Fun & Free Growth Mindset Word Search for Kids
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This Growth Mindset Word Search is a great activity to reinforce these essential life skills to help kids thrive.
Discover creative ways to use this word search activity with growth mindset themes with your kids and how to get your FREE printable today!
RELATED: Enjoy more easy growth mindset fun with kids using our FREE printable growth mindset coloring pages and mini-book set!
Growth Mindset for Kids Is SO Important!
When you stop and think about what you want your kids to learn the most, what are your initial thoughts?
Sure, academic subjects are essential. Math, reading, and writing are must-haves. And, of course, history and science are crucial.
But, what happens when your kids struggle with one of these academic subjects? Because, at some point, each child will find a concept or skill difficult to learn and master.
Some kids face challenges with no problem whatsoever. In fact, they look at challenges as opportunities to learn and grow.
Other kids perceive a small challenge and shrink into a small ball of fear and tears.
That's where growth mindset skills can make a HUGE difference for all learners. These growth-oriented, challenge-facing, I-can-do practices take kids from deer-in-headlights to let's-do-this!
But, here's the thing: even kids that SEEM to got this growth mindset thing covered can STILL falter when they finally face a challenge that's overwhelming or strange or out of their comfort zone.
So, my point is that ALL kids can benefit from learning, practicing, and cultivating growth mindset skills.
How does one go about teaching growth mindset skills to kids? Aah! That's an excellent question.
As a former mental health therapist (and current mom of five boys who range from Kindergarten to high school), I have found kids need a variety of ways to be introduced to, understand, and apply growth mindset skills. The best ways to teach kids about having and using a growth mindset include:
- Stories
- Videos or movies
- Music
- Real-life experiences
- Hands-on activities
- Written work (coloring, writing prompts, copywork)
Below are a few of our favorite growth mindset for kids resources:
Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: A Growth Mindset Book for Kids to Stretch and Shape Their BrainsThe Girl Who Makes a Million Mistakes: A Growth Mindset Book for Kids to Boost Confidence, Self-Esteem and ResilienceThe Girl Who Never Made Mistakes: A Growth Mindset Book for Back to School for KidsY Is for Yet: A Growth Mindset AlphabetI Can't Do That, YET: Growth Mindset (Growth Mindset Book)Growth Mindset Ninja: A Children's Book About the Power of Yet (Ninja Life Hacks)Bubble Gum Brain: A Picture Book About Growth Mindset
Growth Mindset for Kids Coloring Activities
Growth Mindset Conversation Cube
Growth Mindset Quotes for Kids
Growth Mindset Copywork Mini-Book
Brilliant Benefits of Word Search Activities for Kids
Word puzzles have recently become huge hits with my boys. We've been enjoying them for holiday and seasonal learning fun.
Now, I'm working on new printable word search activities for kids that incorporate essential growth mindset skills and academic themes.
Word search activities provide kids with excellent opportunities to practice:
- Spelling
- Pattern recogntion
- Visual tracking
- Persistence (an amazing growth mindset skill!)
- Patience
- Word recognition
- Focus and attention
- Reading
- Dealing with new challenges
- Self-confidence
I think the best part about this growth mindset word search is how it reinforces the concepts. When used with intention (see below), your kids can repeat the words and talk about what each word means. This printable activity can be a fabulous way to spark fun conversations about growth mindset skills.
Why a Word Search is a Perfect Activity for Reinforcing Growth Mindset Skills
As noted in the above list, a word search gives kids the chance to really learn about the words and concepts behind growth mindset.
Spelling is a common challenge for many kids (and adults!). Word search activities gently force kids to truly think about the word, how it is spelled, and to pick out the letters from a crowd. In essence, word searches make kids focus in their effort to find the correct arrangement of letters.
While working on a word search puzzle, kids are having fun and also working on growth mindset skills like:
- Resilience
- Confidence
- Effort
- Grit
- Experiment (You've got to try different rows and columns, etc.)
- Creativity (So, you usually start at the top left corner? Maybe you need to start at the center? Or bottom right corner?)
Intentional Ways to Use This Growth Mindset Word Search Activity
Want to make sure you get the most out of this growth mindset word search activity with your kids? Here are a few creative ideas for using this printable activity with intention and fun:
- Provide your kids with fun writing utensils like crayons, erasable pens, markers, and highlighters.
- Better yet, let your kids think of creative ways to complete this word search! Maybe you can laminate the printable and give them some playdough. Let them use playdough "snakes" to cover the words and make a rainbow of completion 🙂
- Play some growth mindset music in the background while your kids work on this activity. Here's a YouTube list of songs with growth mindset themes.
- Give your kids a sticker or stamp (or other fun reward like eraser or pencil) when their growth mindset word search is done.
- Invite your kids to brainstorm more growth mindset words and jot them down on the back side of the paper.
- Another fun way to use the blank side of this printable activity is to encourage your kids to doodle a picture of what growth mindset means to them.
Zugar Land Colorful Cool EMOTICON Standard 7.5Raymond Geddes Miles O'Smiles Tip Topz Number 2 Pencils For Kids With Pencil Toppers (Pack of 24)Color Changing Mood Metallic Glitter Pencil with Eraser Wooden Pencils Heat Activated Color Changing Pencils Thermochromic Pencils for Graduation Kids Birthday Gift Party Favors (30 Pieces)10pcs Bulb Pencil Sharpener Handheld Pencil Sharpener Metal Pencil Sharpener School Pencil Sharpener Pencil Sharpener Hand Crank Pencil Sharpener Light Bulb MiniPilot, FriXion Fineliner Erasable Marker Pens, Fine Point 0.7 mm, Pack of 12, Assorted ColorsPilot, FriXion ColorSticks Erasable Gel Ink Pens, Fine Point 0.7 mm, Pack of 16, Assorted ColorsTeacher Created Resources Brights 4Ever Smiley Faces StickersEmoji Stampers, Bulk Set of 24 - Classroom Supplies and Party Favor Handouts
Reminder: The printable is open-and-go and can be easily added to a take-home folder for your class, morning work, or activity for early finishers.
Get Your Free Growth Mindset Word Search for Kids
Want to give your kids a fun activity to reinforce growth mindset skills? Grab this FREE growth mindset word search!
Includes one PDF (printable) page of Growth Mindset Word Search Activity.
You certainly may print out as many copies of this word search with growth mindset themes that you need. If you have a friend, family member, or co-worker who you think would benefit from this activity, I ask that you please share this post. Your sharing is appreciated!
To get this FREE growth mindset word search activity, subscribe to Rock Your Homeschool with your email address.
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