The difference between coaching children and mentoring them.

When it comes to guiding children, I often hear people who don't understand the work that I do ask: “What’s the difference between coaching and mentoring?” It’s a fair question, because both roles are deeply rooted in care, encouragement, and support. The truth is, there is space for both and I do both just with different children at different times. 

Mentoring: Everyday Moments of Guidance

Mentors always show up in the everyday corners of a child’s life. They are the teachers, relatives, neighbours, or community members who encourage, listen, and guide in real-time moments. Mentorship is about sharing wisdom, offering advice, and being that steady presence a child can lean on. It doesn’t need  a certification or a title. It just needs heart, availability, and the willingness to show up.

That’s what makes mentoring so powerful. It can happen anytime, anywhere, and it can change any child’s life in ways we might not even realise in the moment. Like the 10-year old girl that was crying after a football game she lost. I was on the sidelines cheering the team on and I could see the disappointment. This was a mentoring moment. I pulled her aside and gave her a few encouraging words to reframe her perception. It landed well and her parents thanked me. This was a once off. A teachable moment captured where I was able to plant the seeds of possibility. 

Coaching: A Professional Path to Transformation

Life Coaching, on the other hand, is a structured, professional practice. A Kids Life Coach is trained to create safe, empowering spaces where children learn to problem-solve, build resilience, and develop a strong mindset. Rather than giving answers, a coach should use proven techniques to draw out a child’s own ideas, strengths, and solutions. At Kids Life Studio®, our global network of Kids Life Coaches use my Play Based Coaching System® that gets measurable and sustainable results. 

Here’s the beautiful part: professionally trained coaches don’t just support children but they also earn a living doing what they love. This makes coaching a meaningful career choice for people who are passionate about children’s wellbeing and want to dedicate their lives to making a difference. This isn't about speaking to the 10-year old on the sidelines of the football pitch. This is deeper and more meaningful transformation. Had the girl become my client, I would have supported her over 3 - 7 months to reframe her mindset and build new neural pathways for healthier beliefs. I would have given her skills and been her biggest cheerleader. Encouraging her to do her "homework", picking up on challenges and supporting her to deal with them in the moment but most of all, holding her accountable for her own efforts and actions. The best part..I would also be supporting her parents to support her. A whole family approach that you don't get in mentoring which is usually focused only on the child. 

Why Both Matter

We both know that in a world that seems to be moving at breakneck speed, children need mentors who can walk ahead of them and say, “This is what helped me, maybe it can help you too.”  They may also need coaches who walk beside them, asking, “What goals can we set to build your brain?” Both play essential roles in raising confident, resilient young people who feel seen, heard, and valued.

I often say: mentors are everywhere, but coaches are career changers. One doesn’t replace the othe but they complement one another in the most beautiful way.

My Invitation to You

If your heart is pulling you toward making this your profession, you can enrol in our Kids Life Coach Certification Training online, where you can learn the tools and frameworks to support children with confidence and make this your career. Everything you need with all the guesswork taken out of it and with our mentorship and support to get you over the finish line. 

If you feel called to simply mentor children in your daily life and you are already showing up for children in this way. Whether iin your community, at school, or even at home, you might find inspiration in my upcoming Kids Mindset Mentor Training, which I’ll be sharing in person as part of my Rebranding Childhood Roadshow kicking off in London on 31 January 2026.

Whether you step into the shoes of a mentor or a coach, or perhaps both like me, you are playing an irreplaceable role in shaping the next generation. Children need our wisdom, but they also need our belief in their ability to find their own way.

So, are you coaching children or mentoring them? Maybe the answer is both. And that’s where the magic happens.