Using growth mindset stories for kids is one of the best ways to foster a growth mindset in young children. Kids of all ages love stories, and they can relate to characters in many different ways. Motivating them to adopt the habits of their favorite characters from the story.
Originally posted on March 2023. Updated January 2024
Fostering a growth mindset in our kids is super important because a growth mindset will have a profound effect on how your kids learn throughout their lives.
As a classroom teacher or homeschooling parent, you can use growth mindset stories and the lessons being told to reinforce why it’s better to have a growth mindset vs a fixed mindset.
While it’s great to have these books at your fingertips in your home library. I acknowledge that this may not be the case for all homeschooling parents. If you’re on a tight budget, that limits your spending. You can find read-aloud for almost all of these stories on YouTube.
All you need to do is go to YouTube search and type the book’s name with read-aloud at the end.
3 Ways To Promote A Growth Mindset With Stories
1. Start your day with a growth mindset story.
Empowering our kids first thing in the morning to cultivate a growth mindset will pave the rest of their day. If you’re a homeschooling parent, I highly recommend adding a growth mindset read-aloud to your morning basket.
If you’re a classroom teacher, reading a growth mindset story to your students in the morning will be the perfect icebreaker to start your day!
2. Growth mindset bedtime story.
Reading growth mindset stories for kids at bedtime is a beautiful way to send your kids off to sleep. From time to time, instead of the classic bedtime stories, why not switch things up with a story that will inspire and empower your child to be the best they can be?
3. Dedicate a day to mindset learning.
Mindset Monday has a beautiful sound to it, don’t you think?
Having a day schedule in your planner where you focus on one topic for the day will quickly get your kids into a routine. Making learning fun. You can dedicate Mondays ( or any day that works for you) to social-emotional learning, kindness, helpfulness, etc.
If you have younger kids, you can use toys and mimic the characters from the stories you read.
18 Best Growth Mindset Stories For Kids
Here’s a list of growth mindset stories for kids that I have read over and over to my kids.
1. I can’t do that yet
This book is about a young girl named Enna who lacks self-confidence. Enna is learning to read, but she is finding it to be quite challenging and doesn’t believe she will ever be successful in learning to read. (This is an amazing book if you have a young child who has not yet built fluency in reading.)
Then one night, she has a dream whereby she sees a future version of herself. The future version of herself encourages Enna to keep trying and not give up.
This is a wonderful book to inspire kids to learn and grow and never give up when things are challenging and frustrating.
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2. A World Without Failures
If your kids are at a stage in life where they get frustrated and overwhelmed every time they are unable to get things done perfectly the first time. This is an excellent book to read to your kids.
It shows that a world without failure is not necessarily a good thing. Because without failures, there will be no learning and room for growth. ( A fantastic lesson for us adults as well!|)
This story will remind kids that failing at things is not necessarily a bad thing but a good thing. And it’s important to fail because every time we fail it allows us to get better at that thing we once failed at doing.
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3. The Tortoise and The Hare
This is a classic story (and one of my favorites both as a child and adult) that describes how having a growth mindset can bring about drastic results.
Everyone laughs when the tortoise says he will win the hare at a race. But the tortoise believed in himself and his abilities. The hare, on the other hand, felt superior to the tortoise and didn’t quite put his best foot forward. In the end, the tortoise won the race because he believed in himself and gave his best at the race.
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4. I Can Do Hard Things
Apart from promoting a growth mindset, this book also touches on diversity. Another area we, as parents and educators, need to support our kids in. This book repeats that hard things can be done even when it seems impossible.
I can do hard things – will become a mantra in your child’s mind, and whenever she is hit with challenges, she will use this mantra to get through the challenges she is faced with.
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5. Y is for Yet: A Growth Mindset Alphabet
An alphabet of reasons why not to give up when we feel frustrated. This book will help kids develop a growth mindset by mastering the belief that learning is a process that requires effort and persistence. Helping kids to build resilience and become more confident.
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6. I Choose to Try Again
This book is about a young girl, Kiara, who tries again even when hit with major challenges in life. Kiara chooses to try again instead of giving up. This is a great book to support social-emotional learning and help kids build confidence and resilience.
