Teaching Students to Use Failures Productively in Pre-K

In early childhood education, success is often celebrated, while failure can sometimes be seen as moments to avoid. But what if we changed this perspective? Teaching young children how to navigate and learn from their mistakes—whether it’s spilling paint, struggling with a puzzle, or building a block tower that tumbles—can help them develop important life skills like resilience, creativity, and problem-solving. These foundational abilities are key to fostering a growth mindset, where every mistake becomes an opportunity to learn rather than a reason to stop trying.

Failure also fuels creativity. Many innovative ideas—from scientific discoveries to art masterpieces—arise from mistakes. When failure is embraced as a natural step in the learning process, students feel safe to experiment, think outside the box, and take intellectual risks. This shift is especially important in early childhood and elementary classrooms, where habits around learning are still being formed.

By embracing failure as a natural part of the learning process, educators can create playful, supportive environments where children feel safe to try new things, explore their ideas, and keep going even when things don’t work out the first time. These early lessons in persistence and adaptability lay the groundwork for lifelong learning and success.

The Science Behind Learning From Failure

Research supports the idea that failure can be a powerful teacher. Carol Dweck’s growth mindset theory demonstrates that when students believe their abilities can improve through effort and persistence, they view failure as an opportunity to grow rather than a reflection of their worth.

Similarly, neuroscience highlights the brain’s incredible capacity to adapt and learn through mistakes. Studies have identified specific brain activities, such as error-related negativity, that occur when individuals make mistakes. This neural response enables the recognition and correction of errors, facilitating the development of new neural pathways. These pathways play a crucial role in enhancing learning and decision-making processes.

Engaging in challenging tasks that lead to initial failure, a process known as productive struggle, strengthens neural connections through the development of myelin—a substance that improves the efficiency of neural pathways.

In my experience, this process begins as early as preschool, where children naturally encounter opportunities to learn through trial and error, such as navigating social dynamics or mastering fine motor skills. This not only fosters deeper understanding but also contributes to long-term skill acquisition. By normalizing failure in the classroom, educators set the stage for deeper learning, increased resilience, and improved self-awareness.

6 Strategies for Teaching Failure as a Skill in Preschool

1. Fix It Together center. Create a station with broken or incomplete items (e.g., puzzles missing pieces, a simple toy car with a loose wheel). Invite children to collaborate in fixing or solving the issue, emphasizing teamwork and persistence.
2. Oops to Awesome wall. Dedicate a wall for children to share a mistake they made (with a picture or a simple sentence) and what they learned from it. Celebrate the “oops” moments as valuable steps in their learning journey. This visual display shows that trial and error can lead to valuable insights. It also normalizes failure as part of learning, fostering a culture of innovation and perseverance.
3. Try Again Olympics. Set up challenges like balancing a beanbag on their head or jumping over obstacles. Emphasize that it’s OK to not succeed on the first try, and encourage them to keep trying. Encourage perseverance over perfection.
4. What Happens If? experiments. Incorporate simple science experiments where trial and error are part of the process (e.g., mixing water with different materials to see what dissolves). Encourage predictions and celebrate unexpected outcomes.
5. Artful Accidents station. Provide materials like washable markers, paints, and clay. Encourage children to turn spills, smudges, or unintended shapes into new art pieces. Highlight how “happy accidents” can lead to creative outcomes.
6. Try a New Way role-play. Present scenarios where something doesn’t work as planned (e.g., a toy that won’t fit in a container). Ask children to suggest and test new approaches, emphasizing that there’s often more than one solution.

These strategies make learning from failure a natural and positive part of preschoolers’ development, building their resilience and adaptability early in life.

TALKING ABOUT FAILURE IN EVERYDAY MOMENTS

Teaching about failure isn’t limited to structured activities—it’s woven into the daily moments of a preschool classroom. Preschool teachers can model positive responses to mistakes by using encouraging language and guiding children to reflect on what they can try next. For example, if a child struggles to zip their jacket, a teacher might say, “You’re working hard on that! Let’s try it together—remember, every time you try, you get better.” When a puzzle piece doesn’t fit, they can ask, “What other spot could we try?”

These small, supportive conversations model a positive attitude toward mistakes and show children that challenges are opportunities to think creatively, problem-solve, and try again. By framing these moments as part of the learning journey, teachers empower children to view setbacks with curiosity rather than frustration.

FAILURE AS A LEARNING ASSET

Mistakes can often be the best teachers for young children. By creating a classroom environment where trying, stumbling, and trying again are celebrated, preschool educators empower children to build essential life skills like resilience, creativity, and problem-solving.

Some educators and parents worry that focusing on failure might undermine confidence or lower standards. However, the opposite is true. By guiding students through the process of analyzing setbacks and celebrating their perseverance, educators build confidence grounded in real achievements.

The goal isn’t to glorify failure but to make it less intimidating. Teaching little ones to embrace mistakes doesn’t mean encouraging them to be careless—it means helping them see mistakes as a natural and valuable part of learning. When preschoolers are supported in understanding their errors, exploring new approaches, and persisting through challenges, they develop confidence in their abilities and a willingness to try new things.

By fostering a mindset that views failure as a stepping stone, educators nurture emotional intelligence in early childhood. When children encounter setbacks, they practice regulating their emotions, staying optimistic, and approaching challenges with determination. Our role as early educators isn’t just to celebrate successes but to guide children in discovering that every stumble is an opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive.