75 Ways to Encourage Children

As parents there’s really no excuse for not encouraging and building up your children. Where else will they get it from? But if for some reason you’re stuck for what to say or you just need a simple reminder, this list is perfect. Now I don’t take credit for this list at all, it’s based on Thirty Ways to Say ‘Well Done!’ (Joan Waters, Lady Gowrie Resource Centre, Melbourne) and appears on a poster created by the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. We were given a copy before our son was born and have it pinned up on our ensuite door as a constant reminder of the simple ways we can encourage our kids. I had intended on writing this post some time back but never got around to it. Now that our daughter has just been born it’s as good a time as any. Hope you find it helpful.

In the Family

• Please
• Thank you
• How thoughtful
• You’re the bees knees!
• I love you
• What a lovely smile
• Thank you for sharing
• You are a great help
• Let’s make dinner
• I’m very proud of you!
• That was a kind thing to do
• You are being very gentle
• I like being with you
• I like doing things together
• Let’s take turns
• You are playing so well with your brother/sister
• You did a great job with your chores
• How was your day?

With Friends

• You are fun to be with
• You’re being a wonderful friend
• That’s excellent sharing!
• Being together is great
• Your friend is being very caring

Reading and Language

• This is my favourite book too
• Let’s read together
• What an imagination!
• What do you think about that?
• Brilliant idea!
• That was very polite
• Well spoken!
• You choose a book
• Shall we read together?
• I would love to read you a story
• Let’s sing a song
• What’s your favourite book?
• What a funny joke
• Can you tell me a story?

Well Done!

• You’re on the right track
• You can do it!
• Good thinking!
• You did that well
• Way to go!
• You seemed to really enjoy doing that
• You must have been practising
• Good trying
• I reckon you could have a go at that
• That’s the best you have ever done
• That’s a real improvement
• You remembered everything!
• I’m proud of the way you worked!
• Fantastic!
• Good work!
• Amazing – How did you do that?
• That took effort
• Now that’s what I call a fine job
• You planned that well
• Good on you mate
• You’ve tried hard
• You’re a star!
• That’s wonderful!
• You’re learning fast
• What a good idea!
• Well done – You should be proud of yourself!

At Play

• Let’s play
• You play well together
• You are trying hard
• You’ve worked it out!
• That’s coming along well
• Now you’ve got it!
• You’re good at this game
• What would you like to play?
• That’s very creative
• What a lovely painting!
• Can we put that up on the wall for everyone to see?
• Tell me about what you made