Why Resolutions Fail: What We Can Learn From Children About Starting Small

Every January, we’re bombarded with the pressure of New Year’s resolutions—grand declarations of how we’ll become fitter, healthier, or more productive versions of ourselves. Yet, research shows that by February, most of these resolutions have disappeared. Why? Because we overcomplicate them, expecting dramatic change overnight instead of embracing small, consistent steps that lead to lasting impact.

Children, on the other hand, have a completely different approach to growth. Their world revolves around exploration, curiosity, and progress made in little increments. At Learn To Play we see this firsthand in our playgroups and programs, where small, playful interactions—like guiding a child to focus on their breathing during a mindful moment—lay the foundation for lifelong skills such as emotional regulation, patience, and resilience.?

Our playgroups provide a powerful example of how small, consistent steps can lead to sustainable, long-term change. By using a curriculum that transforms complex topics into simple, play-based activities, children are taught in a way that is both engaging and effective. Over time, this consistent approach has yielded remarkable results- 93% of children in Learn To Play playgroups are now meeting their learning and development milestones. It’s a reminder that, just like with resolutions, meaningful progress is achieved not through grand gestures but through small, intentional actions repeated over time.

What if, instead of setting sweeping resolutions this year, we focused on small, nurturing habits that are easy to integrate into everyday life? Simple actions can have a big impact:

• Move a little more each day, whether it’s stretching in the morning or going for a short walk with your child after dinner.
• Drink more water. Keep it effortless by adding a refill to your routine—perhaps during snack time with your kids.
• Build in a moment of calm. Try deep breathing together, sharing a quiet story, or just sitting outside for five minutes to soak in the moment and talk about what you observe.

So, as we head into 2025, maybe it’s time to rethink how we approach change. Instead of focusing on big, dramatic resolutions that fade by February, what if we leaned into the small, steady steps—the ones we can actually stick to??

This year, let’s play our way into progress, one small, intentional step at a time.