Child’s Strengths – Identifying & Developing + List with Examples

What child doesn’t want to feel like they are capable and important? This is why a child’s strengths should be understood and utilized.

Children learn best when they engage in activities that align with their natural talents.

They thrive when pursuing what they love, which is why it’s crucial for adults to identify and nurture these innate strengths. The HIGH5 strengths assessment offers a scientifically-backed approach to uncovering a child’s unique talents. By understanding these strengths early on, parents and educators can create tailored learning experiences that not only boost a child’s confidence but also set them up for long-term success in both academic and personal realms.

In this article, we will discuss ways you can help your child discover and use their talents to the best of their abilities.

Child Strengths Checklist: Find Your Child’s Strengths and Interests

While checklists can provide valuable insights, a comprehensive strengths assessment like HIGH5 can offer a more nuanced understanding of your child’s unique talents. The HIGH5 test, designed with child development in mind, goes beyond surface-level observations to reveal core strengths that may not be immediately apparent. This scientifically-validated tool not only identifies your child’s top strengths but also provides tailored strategies for nurturing these talents. By combining the following checklist with the in-depth analysis of a HIGH5 assessment, you’ll be better equipped to support your child’s growth and potential.

Pro Tip From HIGH5

Pay attention to moments when your child seems most engaged or energized. These instances often indicate the presence of a strength. Keep a “strengths journal” to record these observations, and use the HIGH5 assessment to confirm and expand on your insights.

Cognitive

Do you have a child who is struggling in school? Do they seem to be bored or frustrated with their work? If so, it may be time to explore the cognitive strengths and interests of your child.

Sometimes, a child may need a plan that will help them reach their cognitive potential and give them the best opportunity for success now and as they grow into adulthood.

The following checklist can be used by parents who want to explore the child’s cognitive interests:

How does your child respond when reading aloud?
What are some of your child’s favorite books?
What about video games, music, movies, etc.? Is anything particular coming up more often than others?
Does your child seem drawn to many subjects at school (like math)? This might indicate that it would be a good idea to explore this further.
What are some of your child’s favorite subjects at school?
Is there something that they enjoy talking about or want to learn more about, but it doesn’t seem like the right time for you to start a conversation with them on the topic (or maybe you’re not sure how)? This might be worth exploring too.

The child may also have interests in one area and struggles in another because of their cognitive strengths and weaknesses.

For example, an intuitive child might struggle with writing essays while excelling in math whereas someone analytical would tend to excel better when completing written projects than those based solely on numbers or word problems.

Cognitive differences can occur due to age levels as well so if your child is not yet in school, consider their developmental stage.

Social and Communication

When it comes to social skills and communication skills, knowing how to promote these strengths in your child is important.

There are many different types of social skills – knowing when to take turns talking, having empathy for others’ feelings, and being able to express your thoughts in ways that are clear and concise.

Communication skills involve listening, speaking clearly, understanding what someone is trying to tell you, being a good listener, and asking for clarification when needed.

Both of these skill areas build on each other- the better a child’s social skills become then they will be more likely to have success with their communication skills as well.

Language

Many children have a special talent for one or two languages that they can pick up quickly. These kids usually love being in classes where all the instructions are given in another language.

One thing you should know about these children is that they are usually very strong readers and writers as well. Learning a new language can be challenging, but it’s also really rewarding when you’re successful at it.

It’s not unusual for these children to come home and try to help their parents learn the new language too. What this means is that kids who are good at languages tend to be interested in learning new things.

If your child loves language, then it’s a great idea to enroll them into a course where they can learn something different from what they’re used to.

It will open up their mind to the possibility of trying out other cultures for themselves.

Literacy

Do you ever find yourself wondering what your child’s literacy strengths are? What do they like to read, and how can a school make reading more enjoyable for them? The child’s literacy skills can be a bit difficult to decipher.

They could have been reading since they were young, or just starting this year and don’t get much time at home with you to read together. It may also be that your child needs more practice in certain areas than others as well.

If you’re not sure about what type of book interests them most, we recommend checking out their favorite magazines for clues. Every child is different and will have a different type of reading style.

For instance, if your child likes to read about their favorite sports team they’ll want magazines that discuss the latest games played with all the statistics.

They also might love books that share more about the players than just what happens during one game or how many goals they score.

Math and Logic

We will now speak about the math and logic interests of your child, and how best to support them in these areas.

