Positive African Proverbs to Say to Kids

Using African proverbs to teach children encourages them to think beyond literal meanings, fostering abstract thinking and helping them understand deeper life lessons.

Detailed explanations of five African proverb suitable for children: 

Little by little a little becomes a lot.

Small efforts or actions, when done consistently over time, can lead to big achievements. It’s like planting seeds one by one, and soon you have a whole garden. 

When fingers start scratching, the thumb follows along.

This means that when one person starts doing something, others often join in. It highlights how actions can influence those around us, just like when you scratch with your fingers, the thumb naturally wants to join. 

What the ear hears is not like what the eye sees.

Seeing something for yourself is different from just hearing about it. It teaches that you shouldn’t always rely on what others say, as experiencing something firsthand is more reliable. 

The light of all the stars is not equal to that of the moon.

One bright source can outshine many smaller ones. It reminds us that quality outweighs quantity, like how there are millions of stars in the sky, but only one moon and the moon’s light stands out in the night sky. 

One foot cannot stand on two boats.

You can’t commit to two different paths at the same time; you must choose one direction to avoid falling. It teaches the importance of focus and making clear decisions.