Grow Your Goals: Playful Activity for Goal Setting and Planning
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Therapists know that growth takes time and helping kids understand that their small steps matter can spark motivation and self-confidence. That’s why I love the Grow Your Goals activity! It turns abstract aspirations into something visual and hands on. Whether you're working in a playroom, classroom, or counseling office, this flower-powered intervention makes goal-setting fun, concrete, and meaningful.
Supplies:
Keep set-up simple with the Goals Garden Printable or gather the supplies below:
Poster board or blank paper
Pre-cut paper flowers, petals, leaves, and stems (or scissors + paper for DIY drawing) (I love these)
Glue sticks or tape
Optional: Seed shapes, stickers (like these or these), and garden-themed embellishments
Step-by-Step:
1. Design the Garden Base
Let the child create a background including a sky, sun, soil … maybe even worms! This is their personal “goal garden.” If time is short, use the garden background page from the Goals Garden Printable.
2. Plant the Seeds
Together, brainstorm 1–3 goals and write them on seed shapes or small circles. These can be anything from “Raise my hand in class” to “Try a new food.”
3. Grow the Flowers
For each step needed to achieve the goal, add a petal, leaf, or stem piece.
Goal: Try out for the school play
Petal 1: Ask the teacher for info
Petal 2: Practice reading lines
Petal 3: Go to the audition
4. Build the Garden
Help the child glue or tape their flowers into the “garden.” Some kids may want all flowers for one goal, while others might create a full field of different dreams!
5. Reflect and Revisit
Talk about how their actions help “water” their goals. Ask questions like:
What’s something you’ve already done to help your flower grow?
What will you try next?
Use the reflection guide in the Goals Garden Printable for additional questions to ask at each step. Encourage the child to display their garden and revisit it to track progress.
Therapeutic Benefits
This activity helps children:
Break big ideas into manageable steps
Build motivation through visual reinforcement
Strengthen executive functioning and planning skills
Take ownership of personal, social, or academic goals
Printable: Build-a-Flower Goal Garden Pack
Name: Build-a-Flower Goal Garden
What’s Inside:
Printable seed shapes
Flower parts (stems, petals, leaves)
A garden background page
Reflection prompts
Three “Goal Tracker” bookmarks to color and take home
This resource is perfect for busy therapists who want a ready-to-go version of the activity: just print, cut, and grow!
Closing Thoughts
Intentionality blooms when kids can see how their actions lead to real change. The Grow Your Goals activity is more than just a craft, it's a visual, tangible reminder that every little step is part of something beautiful.