Why Leadership Is So Important

Leadership skills allow children to have control of their lives and the ability to make things happen. Leadership instills confidence and helps children solve problems creatively, work in a team, and work collaboratively with others. Leadership gives children many opportunities to develop responsibility.

While you may not find the word leadership in the early learning standards, many states have statements related to leadership in their standards in the social-emotional section. Key phrases that relate to leadership are “self-confidence”, “problem-solving”, “pro-social,” and “makes independent decisions and choices.”

Are Leaders Born Or Made?

All children have the potential to become great leaders, but it isn’t always easy. Leadership is a skill that can be developed over time, and adults can help children learn the skills necessary to take on leadership roles now and in the future. However, there is still some debate about whether some children are “born leaders” or if they learn to be leaders. Regardless of which side of the debate you fall on, it’s clear that all children have the potential to become great leaders.

Here are some ways that you can help children develop leadership skills:

• Model leadership behavior to children. Children learn from seeing what others do. Tell the child what you are doing and why you are doing it.
• Teach children how to see things from another’s point of view. Good communication is a key component to being an effective leader. Teach children how to listen carefully and how to respond to others in a calm and respectful way.
• Help children build self-confidence. Give children opportunities to do a good job and offer praise when appropriate. You might say, “I am so proud of you that you volunteered to be the leader of the ‘toy clean up’ team in your classroom. It is a big job to make sure all your classmates are doing their part.”
• Find ways to create problem-solving situations. Children can learn how to solve their own problems. Allow children to start making small decisions such as which activity they want to participate in and then give them more opportunities to make decisions as they learn the concepts of responsibility and the consequences of making a decision.
• Give children the opportunity to take leadership roles in the
  classroom. Create leadership situations in the form of classroom jobs. Children can lead by becoming the classroom “greeter”, “paper/supply manager”, “line leader,” or “attendance taker”. Teachers should inform children of the responsibilities of each classroom job and guide them as they take on that leadership role. Children should have the opportunity to try various leadership jobs within the classroom.
• Teach children how to work with others in a team situation. Group projects or sports activities are ways for children to work on a team.
• Assist children to develop a plan or strategy to address a problem or situation. Children, as well as adults, shy away from leadership tasks because they feel overwhelmed. Show children how to break tasks into workable ways to get the job done.
• Encourage children to pursue things that interest them. They may develop a passion for it and feel comfortable and later take on a leadership role.
• Encourage parents to look for leadership opportunities for children. Leadership opportunities can be in your child care program or another program at a school, church, community or club. Children can also take a leadership role in a family event.
• Encourage communication and action. Leadership involves speaking up or taking action. You can encourage children’s leadership abilities by suggesting projects or identifying problems that may be important to them and helping them to come up with suggestions for actions and possible solutions.
  • Examples: During the holiday season, many organizations hold canned food or coat drives. Ask children in your care to think about what they would like to do to help. Have them choose another group to work with, such as the local elementary school, and decide how they would like to help.
  • Some children might become concerned about a little puppy or other another animal in a story you are reading. They wonder what can be done to help animals. Ask them for ideas about what they would do for the puppy if they were in the story. The teacher can write down or have the children draw pictures of their ideas and have a discussion about caring for animals.

Teaching children how to be a leader at a young age will help children deal with peer pressure in their teenage years. Being a leader is not an exact science, but teaching children the skills needed to be leaders is important to help prepare the next generation to take the lead and become responsible adults.

Camp Kupugani Promotes Leadership

At Camp Kupugani, we strive to provide a safe and nurturing environment for kids to learn the skills they need to become successful leaders. Our campers learn about communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and other essential skills through our fun and engaging activities. We invite you to join us in our mission of empowering the next generation of leaders. Learn more about Camp Kupugani’s Leadership Program for girls. Help your child become a leader of tomorrow!

Source: PennState Extention