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Nurturing Patience in Young Children

By Cara Zelas

In today’s world, waiting can feel really hard — especially when so many things happen instantly. Toys light up and move with the press of a button, and favorite shows start the second you tap a screen. Learning to wait is an important skill. Patience helps kids handle big feelings, take turns with friends, and keep trying even when something feels tricky. It’s like a superpower that helps them grow stronger, kinder, and more confident.

For educators working with prekindergarten to second-grade students, the challenge is not only to instill patience but also to make the practice of waiting an engaging and rewarding experience. By embedding patience-building strategies into daily classroom routines and social and emotional learning (SEL) activities, teachers can equip young learners with the tools they need to navigate a quick-moving world.

Understanding Patience as a Learned Skill

Patience is more than just an admirable quality — it’s a foundational skill that impacts a child’s ability to focus, problem-solve, and build strong relationships. Research has shown that children who develop the ability to delay gratification tend to perform better academically, demonstrate stronger emotional regulation, and exhibit greater perseverance when facing challenges.

In contrast, a lack of patience can lead to frustration, impulsivity, and difficulties in social interactions. Children who struggle with waiting may interrupt conversations, give up easily on tasks, or experience heightened anxiety when faced with delayed rewards.

Fostering patience in the classroom equips students with the resilience to navigate challenges and build meaningful relationships. Although some children may naturally exhibit more patience than others, it is ultimately a skill that can be nurtured through practice. Young learners are still developing the ability to manage their emotions and regulate their impulses. Patience is deeply connected to emotional regulation — the ability to recognize and manage one’s feelings. When children learn to pause before reacting, they strengthen their ability to think critically, problem-solve, and persist through challenges.

PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING PATIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM

Model patience. Children learn by observing the adults around them. Educators can model patience in simple ways, such as taking a deep breath before responding to a challenging situation or verbalizing their thought process when waiting for something, which supports preschoolers’ emotion regulation through co-regulation.

By demonstrating calm and patient behavior, teachers create an environment where patience is seen as a valued skill rather than an obstacle.

Incorporate wait time. One of the simplest yet most effective ways to build patience is to integrate intentional pauses into instruction. For example, instead of immediately calling on a student who raises their hand, give the entire class a few seconds to think before responding.

Use games and activities. Play-based learning is a powerful tool for teaching patience. Games that require turn-taking, such as board games, puzzles, or storytelling circles, naturally encourage children to practice waiting. Engaging in cooperative activities, where students must wait for their peers to contribute, also helps them understand the value of patience in achieving a shared goal.

Assign projects that require waiting. Teachers can also engage students in collaborative projects where students work over time to achieve a shared goal.

Teaching patience through SEL. SEL provides a framework for explicitly teaching patience through self-awareness and self-regulation. Incorporating mindfulness exercises, such as deep breathing or guided relaxation, can help children develop the ability to pause before reacting.

HELPING FAMILIES NURTURE PATIENCE

Parents can extend lessons on patience by weaving the concept into everyday experiences. Simple moments, like waiting in line at the grocery store, taking turns during conversations, or anticipating a special event, offer opportunities to talk about patience in a relatable way.

Building patience in young learners is not about eliminating frustration altogether but rather about helping children understand that waiting can be rewarding. Acknowledging small moments of patience, whether it’s a student waiting their turn without prompting or showing persistence in a difficult task, reinforces the importance of this skill. By creating a classroom culture that values patience, educators empower children with a mindset that will serve them well beyond their early years.

*Excerpts taken from “Nurturing Patience in Young Children” by Cara Zelas
www.edutopia.org – Edutopia, George Lucas Learning Foundation.

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