This book will help your child develop an ” I can attitude.” A life skill that will last with her for years to come!
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7. Ninja Life Hacks Growth Mindset
These books will bring about some epic conversations between you and your child. Your child will keep asking you to read these books to him at night.
It’s a great collection to support your kids with emotional intelligence and anger issues.
The investment is a bit steep, but the results these books will bring about in your child are invaluable.
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8. When Sophie Thinks She Can’t
This is an excellent book if your child struggles with math. Because the main character, Sophie, gets angry and frustrated when she tries to solve a math problem. She’s unable to do and feels less than others. She compares herself to her sister and feels unlucky.
Sophie’s teacher will give her the tools that will help her cultivate a growth mindset which she will share with others.
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9. Your Thoughts Matter
This is a great book to build your child’s self-esteem and bring awareness to kids about their thoughts.
The main character, Romy, has a secret that she hasn’t shared with anyone.
She has two friends inside her head. One encourages her (growth mindset), while the other friend (fixed mindset) reminds her not to attempt anything challenging as it’s outside her comfort zone.
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10. The School of Failure
This is a great book to read to your kiddos when they feel like they are not enough and are unable to measure up to others.
Let’s face it, even though your child is a homeschooler; they will have days when they feel like they are not measuring up to others.
This is a great book to remind kids that they don’t have to necessarily fit in but rather know that they belong. To use failure as a stepping stone to continue doing what they desire to do.
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11. Bubble Gum Brain
This book uses bubble gum and brick to contrast a growth mindset and a fixed mindset.
The bubble gum brain is flexible; it stretches, gets out of her comfort zone, and tries new things.
The brick brain demonstrates a fixed mindset. It stays the same way, one doesn’t want to try new things because of fear or the possibility of failure.
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12. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes
This is a great story to read to your child who worries over every little thing. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes is an excellent read for kids who seek perfection because the story emphasizes that making mistakes is imperative to us as humans. There’s no need to strive for perfection.
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13. The Magical Yet
Kids face a lot of challenges as they grow and learn through life. As a homeschooling parent, you can help your child navigate these challenges and learning curves with The Magical Yet. By helping them to turn a negative into a positive when dealing with difficulties.
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14. Mistakes are how I learn
Reassuring your child that it’s okay to make mistakes is an invaluable life lesson. This lesson will allow her to push out of her comfort zone and stretch beyond. This book is another great tool that you, as a parent, can use to reiterate to your child that mistakes will allow her to grow. Mistakes are one of the best ways to learn and grow.
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15 Your Fantastic Elastic Brain
If you have a little one who is fascinated by how the brain operates, Then Your Fantastic Elastic Brain may be what you need.
This book will teach the kids in your life not only how the brain works but how they can control their brains. It will explain how the brain works and ways your child can stretch their brain to have a growth mindset.
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16. Listen by Tatsuya Fushimi
As a homeschooling educator, I love this book. It’s one of those that my kids find so much value in. It shows the different thoughts your child will experience from time to time – both positive and negative thoughts.
The author reminds us to strengthen our positive thoughts and release our negative thoughts To trust the positive voice in our heart even though sometimes it may feel alone.
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17. The Girl Who Makes A Million Mistakes
This growth mindset story is about a little girl who can’t seem to get anything right. However, her dedication, courage, and persistence to keep going allow her to find success in the things she loves doing.
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18. The Problem Solving Hero
This is a great book to help kids master the idea that they can do anything they put their minds to – just like the superheroes they admire.
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Conclusion
As an educator, you can promote a growth mindset by reminding your kids of their superpowers On days when they are struggling with a task such as reading, writing, drawing, or tying their shoelaces, reassure them that it’s okay. They just can’t do it yet, but with practice and persistence, they will get better at doing that very thing they are struggling with.
Use the power of yet to empower your child to have a growth mindset Because having a growth mindset will have a profound effect on your child for the rest of his life.
Related Posts:
- 50 engaging morning basket ideas for homeschoolers
- Best educational shows for kids of all ages
- Best educational apps for kids with free trials
- Best chapter books for girls 7-9 years old
- 30 best kids’ books of all time
Pin These Growth Mindset Stories For Kids
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