25 Christian Affirmations for Children, Based on Scripture

Affirmations get a mixed reception in Christian homes, and understandably so. We do not want our children building their confidence on their own opinion of themselves. But when an affirmation is simply a child repeating what God already says about them, it stops being self-help and becomes something closer to memorizing truth.

Here are twenty five, each anchored to Scripture, written in words a young child can actually say.

Who God says I am

• I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)
• I am God's masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10)
• God made me in His image. (Genesis 1:27)
• I was made on purpose, for a purpose. (Ephesians 2:10)
• God knew me before I was born. (Jeremiah 1:5)
• I am God's child. (1 John 3:1)
• I am chosen and loved. (Colossians 3:12)

When I feel afraid

• God is with me wherever I go. (Joshua 1:9)
• When I am afraid, I will trust in God. (Psalm 56:3)
• I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
• God did not give me a spirit of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7)
• God goes before me. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

When I feel small or left out

• God sees me. (Genesis 16:13)
• God knows my name. (Isaiah 43:1)
• Nothing can separate me from God's love. (Romans 8:38-39)
• God is close to me when I am sad. (Psalm 34:18)
• I am never alone. (Hebrews 13:5)

When I make a mistake

• God's mercy is new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
• I am forgiven. (1 John 1:9)
• God is not finished with me yet. (Philippians 1:6)
• I can try again. (Proverbs 24:16)

How I can love others

• I can be kind, even when it is hard. (Ephesians 4:32)
• I can be brave for someone else. (Proverbs 31:8)
• My words can build people up. (Ephesians 4:29)
• God's light shines through me. (Matthew 5:16)

How to actually use them

Pick one, not twenty five. Children absorb depth, not volume.

1. Anchor it to a routine. Say it while buckling the car seat, brushing teeth, or turning out the light. The routine does the remembering for you.
2. Make it a call and response. You say "I am fearfully and..." and let them finish it. Children love completing a line.
3. Post it where they see it. A verse on a mirror is quietly read a hundred times a week. Our free Psalm 139:14 printable was made for that spot.
4. Use it in the moment it is needed. The affirmation matters most on the day someone was unkind at school.

Start with one truth

If you only choose one, choose Psalm 139:14. Every other truth about identity grows from it. It is the verse at the center of Perfectly Made, which follows a little girl who wonders whether God made her wrong, and discovers what He actually says about her.

Perfectly Made

A bilingual Christian picture book for ages 3 to 7, rooted in Psalm 139:13-14, Ephesians 2:10, and Genesis 1:27. For every child who has ever wondered, "Am I enough?"

See the book →