Activities for Kids On Humility

Activities for kids on humility can be a great way to help your children learn more about the importance of this vital character trait.

What is Humility?

The yourDictionary Web site defines humility as “the state or quality of being humble; absence of pride or self-assertion.” The term is derived from the Latin word “humilis”, translated as “low” or “from the earth.”

While there are many books and Web sites devoted to helping parents teach their kids to have high self esteem, humility often gets overlooked in the modern world. Even very young children can see that the media gives much more attention to those who are boastful and self-promoting than those who humbly work to serve the greater good. However, humility should not be associated with meekness, weakness, or a lack of passion. The humble person is simply someone with modest values who does not think that he/she is better or more important than other people.

Lessons and Activities for Kids on Humility

If you are looking for lessons and activities for kids on humility, LoveToKnow Kids recommends the following helpful Web sites:

• Humanity Quest has a long list of art activities that can be used to teach kids about humility. Activities range from writing a poem to drawing a cartoon.
• The British Institute of Sathya Sai Education has a downloadable lesson that uses the short fable “The Hare and the Tortoise” to promote a discussion of humility.
• Pearsall has a lesson plan designed for teachers who are working on promoting character education in the classroom, with suggestions for adapting the humility lesson to different age groups.
• The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese has a lesson titled “To Tithe is to Love” that explores humility from a biblical perspective as it relates to the importance of tithing within the church.
• Garden of Praise provides an overview of biblical verses relating to the virtues of humility and offers discussion questions for your children to explore.

Role playing is also a good way to help your children understand the concept of humility. For example, if you recently noticed your child bragging to a friend about his ability to run faster than his classmates, you could help brainstorm ways he could enjoy his accomplishments and preserve his sense of self worth without disrespecting the feelings of others. If your child is having trouble with this concept, explain that an arrogant person may think he's better than his friends because he is a good athlete, but a person with humility knows he’s a great athlete and recognizes that others are good at activities such as art and music.

Additional Tips for Instilling Humility in Your Children

While lessons and activities for kids on humility can be a great starting point for discussing the concept with your children, the following tips will help reinforce the idea on a regular basis:

• Create an atmosphere in which children ask instead of tell. While it’s natural to want to be friends with your child, it’s important to remember that adults have wisdom and experience that children simply do not possess. Children need to learn from adults, but a child who is arrogant isn’t in the position to learn from anyone.
• Don’t tolerate disrespectful speech, even among very young children. If your child says something inappropriate, answer with "I beg your pardon?" or "Excuse me?" or "Would you like to try that again please?" until your child corrects the behavior.
• Strive to be humble in your own actions. As a parent, it’s easy to slip into arrogant behavior when dealing with your child. However, shouting “How dare you disobey me!” only teaches your child that it’s ok to disrespect the feelings of others to get what you want. Strive to discipline and correct your child without insults or harsh words.