Use these 15 books and videos to show growth mindset examples for children to follow during social-emotional learning lessons and activities.
Children benefit from lessons that include real-life, relatable concepts such as how to deal with frustrations, interpersonal conflict, and failure. Developing a growth mindset is an important trait to cultivate in your students. These 15 growth mindset books and videos will help you teach growth mindset examples in your classroom.
Growth Mindset Books and Videos for the Classroom
Growth mindset is a popular topic in the primary grades because it is a character trait that most children need help to adopt. There are many ways in which you can give your children the opportunity to learn and practice these skills. Use these books and videos to give your children the opportunity to read about and see examples of a growth mindset.
Growth Mindset Examples Using Books
Each of the books below describes and depict characters and life situations in which having a growth mindset benefits the main characters. Children will enjoy these stories, and learn valuable life lessons from them as well!
Growth Mindset Books
1. Making a Splash: A Growth Mindset Children’s Book by Carol E. Reiley – Written expressly to teach growth mindset, this little book explains how working hard is the key to learning and achieving, not necessarily how “smart” you are.
2. Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bike by Chris Raschka – No one is excluded when it comes to the “I Can” mentality; each child CAN reach their goals whether it be to ride a bike or anything else!
3. The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires – In this delightful book, a little girl learns that hard work and determination pay off, even if things are not easy.
4. How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers – With a little flexibility and determination, you can reach your goals! Your students will learn this valuable lesson from How to Catch a Star.
Kids love making things they can wear. Get them to make a hat with ideas they will work towards and learn with a growth mindset. Click here to check this out.
5. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett – Don’t worry, she actually does make a mistake! And your young perfectionists will learn by her example how to get back up when you fall down.
6. Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats – Try, try, and try again, and you will succeed. That’s the moral of this sweet story about a boy learning to whistle.
7. Flight School by Lita Judge – The cute little penguin in this story just wants to fly, and it seems an impossible task. Is there any way he can do it in spite of his limitations?
8. Thanks for the Feedback, I Think by Julia Cook – Handling constructive criticism is a tough skill to learn. This story shows children how to accept and use kind feedback to better themselves.
9. Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg – It’s ok to make mistakes, and everyone makes them. Teach children that making mistakes is ok and an opportunity to grow and develop with this inspiring book.
10. The OK Book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal – Another book about not attaining perfection, The OK Book shows children that sometimes it’s OK …to be just OK.
Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is another excellent book that illustrates how our brains work and how we can stretch our brains and learn new things when we have a growth mindset. Click here to check out lessons and materials to teach this concept.
Growth Mindset Examples Using Videos
The following videos are useful to show students while teaching growth mindset examples. Use them as a supplemental activity to promote learning, or to give auditory and visual learners an opportunity to grasp the concept of growth mindset.
Class Dojo Growth Mindset Video 1/5
Class Dojo has a set of entertaining videos for children that were made specifically for the purpose of encouraging a growth mindset.
Khan Academy: You Can Learn Anything
This Khan Academy video is a perfect description of how anyone can learn anything by simply starting at the beginning.
Teach children to have an “I can” attitude and appreciate the things they can’t do “YET” but can work towards. Click here to check this out.
Sesame Street: Me Want It (But Me Wait)
Love Cookie Monster? You’ll love this song that encourages children to wait for what they want – their “cookie” might “taste” better when they wait until they have earned the achievement.
I Have a Go: How Your Brain Works
This cute video shows children a good overview of brain functioning and neurons firing to help us learn things and remember them. And the dog is cute too!
Teach children to use growth mindset vocabulary in their day to day activities. This sort encourages children to identify wording for a fixed or a growth mindset. Click here to check it out.
Lisney and McCabe: Growth Mindset Animation
What is the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset? Find out the answer in this video which explains the two.
Growth Mindset Classroom Resources
The complete growth mindset unit for K-2 includes tons of helpful lessons and activities to help children develop a growth mindset and “I can” attitude. Click here to see everything included.
Watch the video to see the growth mindset unit for K-2 in action!
The complete growth mindset unit for 3-5 includes tons of helpful lessons and activities to help older kids build a growth mindset, learn about the parts of the brain, and how to set SMART goals. Click here to see everything included.
Watch the video to see the growth mindset unit for 3-5 in action!
Learning about growth mindset with these books and videos can keep your classroom motivated to excel. They promote an environment in which children feel capable and willing to persevere. Try them today!
Resources for Teaching Growth Mindset Example
FREE Mantra Posters & Coloring Sheets
Here’s a freebie for you to use in your classroom. Give students a growth mindset mantra poster to color and decorate. Hang in the classroom or take home to teach families about growth mindset.
Click the image to download.
Learn More About Teaching Growth Mindset
9 Powerful Ways of Teaching Growth Mindset in the Classroom
Growth Mindset Activities for Elementary Students
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