Goal setting can often be an encouraging way to help children grow, build responsibility, and develop healthy habits. For preschoolers, this can start their journey in self-growth, but approaching it the right way is critical for success. 

School-based therapists emphasize that the issue isn’t the goal setting itself, but it’s how those goals are chosen and supported. When goals are pushed by parents or caregivers and are overly ambitious, children can internalize failure before they even begin. Instead of feeling motivated, they can feel pressured or discouraged. 

Self-growth through goals shouldn’t create anxiety or self-doubt. They should empower children to notice their strengths, build confidence, and learn that growth happens in one small step at a time. When kids are involved in setting their own goals, they feel ownership over them, giving them more incentive to achieve them. The sense of autonomy can boost confidence, strengthen problem-solving skills, and teach kids that growth is about progress, not perfection.

Therapist-approved goals that support healthy development

Children benefit most from goals that feel achievable, meaningful, and enjoyable. Rather than performance-based or appearance-focused goals, school-based therapists encourage parents of preschoolers to help them choose goals rooted in daily routines, social connections, and self-awareness.

• Say something kind to one person each day
• Practice reading with parents for a few minutes each day
• Try a new healthy food each month
• Learn how to ride a tricycle, scooter, or skateboard 
• Drink half a bottle of water during the day
• Practice saying one positive thing about yourself
• Make a new friend in the classroom
• Follow a bedtime routine on most nights
• Try a new activity or type of play
• Practice gratitude by coloring or drawing for someone else
• Share one thing you are thankful for out loud
• Learn one new thing through play or story time
• Help make a simple snack or meal
• Learn how to use a simple instrument
• Grow a plant or flower from start to finish
• Pick up toys at the end of every day
• Help put away dishes after meals with family
• Share toys with friends and siblings

Simple goals like this can help kids experience success in small, consistent ways, setting up the building blocks for confidence and resistance. 

How parents can support healthy goal-setting

School-based therapists emphasize that parents need to play a supportive, not controlling, role in a child’s goal-setting process. While many may see goals like “doing better in school” or “practicing harder in a sport” as helpful, they can actually be hurtful, reinforcing the idea that they aren’t good enough as they are. 

Parents can lend a guiding hand in their child’s goals by letting them take the lead 

• Respecting children’s interests: Encourage your kids to choose a goal they care about. Even unconventional goals can foster confidence and growth.
• Making goals measurable: Choose goals that can be tracked and rewarded either daily, weekly, or monthly. You can use rewards like success stickers, choosing music in the car, or a favorite healthy dessert. 
• Avoid appearance/performance-based goals: Focus on health, habits, and how kids feel rather than how they look or perform. 
• Don’t overload too many goals: Having one or even a few meaningful goals can be enough to feel a sense of accomplishment and growth.
• Let kids see parents working toward goals too: Model what a healthy goal looks like in real life by showing effort, consistency, and pride in accomplishing your own goals alongside your child. 

When goal setting is handled with intention and flexibility, it becomes less about outcomes and more about helping children develop lifelong skills like confidence, self-awareness, and a healthy relationship with growth. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Morris is the Senior Vice President of ProCare Therapy and brings over 17 years of experience in the education staffing industry. Throughout her career, she has partnered with school districts and dedicated education professionals nationwide, supporting special education, speech therapy, school psychology, and related services. Her work reflects a strong commitment to improving outcomes for schools and the students they serve. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Georgia. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

RELATED ARTICLES

• Building Confidence
• 3 Ways to Promote Your Child’s Learning
• Helping Kids Find Their “Thing”: A Parent’s Guide to Exploring Hobbies (Without the Pressure)

Cover photo by Yan Krukau