Leadership for Kids: Helping Children Develop Leadership Skills

Every parent wants their child to succeed — but success requires drive and leadership skills. Leadership for kids is a constant learning process, and parents can do a lot to instill these traits.

In this article, you’ll learn the top leadership qualities for kids to help them achieve their maximum potential. Discover why leadership skills matter and what you can do to nurture their inherent traits.

Explaining Leadership in a Kid-Friendly Way

When teaching kids about leadership, focus on key ideas like making healthy decisions, collaborating with a team, and building confidence in those around them. Children develop leadership skills as early as preschool, so using age-appropriate language is essential [*].

Depending on the child’s maturity level, you can introduce and encourage leadership by giving them opportunities to lead, encouraging group play, and modeling positive leadership behaviors yourself.

Why Leadership is Important for Kids

Leadership skills make children successful, confident, responsible, independent, and cooperative. Here are some reasons why developing leadership skills is important for kids:

• Future success: Practicing leadership skills can also set a child up for success in future work endeavors and interpersonal relationships.
• Improved academic output: Studies have also shown that focusing on leadership skills can make children more academically successful [*]. They work better in groups and can problem-solve creatively.
• Resilience and independence: Instilling leadership skills in children can teach them to become advocates for themselves. Children can become more independent and understand what factors drive success by learning to plan and implement solutions.

Important Leadership Skills for Kids to Develop

Part of teaching children how to become good leaders is to help them understand what skills require development. Here are some leadership skills to focus on.

Communication

Good communicators express themselves thoughtfully and use descriptive language when grasping new concepts. They are also active listeners and ask follow-up questions before diving headfirst into solutions.

When kids learn to be good communicators, they become better at conflict resolution and can avoid misunderstandings effectively. Our communication skills handout provides tips on improving verbal and non-verbal communication.

Example: Telling someone, “I need to take a break because I don’t feel very good,” instead of throwing a temper tantrum.

Teamwork

Teamwork involves leveraging each individual’s strengths to create a cohesive and collaborative environment. Children who develop teamwork skills are reliable, trustworthy, and open-minded.

Kids who develop teamwork skills early on are better at achieving their goals while remaining empathetic and respectful.

Example: Suggesting changes and strategizing with groupmates to improve a school project and get a better grade.

Decision-making

Decision-making involves analyzing the situation and determining action steps that align with a child’s goals and values. Good decision-makers understand the potential consequences of specific actions and learn from their mistakes.

As children develop decision-making skills, they improve their critical thinking, become more flexible with their options, and are confident in their choices.

Example: Asking for help from a teacher or trusted adult when they struggle with schoolwork instead of struggling to understand concepts alone.

Problem-solving

Problem-solving involves using critical thinking skills to overcome obstacles. When children problem-solve, they must reason through potential plans, consider various consequences, and learn to prioritize certain decisions.

Children can improve their social and situational awareness by developing their problem-solving skills. They can learn to be resourceful in troubling situations and become more adaptable as they grow.

Example: Learning to get dressed by themselves while encountering tricky new concepts like zippers and buttons with minimal help.

Empathy

Empathetic children can understand other people’s perspectives while respecting their differences. They can visualize what being in someone else’s shoes might be like.

Children can respond with kindness and compassion when they understand how others feel. Fostering social interactions can help children develop healthy and nurturing relationships.

Example: Understanding why a classmate feels frustrated after losing a game and discussing what they can do better next time

Responsibility

In children, responsibility means being dependable, accountable for their choices, and fulfilling their obligations. Responsibility is the cornerstone of values like honesty, integrity, and accountability.

Example: Getting ready by themselves in the morning or completing their household chores on time on a regular basis.

Adaptability

Adaptability refers to how quickly a child can adjust to circumstances and rise to challenges. Because societal norms are always changing, adaptability is vital. Children who practice adaptability can thrive even in challenging circumstances.

Example: Adjusting to a new school and new friends or trying new foods without being overly picky.