Math is a language that must be learned by all people who live on earth – it is used in every facet of our daily lives from driving cars, cooking food, ordering groceries at the store, using a computer or calculator, etc., so every child needs to have an affinity for mathematics.

It may seem daunting when they get started with this but the more they do it, the better they’ll get and in no time at all your child will be able to feel comfortable with arithmetic operations such as adding or subtracting.

The logical interests of a child come from understanding how things work by making connections between them; for example: if I press this button on my watch then here is what happens; we also use logic when planning to achieve something, like getting ready for school – think about how many steps there are involved.

This may not seem very logical but children need to learn certain types of problem-solving that they can take into their daily lives later on.

What Are Your Child’s Strengths?

Understanding a child’s strengths begins with recognizing their unique personality and innate talents. While observing behaviors can provide clues, the HIGH5 strengths assessment offers a more comprehensive and accurate picture of a child’s core strengths. For example, a child who enjoys solitude might not just be introverted, but could possess strengths like ‘Strategist’ or ‘Philomath’ (love of learning). The HIGH5 test delves deeper, revealing nuanced strengths that go beyond simple personality categorizations. By identifying these specific strengths, parents and educators can create environments and opportunities that allow children to truly flourish, whether they’re natural artists, thinkers, or leaders.

A person with strong extroverted tendencies will likely thrive in groups and social settings as well as want more interaction with others throughout the day.

These types of personalities are just two examples of how different children can be when it comes to strength identification – there are many more possibilities out there.

You should always keep these things in mind when interacting with your children so you know how to best support their needs.

You should also be aware of the child’s interests and preferences when it comes to what they like doing as well as who they want to spend time with.

A child may enjoy playing video games or cooking at home, but not care for going outside or even talking with others in person most of the time.

The types of activities that your child likes will give you insight into where some areas of their strengths might lie.

What Are Your Child’s Strengths This Is What You Need To Know

When trying to identify a child’s strength, there are two aspects we’ll look at: their natural tendencies and their chosen hobbies (as these can often overlap).

For example, if someone has strong extroverted tendencies they may enjoy public speaking, group projects, and being around others. If their extroverted tendency is to a lesser degree, then they might enjoy reading books or listening to music alone.

The child’s chosen hobby will often be what sparks the child’s natural strengths- for example, if someone enjoys playing video games at home by themselves this could point towards introversion as well as focus on detail-oriented tasks.

This may not sound like good news at first glance but it can help us identify how we should support them and best meet their needs to provide them with an environment that feels safe and where these skills are valued.

This is important because children need opportunities to practice using those strengths.

You can also take into account the child’s chosen hobbies when looking for their strengths: children who love baking might have exceptional fine motor skills and an eye for detail; kids who are obsessed with tech gadgets could know how to code or troubleshoot better than anyone else in the class.

You never really know what your child is capable of until you take the time to observe – so make it a priority to get them involved in activities that best suit their natural interests.

Focus on What Your Child’s Strengths Are

While it’s natural for parents to want to address their child’s challenges, the strengths-based approach, championed by HIGH5, encourages a shift in focus. Instead of constantly correcting weaknesses, this method emphasizes identifying and nurturing a child’s innate talents. The HIGH5 strengths assessment provides parents with a powerful tool to uncover their child’s unique strengths scientifically. By understanding these core strengths, parents can create an environment where their child’s talents flourish. This approach not only boosts confidence but also leads to greater engagement and success in various aspects of life. Remember, when we build on strengths, weaknesses often improve as a natural consequence.

If you notice that your child is constantly singing and dancing around the house, then this might be a sign of them being an excellent dancer or singer in the future.

Due to wanting quiet time, some parents would tell their children to stay quiet and stop singing. The problem with telling these children to stop singing is that it will only increase their frustration.

Therefore, parents need to find out ways on how best to utilize a child’s strengths so as for them to progress better.

To help our child discover his/her strong points – we can start by incorporating activities related to these interests into their daily routine.

There are various activity ideas listed below:

Introduce different sports such as soccer or swimming which caters more towards individual skills rather than team skills.
Encourage them to do activities that would help their child remain active and limber, such as gymnastics or soccer.
Check out different summer camps in your area which may offer a variety of sports for children of all ages and skill levels.

In addition to the child’s apparent interests, it is also important to consider the child’s age and developmental stage – these are both crucial factors to consider.

Pro Tip From HIGH5

When your child faces a challenge, guide them to approach it using their HIGH5 strengths. For example, if your child has the ‘Storyteller’ strength and struggles with math, encourage them to create stories or narratives around math problems to make them more engaging and understandable.

