August's Big Idea: Perseverance
Our HappyFeet classes are more than just soccer, we use our time to teach important life skills with a soccer ball at our feet. Our focus for the month of August is perseverance. The ability to persevere is vital for continuing success in all aspects of our lives. For preschoolers, learning to keep trying when things feel difficult is an important skill that builds confidence and a positive attitude towards learning.
Why It Matters?
Perseverance is the ability to keep working on something, even when it feels hard, uncomfortable, or uninteresting. For preschoolers, all of these challenges can distract them from finishing what they started. Learning to keep trying is an essential skill that helps children develop resilience, build confidence, and take on challenges with a positive mindset.
Develop Emotional Resiliency: By practicing perseverance, our students are learning resilience with their emotions. our students are learning to manage their emotions when things don’t go as planned. They’re beginning to understand the ups and downs that come with trying hard things. Last month, we worked on naming and recognizing emotions. During class, we talk about how it feels to try, fail, and succeed, helping children build emotional strength along the way.
Builds Confidence: Our HappyFeeters gain confidence as they work through new or difficult skills. When children are successful after sticking with something challenging, they develop confidence in their own abilities. This confidence will continue throughout their lives as they take on more challenges.
Learn to Take Risks: Preschoolers must take small risks when learning new skills. Trying something unfamiliar or difficult is part of growth. When they repeat a skill until it becomes comfortable, they learn that effort pays off. Through this process, HappyFeeters discover they are capable of more than they thought.
How We Can Support Our HappyFeeters
Our coaches, teachers, and parents alike can help support the development of perseverance in our HappyFeeters by discussing the process of learning, trying, failing, and overcoming.
Celebrate Effort Over Results: Whether it’s a tricky soccer move or a classroom task, children thrive when we celebrate their effort. We might say, “I love how hard you tried!” to reinforce that trying matters more than getting it right. This builds a growth mindset and encourages kids to keep going, even when the task is challenging.
Acknowledge and Normalize Mistakes: Mistakes are a natural and necessary part of learning. When adults respond with calm encouragement kids learn that failure isn’t final. We can help children see mistakes as part of the process, making them more willing to take on challenges.
Model Perseverance: Kids learn best by watching us. When adults model perseverance they show children that it’s okay to struggle. Coaches, teachers, and parents who demonstrate persistence help children understand that success comes from not giving up.
“Failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it.”