Confidence

When children are confident, they are sure of themselves and their decisions. A confident child believes in their inherent abilities and trusts that they can handle difficult situations. Practicing self-confidence can provide opportunities for success and improve self-esteem.

Example: Asking questions in class when they are unsure about something, or trying a new sport even when they feel unsure about succeeding.

Initiative

Kids with initiative are eager to try new things without an excessive fear of failing. They understand that some factors are out of their control, yet they can actively work toward solutions without being prompted. Initiative drives ambition.

Example: Volunteering to help around the house without being asked to do so, or asking someone if they need help with something.

Motivation

Motivation is the drive to achieve something and the desire to achieve a goal. Through motivation, children can persevere even in the face of obstacles or barriers.

Example: Celebrating accomplishments in school and setting more ambitious goals with a willingness to work harder.

How to Support Leadership Growth in Kids

Becoming a leader doesn’t happen overnight, but you can support your child’s growth. Here are some tips for inspiring leadership qualities in your child.

Model positive leadership behavior

Leading by example is one of the most intuitive and natural ways to teach children to become leaders. Display qualities like active listening, responsibility, and adaptability for children to observe in everyday settings. 

Encourage them to join group activities

Participating in extracurricular activities provides excellent opportunities for displaying leadership qualities. For example, student government encourages children to advocate for their peers, while team sports teaches them to work toward a common goal. 

Allow them to make decisions

Part of encouraging leadership is creating opportunities to show it. Allow your children to choose. Let them suggest what they want for dinner, get them involved in grocery shopping, and give them a say in family vacations.

Encourage them to take on responsibilities

When children are surrounded by opportunities to demonstrate leadership, they absorb these traits naturally. Encourage them to take on responsibilities at home and school and give them time to be creative in their solutions.

You can also engage in responsibility activities like providing classroom jobs, taking care of an animal, or playing Simon Says.

Teach conflict resolution

Trying to solve a problem when you’re angry can feel almost impossible, so teaching children to develop conflict resolution skills is critical. Allow them to recognize their emotions and provide them with tools to calm down. Then, teach them about compromise.

Suppose they are playing games with friends and disagree about who gets to go first. Your child might use “I” statements to express themselves, such as “I feel sad when we fight about who goes first,” then recommend taking turns.

Build their confidence

Building a child’s confidence means allowing them to make mistakes. Give them the agency to learn from their experiences and find better solutions. When they succeed, provide positive reinforcement and encourage them to use their newfound skills in different settings, such as school and with friends.

Develop their critical thinking skills

To encourage critical thinking, you must inspire curiosity. Learn new things together by reading, watching videos, or trying something new. When undergoing new experiences, ask your child open-ended questions and encourage them to explore different perspectives.

Foster their communication skills

Communication goes hand-in-hand with emotional intelligence. When children can express themselves and their needs respectfully and effectively, they can have more constructive conversations. Open up opportunities to discuss different topics and get your child’s thoughts on school rules, societal norms, and issues they see in the media.

Promote empathy

It can be challenging for young children to feel empathy, especially when they’re hyper-focused on their wants. You can reinforce empathy through empathy-centered activities like playing emotions charades, role-playing real-life scenarios, and participating in community service projects.

The Bottom Line

Leadership in kids is a must for dealing with challenges in school, friendships and in the future. Your child can become leaders in various contexts by learning conflict resolution, providing opportunities to be independent, and encouraging team activities.

Leadership is just one aspect of personal growth. Help your child build leadership skills through our growth mindset posters, as well as a strong foundation of character through our character education worksheets.

Sources:

1. Chen J. “Leadership at Play in Preschool Children: A Systematic Synthesis of Nearly Nine Decades of Research.” Early Education and Development, 2023.
2. Njaramba L, Njaramba W, Ayivi W, Gitagia E, Owusu-Ansah P, Umotong K. “International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management United Kingdom Licensed under Creative Common STUDENT LEADERSHIP ROLES AND ITS IMPACT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.” International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, 2022.