What Are Your Child’s Weaknesses?

This is a question that many parents ask when they’re trying to help their children. The answer can be difficult to find and even more difficult for some parents to comprehend.

For others, this may not seem like an important question at all. Asking this question will give you insight into what might need extra attention, as well as why it needs extra attention.

It will also provide emotional support for your child if they feel like they don’t measure up or have something that sets them apart from their peers.

By knowing what the weakness is, then you can address it positively and work on helping your child overcome it so that there aren’t any limits set on what they can do because of it.

This is not an issue that should be glossed over or ignored. A child who feels like they’re good at something will take a more active role in trying to overcome their weaknesses, and the opposite goes for those children with strengths.

The goal is to encourage self-awareness so your child becomes confident about themselves regardless of their abilities.

Examples of Child’s Weaknesses

Many weaknesses can be mentioned and address but the most common weaknesses in children are the following:

Low Self-Esteem

Low self-esteem is huge and it’s hard to see how a child can grow up with confidence if they are constantly told that there is something wrong with them.

Shyness

Shyness may be the result of bullying or being overwhelmed by an unknown environment.

There are many reasons why children become shy but this should not be ignored because it will only get worse as time goes on.

It requires patience, understanding, and consistency to help your child overcome their hesitancy around other people.

Anxiety

Anxiety includes worry about different situations such as school work, peer pressure, etc., which creates stress before going into these events so much that they cannot think clearly due to fear and panic attacks even when nothing bad has happened yet.

Some children are naturally anxious just like some adults. This does not mean that there is anything wrong with them, but it may be a sign of heightened sensitivity and empathy.

Super Introverted

An introvert doesn’t automatically become an extrovert as soon as he or she outgrows solitude; this could happen at any time depending on what life events occur.

Introverts are children who are energized by spending time alone and enjoy one-on-one conversations. They may be shy as they wait for others to approach them first.

An introverted child needs a way in which to express him or herself, so parents must provide creative outlets such as art supplies, books, games of imagination, playing instruments without being forced into doing so.

A Lack of Confidence in Their Abilities

It could be a child’s lack of confidence in their abilities that cause them to withdraw from social interactions. They may feel like they’re not as good at things or are being judged unfairly.

Poor Time Management and Organization Skills

The child with poor time management and organization skills may be an introvert or extrovert.

For example, they may become overwhelmed by the number of projects to complete on a given day and cannot seem to get anything done.

Frequently Asked Questions about Child’s Strengths

How Do I Know My Child’s Strengths?

One of the more important tasks that parents will eventually face is understanding their child’s strengths.

Sometimes it’s about being persistent and recognizing when a child may need assistance in a certain area or even just needs to be nurtured through that particular phase.

But, sometimes parents can become overprotective of their children and not know how to encourage them to develop new skills which they possibly are uncertain if they possess or not.

It’s always critical for parents to stay in tune with what the child has an interest in because then they will be able to identify where there may be an opportunity for nurturing on their part.

What are the Behavioral Strengths of a Child?

A child is often strong in one or more of the following areas:

Attention span – the ability to focus and initiate attention for such activities as learning, interaction with others, and play.

Reactivity – how quickly a person reacts to events or their environment. Aggressive children will react very quickly, whether aggressively or not; others react much slower and are sometimes considered shy or withdrawn.

Activity level – whether outgoing or introverted (more passive).

Playfulness – the degree to which a person exhibits playful behavior such as enjoyment in playing games, laughing at jokes, seeking novelty and new experiences.

Conclusion

When it comes to understanding your child’s strengths, it is important to know where they excel in certain areas.

You can then build on this and nurture their strengths while also encouraging them to learn new skills that may come more naturally to them than others.

Gaining a deep understanding of your child’s strengths is key to unlocking their full potential. The HIGH5 strengths assessment offers a scientifically-validated method to identify these core talents, providing parents and educators with invaluable insights into how a child learns best. By tailoring learning environments and approaches to align with a child’s natural strengths, as revealed by the HIGH5 test, we can foster a genuine enthusiasm for learning. This strengths-based approach, grounded in positive psychology, not only boosts a child’s confidence but also cultivates resilience, helping them navigate challenges with a positive mindset. Remember, when children operate from their strengths, they’re more likely to stay engaged, overcome obstacles, and achieve lasting success in all areas of life. The child will feel that there is some part of themselves where they can succeed, and this will translate into more confidence in other areas as well.

After all, greater confidence typically leads to greater success as well.