20 Top Inspirational & Motivational Quotes for Children

Mother and child

Inspiration is all one needs to achieve the unimaginable. Words of wisdom, a piece of advice, a pep talk or a motivational quote can get someone motivated enough to get going.

Children are no different from adults. Kids need to be motivated all the time. Rewards and motivation have long been proven as an incentive to get children to do something that they are not interested in or refuse to do completely. As parents, we often fail to express our thoughts in a manner that enforces a point that we want to make. It is the values that parents impart to children that will build their personality and lay the foundation for a strong future.

Positivity is an important character trait that needs to be instilled in kids today. The children of today have their own set of beliefs and values, and question anything that does not agree with the social milieu. Children have access to a lot of information, a lot of which is negative. They are often confronted with several crude incidents and remarks that tend to have an adverse bearing on their innocent minds. Children build their own identity from an early age and question the world around them to identify their place under the sun. This method of reflecting on their own self is an excellent way to build their personality and to inculcate good habits, and a positive talk serves as a contributing factor to become someone with a pleasing demeanour.

There are several ways to introduce positivity in kids and to assure them that they can achieve what they want to. Most children get told what should be or should not be done. That is definitely not an effective way to deal with them. Limiting their minds restricts their freedom of thought and structure. Children need a healthy dose of motivation, similar to their daily intake of vegetables, to become capable of achieving their dreams and ambitions.

Children should be led by example. The early influence of the writings and quotes of famous personalities could help in laying the foundation for the grooming of a strong personality. There is no dearth of motivational quotes written by eminent and distinguished personalities from various walks of life. Read on to find out a few inspirational quotes that truly motivate and could stir one’s soul. These quotes with their profound meaning leave an impressionable impact on the lives of people who learn and understand them.

Inspirational Quotes for Children To Inspire Their Best Attitude

  1. “If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams, and you will always look lovely.” – Roald Dahl

Amazing thoughts can do remarkable things to a person. Positive thinking fills the body and spirit with indomitable positive energy that expands and creates an aura around you. This creates a ripple effect, and the positive energy is dissipated to those around you, and happy thought spread happiness and inspiration around you.

Happy kids

  1. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi

We want to change several things around us but don’t know where to make a start. We want more peace and less war; we want better health and no illnesses, we want more resources and less poverty. Well, then the only way to get there is to make a start within you. If you want to see a peaceful world, adopt non-violence. Just as charity begins at home, change begins within you.

Child helping to clean

  1. “It always seems impossible until it is done.” – Nelson Mandela

A common man in the olden days would never have thought that it would be possible to fly up in the sky, visit space or even land on the moon. But it has happened. Most things seem seemingly impossible to achieve, but it is just that the solutions have not been thought of yet. Dedicated thinking, effort, perseverance by people in making the impossible possible are the ones who succeed and reach the finishing line.

Child holding trophy

  1. “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” – Albert Einstein

Life has three phases to it- the past, present and the future. Lessons from the past are not meant to be forgotten; pick the learnings and store it in your memory for life. They will help you lead a better today and live each moment that comes by. Tomorrow is not known to anyone, so keep hoping for the best and be prepared for the worst to avoid any disappointments.

Child running with happiness

  1. “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Things could go wrong anytime, even if you try your level best to avoid it. Even if you do something right by the books, the result could turn out to be something you didn’t want. However, what matters is you tried. It is always better than doing nothing. You never know if your effort could have a positive bearing on someone else.

Child studying

  1. “All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney

Dreaming is easy but pursuing them is not. Pursuing your dream requires courage, struggle, and a positive spirit to overcome every challenge thrown your way. But a dream can come true only if you are willing to pursue them by moving on and not stopping if you face any setbacks.

Child travellers

  1. “We know what we are but know not what we may be.” – Shakespeare

One of the best motivational quotes for children, it just elicits that we underestimate our capacity very often. We have certain knowledge about our capabilities but what we fail to understand is that we can never predict what we could evolve into. It is prudent to put our capabilities to test time and again as the outcomes could be a surprise to us.

