“If wealth is lost, nothing is lost; if health is lost, something is lost; if character is lost, all is lost.” Have you ever seen a child willingly step off the swing so another child can have her turn? Or watched your pre-teen boldly speak up for someone being mistreated? These seemingly small moments of kindness and assertiveness often go unnoticed, yet they’re powerful reminders of what it means to “do the right thing” and to participate in character building activities for kids.
Character is about having courage in the face of challenges—having the strength to stand by what you know is right, even when it feels scary or uncomfortable. Those little acts of bravery, like sharing, speaking up, or helping others, shape and matter not only to your child but to the world she is growing up in.
As a young, working mom, you already do an amazing job of juggling and handling countless responsibilities daily—shifting your attention between your work, home, and, most importantly, your child. Amidst all the chaos, it’s easy to wonder and ask yourself: Do I know what it takes to build character in early kids? Am I doing enough to shape my child’s character?
It is an obvious desire in all parents to ensure their child grows up developing a strong character. But the truth is raising responsible children doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual process, nurtured through everyday actions and moments at home.
Character-building activities for kids should include imbibing traits such as having respect, taking responsibility, and maintaining self-control which are foundational values and skills that can take root in the early years at home through consistent reinforcement and love. The good news? You don’t need extra hours in the day to teach these values. It’s about being intentional in the little moments that already exist.
You know how easily children pick things up. They will copy almost anything and everything they see — the good and the not-so-good. So be mindful and have patience, for everyone is fighting a hard battle, including children. So don’t wait, begin today!
Turn your home into a learning hub
Children are like mirrors—they reflect what they see and observe. If you exhibit traits like honesty, respect, and kindness, they are more likely to naturally follow suit. Being a role model doesn’t mean being perfect; it means being mindful of your actions.
For instance, if you have to take your child out of school to attend a family get-together, be honest with your child’s teacher about the reason for your child’s absence rather than making up an excuse.
By doing so, you’re demonstrating integrity – one of the most important transformative power of family values. Your child observes that honesty is valued, even when it’s inconvenient.
The transformative power of family values demonstrate what right action is and shows your child what having a good character looks like in real life. Your child will automatically begin to pick up and learn that it’s not just about what you say—it’s about what you do.
Focus on what you can control
Life isn’t always fair, and teaching your child how to navigate challenges gracefully is a lesson she’ll carry forever. Children need to understand that while they can’t control others’ behaviour, they can choose how they respond. This can be taught at home.
Say a friend teases another child who has fallen off the swing. Instead of joining in, encourage your child to help the injured friend up and offer comfort.
Such a lesson empowers your child to act with kindness, even in situations where others might choose otherwise. It reinforces the value of taking positive action in the face of negativity.
Reward good behaviour
Children thrive on recognition. When you acknowledge your child’s good behaviour, it reinforces the actions and makes her more likely to repeat them. But don’t stop at generic praise like “that was great!”—be specific.
For instance, if your child shares a portion of chocolate with her sibling, make it a point to say, “That was very thoughtful. It shows that you are kind and that you care about your brother.”
Specific praise helps children understand which behaviours align with good character. It also teaches them to recognise positive traits in others, creating role models who inspire them.
It pays to build empathy
Empathy is the foundation for building meaningful relationships. Helping your child understand and care about others’ feelings is a critical step in character building.
If your child is sharing a story about a friend who stole something, use it as a teaching moment. Explain how the stolen item might have caused sadness or frustration for the person it was taken from. Relate it to your child’s own experiences: “How would you feel if someone took your favourite toy without asking?”
When your child learns to put herself in others’ shoes, she develops tolerance and truly understands what acceptance means. These traits will serve her well when she is ready for school as they help build friendships and beyond.
Develop solution orientation
Life is full of challenges, and teaching your child to approach problems with a solution-oriented mindset is a gift she’ll carry into adulthood.
Encourage problem-solving through games like puzzles or challenges with increasing levels of difficulty. When real-world issues arise—like a flat tyre on a family road trip—include them in the problem-solving process. Show them how to calmly assess the situation, whether it’s by calling for help or working together to fix the problem.
When your child learns to focus on solutions rather than getting stuck in frustration, she’ll develop resilience. This ability to think clearly in tough situations becomes a cornerstone of building a strong character.
The power of the ripple effect
Every small moment—whether it’s encouraging your child to clean up after play; apologize after a disagreement; or wait patiently for her turn—creates a ripple effect in character building. These seemingly trivial lessons shape your child’s decision-making, interactions, and moral compass as she grows.
