To help boost a child's confidence through play: Praise his achievements in play. Of course he plays for fun, not just to gain approval from other people. But your enthusiasm and interest for his attempts at climbing that one step higher on the ladder up to the top of the slide eggs him on to try even harder the next time. He feels better about himself. Don't push too hard. His confidence won't improve unless he achieves something with toys that are more demanding. However, some puzzle toys will be much too difficult for him to solve at first. Give him plenty of encouragement without undermining his confidence. If he can't solve the puzzle today, let him leave it for a few days and then try again.
To help boost a child's confidence through play: Praise his achievements in play. Of course he plays for fun, not just to gain approval from other people. But your enthusiasm and interest for his attempts at climbing that one step higher on the ladder up to the top of the slide eggs him on to try even harder the next time. He feels better about himself.
Don't push too hard. His confidence won't improve unless he achieves something with toys that are more demanding. However, some puzzle toys will be much too difficult for him to solve at first. Give him plenty of encouragement without undermining his confidence. If he can't solve the puzzle today, let him leave it for a few days and then try again.
Progress in small stages. When a young child is down-hearted because, say, he can't kick a ball as well as his friends can, teach him this skill by breaking it into small, separate stages. Practice each stage with him, building his confidence slowly.
Avoid comparisons. Each child in your nursery has his own individual talents, preferences and abilities. You may be tempted to boost his motivation by comparing his play choices with those of others. In most instances, though, this will only weaken his self-confidence.
