Let's look at ways to feel good about yourself. Kids who feel good about themselves have the confidence to try new things. Learning new things can build that confidence. Reading and riding a bike are two.

No one is perfect. So you do not have to be perfect to feel good about yourself. A mistake is part of trying. You can try again and keep getting better. Trying helps you learn, get better at things, and succeed. Telling yourself you cannot do something YET reminds you that you can keep improving if you keep trying.

The things you say to yourself in your mind play a big part in how you feel about yourself. A way to check your self-talk is to ask whether you would say the same thing to a good friend. Treating yourself the way you would treat a friend who is struggling is called self-compassion.

Being kind and helping other people can make you feel good. A kind act can be small, like sharing your lunch or giving someone a hug. One study looked at kids ages 9 to 11. Some students did kind acts for four weeks. Other students only listed pleasant places they visited. The kind-act students gained more in how much classmates accepted them.

Gratitude means noticing the good things in the world and the gifts you have received from others. Saying thank you to someone is one small kind thing you can do. It can help you feel good too. Thinking of three good things that happened today helps you notice more of the good in your life. You can do it before bed.

Kids feel good when people notice how hard they tried and how much they have improved. They do not feel good only when they win. Praise feels real when it is honest and fits what happened.

Setting a goal, making a plan, and tracking your progress can help you feel good about what you have done so far. Moving, like walking or running, can help lift your mood.

Getting enough sleep helps kids feel and behave better the next day. Enough sleep helps with how you feel, how you learn and how your brain grows. Kids aged 6 to 12 need about 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night, as of November 2026.

Good friends treat you well, and good friendships can help you feel you belong. Doing something kind for a classmate or at home, like a favor for a sibling, is a way to feel good about what you do. Feeling good about yourself starts when you feel safe, loved and cared for by grown-ups. A grown-up you trust can help.

Words to know

• confidence: belief in yourself
• gratitude: thankful noticing
• progress: steps forward
• honest: true and fair

The short version

Feeling good about yourself starts when you feel safe, loved and cared for by grown-ups. Kids who feel good about themselves have the confidence to try new things, and learning new things can build that confidence. Being kind and helping other people can make you feel good, and no one has to be perfect.

Quick facts

• Telling yourself you cannot do something YET reminds you that you can keep improving if you keep trying.
• As of November 2026, kids aged 6 to 12 need about 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night.
• A way to check your self-talk is to ask whether you would say the same thing to a good friend.
• Gratitude means noticing the good things in the world and the gifts you have received from others.