals or perfection, they’re about building positive habits, encouraging growth, and strengthening your bond as a family.
You should begin by keeping the conversation simple and age appropriate. Explain that a resolution is a promise we make to ourselves to try something new, helpful or kind. Use examples your child can understand, such as “We can try to clean up our toys each day” or “We can practice saying please and thank you.” Ask your child to share ideas and then listen to those ideas enthusiastically, even if their goals are silly or imaginative. Doing so will help them feel heard and valued.
It is best to focus on positive, achievable goals. Preschoolers better understand concrete actions over abstract ideas. Instead of “be better,” try “read one book together every night” or “wash our hands before meals” instead. Resolutions should be things you’ll work on together, which will reinforce teamwork. For example, you might say, “Let’s practice being patient when we take turns.” This helps make the activity a bounding activity.
You can also make the process fun and creative by drawing pictures of your resolutions or creating a colorful check-off chart. These visual reminders placed on the fridge or the bathroom mirror can help your child remember and feel proud of their goals. And don’t forget to celebrate small successes with lots of praise, high-fives, or extra play/story time.
Perhaps the most important thing is to model a positive attitude. Preschoolers can get easily frustrated if they feel they’ve gotten something wrong. You can show your child that it’s okay to make mistakes and try again! Resolutions at this age should be about learning and growing, not about being perfect. When you approach the New Year with encouragement, flexibility, and joy, you’re helping your child build self-confidence, self-awareness, and a lifelong understanding that positive change can be both meaningful and fun.