Child dancing

  1. “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

An aptly suited children’s inspirational quote, it is appropriate to instil a philanthropist attitude in children today. The materialistic ways of the world have left us living on what we received and earn but made us forget that there is a part of the world which needs our help. A helping hand is always welcome, and Winston Churchill drives home the point of sharing with the underprivileged as a means to self-redemption.

Child with elderly person

  1. “The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King Jr

We often contemplate on the right time to do things. But what we often forget is that by doing the right thing you are bringing in the right time. When you have conviction in your actions, you need not look for an appropriate time to do it. By doing it, you reinforce that it brings good tidings.

Children studying together

  1. “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” –Helen Keller

No one could have explained life in a better way. Helen Keller, who was deaf, mute, and blind, learnt the realities of life at a very early age and overcame her disabilities. Each phase of life has to be experienced as a lesson, learning to cherish and understand its impact on our future.

Happy children

  1. “Preparation is the key to success.” – Alexander Graham Bell

No task is achievable without a reasonable amount of preparation. One of the most suitable inspirational quotes for kids in school, it highlights the importance of being adequately prepared to find success. It can be repeated often to kids who are appearing for exams.

Boy packing his bag

  1. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas A. Edison

It is said that Edison invented the light bulb only on his hundredth attempt. When someone asked him about why he failed 99 times, he simply answered saying he never failed but he tried 99 times. One of the most inspirational thoughts for children, it highlights the importance of never giving up and trying until you succeed. If we give up, it means we accept defeat, and that is in no way a path to success.

<Kids racing on field

  1. “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy

Failure is the stepping stone to success, and those who dare to fail will definitely succeed. Failure is learning and the ladder to achieve great success.

Child studying

  1. “The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work.” – Mark Twain

Success was not meant to come before hard work. If you want to be successful, there is a certain amount of effort that is involved. Success does not precede hard work but follows it.

Child studying

  1. “Nothing is particularly hard if you break it down into small jobs.” – Henry Ford

A very useful piece of advice to someone trying to achieve a mighty task. Break down your tasks and tick the box as you complete each one to mark the final tick that accomplishes everything.

Child making a list

  1. “Only surround yourself with people who will lift you higher.” – Oprah Winfrey

Always be in the company of people who will uplift your spirits and not pull you down. Friend, relatives or acquaintances you hang out with must be the ones who believe in your potential and encourage you, and not discourage you.

Friends together

  1. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” -Dr. Seuss

Success does not belong to the smartest. It belongs to the one who is willing to try, to learn, and to fail. A commitment to learning and a focus on goals will help you go places.

Child reading

  1. “Wonder is the beginning of wisdom”- Socrates

You stop personal growth the day you stop wondering. It is not unusual to be curious or ask questions. Seeking answers is the best way to gain wisdom and knowledge. There is nothing to be shy or ashamed about asking questions or being quizzical. Questioning is a sign of learning that eventually leads to success.

Curious children

  1. “We are what we repeatedly do.”- Aristotle

We often construe our failures or mistakes as an omen to stop trying. On the other hand, if we learn from our mistakes, we could try again. We may fail again but striving to keep trying will then become a habit. Anything done persistently will automatically evolve into a habit and eventually result in success.

Child cleaning house

  1. “Make each day your masterpiece.”- John Wooden

Wake up each morning to paint a new picture on the canvas of life. Thank the Almighty for the gift of today and do your best to create a masterpiece with the day in hand. Do something that will leave you with infinite happiness and satisfaction for living the day.

Child looking at the sky

Feed a spoonful of these quotes to your kids every day to supplement them with pearls of wisdom. Inspire them to achieve the best by creating an imprint on their impressionable minds. These quotes will have a long-standing effect on their character and personality traits.