A child with strong character traits like respect, responsibility, and self-control is better equipped to build healthy relationships, handle challenges, and thrive in her personal and professional life.
As a busy working mom, it’ll be comforting to know that the lessons you want your child to imbibe don’t require great effort or take a long time. They happen in the small, everyday moments of life at home.
Patience, love, and consistency
Shaping your child’s character is a difficult journey. It demands immense patience and consistency. At the end of the day, it is all about reinforcing the importance of respect, responsibility, and self-control every day—through love.
Bear in mind that your child doesn’t need you to be a perfect mom. All that she requires is that you be around, showing her the way through your actions and guidance. The time you invest in nurturing the core values in character building will create a ripple effect that’ll help shape your child’s future. Your child will carry the lessons she learns at home into school, into her friendships, and eventually into adulthood.
So, the next time you feel overwhelmed, take comfort in knowing that even the smallest moments—an honest conversation, a shared laugh, a heartfelt apology—act as building blocks for your child’s character. And that is worth the effort.
Effective Character Building Activities for Kids: Essential Tips for Busy Moms
Learning and teaching is an eternal cycle. When you learn, you can teach. When you teach, you learn — one complements the other. This is the best attitude to have and is the most effective way to turn your home into a learning hub.
In other words, plan activities that create a sense of togetherness so that your child has an opportunity to see the connections between what she already knows and the new things she is learning.
This is why make it fun into the things you do at home together. Be sure to allow time for your child to link the concepts and skills she is learning to her own experiences. Here are some more tips to help turn your home into a learning hub by changing your child’s perspective and attitude:
Connect early: Base discipline on a healthy relationship between you and your child. To understand how to discipline your child, you need to know what makes your child tick. This kind of knowledge resides deep in every parents’ mind. Don’t lose this connection.
Know your child: Study closely the traits of your child. Understand her needs as she will gain different levels of abilities at different stages of her life. Your disciplining techniques will have to change to suit each stage. For instance, a temper tantrum by a two-year-old cannot be handled in the same way as when that happens in an eight-year-old.
Help the child to respect authority: Parents need to take charge of their children. That’s basic in discipline. Be a trusted authority in your child’s life. This does not automatically come with the job of being a parent.
Set limits, provide a structure: Establish rules, but at the same time create conditions that make these rules easy to follow. Children need boundaries.
Expect obedience: Your child will be as obedient as you expect, or as defiant as you allow her to be. When you ask parents of obedient children why their children obey, they all answer, “Because we expect them to.” Simple as this sounds, many parents let this basic fact of discipline slip through their fingers.
Nurture your child’s self-confidence: The growing child with a positive self-image is easier to discipline. The reason for this is simple to comprehend. When your child begins to think of herself as a worthy person, she automatically begins to behave in a worthy way.
Shape your child’s behaviour: A wise parent is like a gardener who works with what she has in her garden and also decides what you want to add. You realise you cannot control the characteristics of the flowers when they bloom.
Raise a child who cares: Being a moral child includes being responsible, developing a conscience, and being sensitive toward the needs and rights of others.
Always talk and listen: Communicate with your child so that she doesn’t become “parent deaf”. The Golden Rule: Always talk to your child. Keep the lines of communication open no matter what the provocation. Let your child speak to you openly. Let her shape her own opinions. Allow her to comment on any subject that she may find interesting or distasteful. Give it a try.
How My Gym can be of help
The principle of diversity, equality and inclusion reminds us that it is our collective responsibility to uncover and protect every child’s strengths and interests, and nurture each child’s approach to learning—helping every child make their learning meaningful and motivating.
As a busy working mom, your time is precious, but so is your focus on your child’s holistic development. By opting for the nurturing environment of your home, you will be setting your child up for a lifetime of learning and positive growth.
At My Gym, we’re committed to supporting your child on this journey. Our age-appropriate enrichment program is designed to build resilience and help your child develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills from an early age. Your child will also learn to be physically active, develop a character and be equipped with the social skills needed to be successful in life.
Interested in learning more? Swing by any of our My Gym centres at your convenience and with your little one in tow. Whether she is as young as 6 months or a bustling preschooler, there’s something for every child to learn, assimilate and grow.
We can’t wait to welcome you to the My Gym family. Together, we can help raise a generation of children who are not only aware of the world’s diversity but who also embrace and celebrate it, one meaningful character trait at a time through character building activities for kids.
See you soon!
Please note: My Gym classrooms are thoroughly sanitized every day — the tables, the chairs, the children’s activity stations and everything else the child might touch is made safe and clean. Whenever required, children are encouraged to wear a mask, wash their hands frequently, and practice social distancing as well.
