40 Inspirational quotes for kids to motivate, inspire and share positivity every day

Inspirational quotes aren't just for adult athletes and TED talk enthusiasts, they're so important for kids too, words of motivation, hope, and encouragement are sometimes what they need to hear.

Good news, we've done the leg work for you and sourced some of the most magical children's book quotes from stories like Harry Potter and Walt Disney to Roald Dahl's best quotes. Mum-of-three, Sam tells us; "I have made inspirational quotes 'a thing' in our family. So much so my son reminds me if I've recycled one a little too soon."

You'll also find classic quotes from much-admired historical heroes like Martin Luther King Jr. and the Dalai Lama below. All with the hopes they'll be treasured and memorised, and help inspire our next generation of dreamers.

Studies from PubMed Central show that inspirational quotes improve self-esteem so take a look through our 40 inspirational quotes - they're sure to help when your mini humans need a lift...

Best inspirational quotes for kids:

1. "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." — Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh
2. “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”― Oscar Wilde
3. “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
4. “If you focus on what you left behind, you will never see what lies ahead.” – Gusteau, Ratatouille
5. “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
6. "Remember you're the one who can fill the world with sunshine." — Snow White, Snow White, and the Seven Dwarfs
7. "There are no wrong answers, only learning opportunities - Anon
8. “Everything you can imagine is real.”― Pablo Picasso
9. “When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming.” – Dory, Finding Nemo
10. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston S. Churchill

11. “Never look back, darling. It distracts for the now.” – Edna Mode, The Incredibles
12. “It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.” – Dr Suess
13. "Everything that you do or don’t do comes down to confidence." - Anon
14. “Don't fear failure. Be afraid of not having the chance, you have the chance!” – Sally Carrera, Cars 3
15. “You can’t focus on what’s going wrong. There’s always a way to turn things around.” – Joy, Inside Out
16. “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”― Dalai Lama XIV
17. “Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.” – Matilda, Roald Dahl
18. "Fall seven times, stand up eight." – Japanese Proverb
19. "Being different isn’t a bad thing. It means you’re brave enough to be yourself."– Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter
20. "If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." – Roald Dahl

21. "Never doubt yourself, it will only hold you back." – J.M. Barrie
22. "You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take."– Wayne Gretzky
23. "Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.”– Jesse Jackson
24. "In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun." – Mary Poppins
25. "Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one." – Grandmother Willow, Pocahontas 
26. "I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are." – Mewtwo, Pokemon
27. "Your uniqueness is what makes you shine" - Anon
28. “We all can dance when we find music we love.” – Giles Andreae
29. “Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do.” – John Wooden
30. "Our fate lives within us; you only have to be brave enough to see it." — Merida, Brave

31. “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'.”― Audrey Hepburn
32. "The best time to believe in yourself, even more, is when it's not easy." - Anon
33. "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." - Maya Angelou
34. "Each new and exciting story began with one person and their dream". Anon
35. "You and I are a team. There is nothing more important than friendship." Mike Wazowski, Monsters Inc.
36. "You should see these places, there's a whole w world outside of books." - Aladdin
37. "How people treat you is their path, how you treat people is yours" - Anon
38. "Being kind is never wasted." - Anon
39. "Trust your head, but don't be afraid to follow your heart." - Alice in Wonderland
40. "If you can dream it you can do it." - Mickey Mouse

What are the benefits of reading inspirational quotes to kids?

As a parent or carer focussing on how the young people in your life speak to themselves, and their internal dialogue, is so important. You want that voice to be kind and inspiring for them. Kids need to be equipped with positive self-talk just as much as anybody else. 

Mum-of-three, Lucy tells us; "My inner voice just talks about cutting calories, and 'earning' pizza with exercise, this isn't what I want for my kids, so I am so conscious of what I say and how I say it. Those little brains are sponges."

So many of these inspirational reading quotes for children highlight how important it is to have experiences outside of our own, no matter our station in life. Having experiences grows empathy, builds comprehension, and helps our minds to be more creative. Plus, you could always turn one of these inspirational quotes into a piece of art for their bedroom, so they can be reminded to always look on the positive side of things when they're next feeling down. Or have them draw out their favourite quote and create their own piece during your next easy kid's crafts afternoon.

Fancy weaving in some humour with these quotes, try our knock-knock jokes or blow their mind with some of our fun facts for kids. And if that's not enough, we've also done some great research into some of the best riddles for kids - enjoy!