The Power of “Let Me Try”

You’re running out the door.

Backpack? Check.
Lunch? Check.
Shoes? Mostly.

And then you see it.

Your child is still struggling with their coat.

One arm is in. The other is somehow stuck. The zipper won’t cooperate.

You glance at the clock.

You could wait two minutes for them to figure it out.

Or you could just do it.

“Here. Let me help.”

Of course you do.

You’re busy. You’re late. And honestly, you can put on a coat a whole lot faster than they can.

But what if those two minutes are doing more than getting a coat on?

What if your child isn’t just struggling with the zipper? What if they’re learning how to figure something out?

Maybe they’re turning the coat around. Trying a different sleeve. Watching what happens when they pull the zipper. Trying again.

They don’t know the answer yet.

And that yet matters.

We adults have a funny habit of filling the space between “I can’t” and “I did it.”

We see the struggle.
We know the solution.
So we step in.

Sometimes that’s exactly what our children need.

But sometimes, in our rush to help them succeed, we take away the opportunity to experience success for themselves.

Because confidence doesn’t come only from hearing, “You can do it.”

It grows from experiencing:

I tried.

It didn’t work.

I tried something else.

And I figured it out.

Creativity needs that space, too.

Give a child a blank piece of paper, a pile of materials, or an open-ended challenge, and there isn’t one right way to proceed.

They have to decide.

They experiment.

Something doesn’t work, so they change their plan.

They wonder, What if I try this?

That isn’t a detour from learning.

That’s the learning.

At Wimzee, we believe creative experiences can give children room to practice something much bigger than making a finished product: thinking for themselves.

And that experience stays with them long after the paint dries or the blocks come down.

They begin to approach something unfamiliar with more curiosity and less hesitation.

I don’t know yet.

Maybe I can figure it out.

There are times when they need your help. Sometimes you’re out of time.

The goal isn’t to make them struggle through everything. It’s to notice the moments when you do have a little room to pause—and let them try.

Before you say:

“Here. Let me help.”

Try asking:

“What do you think you could try?”

Maybe they figure it out.

Maybe they need a hint.

Maybe they still need you.

That’s okay.

Because sometimes the most important thing we can give a child isn’t the answer.

It’s the chance to discover that they can find one.

And sometimes, that starts with three little words:

“Let me try.”

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If you want to give your child a fun, low-pressure space to build this kind of independent problem-solving:

Meet the Expert

Both experiences are led by Jennifer, a veteran kindergarten teacher of 23 years, artist, and founder of JM Creative Studios. Discover more of her hands-on workshops and creative learning philosophy on Jennifer’s Instructor Profile on Wimzee.