How to work on resilience in children from 4 years of age onwards
The concept of resilience is increasingly present in our lives. Resilience as a quality will allow us to overcome all kinds of situations, however, it is important to acquire a series of skills from our earliest years that will allow us to strengthen our resilience. Resilience in children is a value that is acquired from the first academic years, but it continues to develop throughout our lives.
At Nursery school in moralzarzal we know that working on resilience for children helps them to develop for their future life as adults, which is why in our classrooms we develop a complete resilience programme for children, which helps them to incorporate this skill into their personal abilities.
What is resilience for children?
Resilience is our ability to cope with and resolve adverse situations. Throughout our lives, we are forced to deal with different situations that affect us negatively, in these circumstances it is important to know how to analyse, make decisions and have a broad point of view, which allows us to establish appropriate solutions.
Through resilience, every day we are able to face adverse situations or situations that are contrary to our interests in a positive and constructive way.
Resilience allows us to transform a negative event into an experience from which we can learn, and more importantly, it helps us to solve problems in the most effective way.
In the case of resilience in children, this capacity is applied to the day-to-day life of young children. On the one hand, they learn to deal with situations that worry them, and on the other hand, they prepare themselves to manage their emotions in the future.
Working on resilience in children
Resilience stories for children, group activities or the possibility of explaining their decisions are some of the activities with which we can improve resilience in children. The following activities are suitable for children from the age of 4 years and allow them to improve their resilience and their ability to cope with adverse situations.
The mirror
Developing a resilient attitude means knowing ourselves and appreciating our own abilities. The mirror game allows us to value ourselves and be aware of our own abilities.
In a mirror, and while we look at our own reflection, we write down our virtues and all those abilities that we appreciate in ourselves. Seeing ourselves in a real way allows us to unconsciously associate the values described, improving our self-confidence and resilience.
The toolbox
One of the most effective games to reinforce resilience in children is the toolbox. We start by building or decorating a real toolbox and pose a series of problems that may arise in our children’s or pupils’ daily lives. Then, it is up to them to come up with solutions, which will be stored in the toolbox, so that they can be called upon whenever necessary.
Stories of resilience
All stories set an example for children. Through stories they not only have fun, but also learn to deal with situations by example.
Nowadays, there are many stories about resilience and overcoming challenges. In most cases, the protagonists are confronted with a complex situation, but are able to find a solution.
Sport and outdoor activities
Everything related to sporting activity has a resilience component. Being behind on the scoreboard, managing a defeat or overcoming a situation of physical fatigue are just a few examples of how resilience is very present in all sporting activities.
Sometimes it is not necessary to resort to competition; simply a walk on the field can be very useful to develop values related to resilience.
Explain their emotions
Resilience has a strong emotional component, all activities in which they can explain their own emotions will have a positive impact on their resilience.
Sometimes it is as easy as asking them how they feel, both in general and in a specific circumstance.
Named abilities
As we said in the mirror game, it is important that they know their own strengths and can recognise them. On this occasion, the game consists of choosing a personal virtue that begins with each of the letters of their name. This game helps them to reflect on their own personality and the positive aspects they perceive about themselves.
Application of the resilience scale in children
Resilience is a measurable ability in children, and therefore we can assess their responses in different circumstances.
Through different tests, we can develop a child resilience scale, with which we can analyse their confidence and likely responses to different situations.
Questions such as their willingness to make decisions, their perception of their resolutions, their positivity, etc., allow us to find out their degree of self-confidence.
From a resilience measurement test, we obtain a series of results that allow us to know if a pupil has assimilated the skills related to resilience.
Emotional education at Fontenebro International School
At Fontenebro International School we include emotional learning in all our academic programmes, from the very first academic years. Learning to recognise and develop our emotional level from childhood is important, the aim is to have the emotional skills that will be necessary in the future, based on an appropriate educational process.
