40 Developmental Assets Every Child Needs

Search Institute, a non-profit agency located in Minnesota has been gathering data since the early 1990's in order to determine precisely what children need to ensure they grow up healthy, happy and successful adults. After surveying over 4 million children and youth of all types of backgrounds, they have created a list of 40 developmental assets, both internal and external, which all children need to succeed.

These 40 assets can be sorted into 8 different categories

1. Adults provide them support.
2. Children feel valued, appreciated and safe.
3. Children have boundaries and adults provide expectations.
4. Children use their time constructively.
5. Children enjoy learning.
6. Children have positive values- giving respect, helping others, being honest....
7. Children have social competencies- expressing their feelings, using positive coping mechanisms....
8. Children have a positive sense of self. 

Research conducted by Search Institute shows that children who have at least 31 of these assets can be considered "thriving". Generally, children with more assets do better in school, take better care of their health, help others, value diversity, and have better financial habits when compared to children with fewer assets.

In a 2010 survey of 86,000 children in grades 6-12 revealed that on average children have only 19 of these 40 assets- regardless of their socioeconomic status, race, gender, etc. (A Fragile Foundation : The State of Developmental Assets among American Youth Peter L. Benson, Ph.D., Peter C. Scales, Ph.D., Eugene C. Roehlkepartain)

Check out Search Institutes 40 Developmental Assets for your children and see how they are faring.
Build up children's assets to ensure their success!

40 Developmental Assets ages 3-5
40 Developmental Assets ages 5-9
40 Developmental Assets ages 8-12
40 Developmental Assets ages 12-18

Are you a child care provider?
Child Care providers can help the children in their care build assets.
Asset building ideas for Child Care Providers.

Are you a grandparent?
Grandparents can help their grandchildren build assets.
Asset building ideas for Grandparents

Anyone can help children build assets.