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Kids need confidence boosters now and then. Guest blogger Anna Rodriguez is here with 6 confidence boosters tailored to the needs of kids with special needs.

In order to help some kids with special needs boost their confidence, parents, educators, and communities need strategies and techniques. We need to empower them by focusing on their strengths so that they’ll become less shy and their confidence will grow. Here are 6 tips that will help you to improve a child’s confidence for better interaction.

Confidence Booster #1: Heal with Positive Affirmations

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Positive words of affirmations are great confidence boosters for children. They feel that they are loved, appreciated and cared for whenever they hear affirming words from their parents, teachers, and from their peers. Kids copy what you say, so make sure that every word that comes from you is something good. A simple affirmation can even empower shy kids to come out of their shell and enjoy the day. Start the day by telling your children are loved and capable. Be genuine in stating these words so kids to believe them.

Confidence Booster #2: Leave Time for Play

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Kids play to learn, enjoy, exercise, and explore the world. So provide a balance to a child’s life by allowing them to have their regular physical activity to relieve their stress and clear their minds. Only 1 in 3 children engage in physical activities each day, as shown by an interesting infographic about shy kids by PlaygroundEquipment.com. Therefore it is important to allow them to have their regular playtime in order to combat other effects of having less physical and social activities, such as obesity.

Nowadays, a playground also caters to kids with special needs. Accessible playground equipment offers all children the opportunity to have sensory play and exploratory play. Be able to identify those play activities that he enjoys and join him for regular parent-child bonding moment. These play activities can also help children interact and relate with other kids.

Confidence Booster #3: Have an Activity-Based Reward System

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One creative confidence booster is a reward system by using stickers. Have a board that lists daily tasks and allow your child to put the sticker on the board whenever the task is done. You can even give a reward that allows him to do a specific activity as a reward for accomplishing a specific task.

Confidence Booster #4: Build Confidence Through a Strength Book

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Help develop a child’s personal interests, talents and strengths by creating a strengths book. The Raising Children Network suggests that the book can include things such as what your child enjoys doing, strength activities, dreams, daily learnings, and important people. Use the book before bedtime to remind your child of strengths and aspirations in life.

Confidence Booster #5: Provide a Loving Home Environment

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Children need a safe and loving environment. If they don’t feel safe and welcomed at home, they can suffer the effects of having a low confidence. In the presence of parents who fight, they can develop negative feelings, depression and withdraw. Therefore, be sure to establish a happy and loving environment everyday for your children.

Confidence Booster #6: A Sense of Belonging

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When children feel like an important part of the family, community, class, group of friends, church, and neighborhood, their confidence grows. Provide different opportunities where kids can contribute to groups. Shy children may need to brush up on certain social activities and play ideas to help them interact with others.

Kids with special needs should be affirmed to grow more confident. By helping them build their self-esteem and self-confidence, you are effectively expressing your love and concern and this can empower them to do more things with their strengths and capabilities.

What Are Your Confidence Boosters?

How do you build confidence in your children with special needs? Share them in the comment box.

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