Fact or Opinion? Why You Don't Have to Believe Everything

🎂 6 + years ⏱️ 20 min 📍 Anywhere ⭐ sporty

Imagine you're painting a picture. You think it's really cool. Then someone comes along and says, "That looks weird." Ouch. That feels bad. But wait a second. Is that a fact or just an opinion? Recognizing this difference can help you deal better with silly comments. It helps you stay calm and protect yourself. In our PDF template, you'll find many sentences to practice. Find out: What is a fact and what is just an opinion?

How it works

A fact is something that can be proven. It is true, no matter who says it. Examples of facts: 2 + 2 = 4. Elephants are mammals. You can look up, measure, or observe facts. They are simply true. And everyone can rely on them.
An opinion is what someone thinks, feels, or believes. It doesn't have to be true for everyone. Examples of opinions: Green is the prettiest color. I find math boring. Your picture is weird. You can't do that. Aha! Do you notice something? Opinions cannot be proven.
Opinions often say more about the person who expresses them than about you. If someone annoys you, argues with you, or laughs at you, ask yourself: Is that a fact or just an opinion? If it's an opinion, you can simply let it be. You don't have to accept it.
Example: You're playing soccer. Then someone says, "Wow, you're really bad." First reaction: Maybe you want to cry. Or you get angry. But stop. "You're bad" is an opinion. And opinions only express what someone thinks, not who you are or how good you are!
If someone hurts you with an opinion, you can respond like this: "That's your opinion. I see it differently." "That's not a fact. That's just what you think." These sentences make you more confident. Not everything that is said has to be true. You are allowed to have your own opinion.
Tip: Download the template with facts and opinions. Read it together, and for each sentence, think: Is this a fact or just an opinion? This way, you train your brain and learn not to believe everything others say.
When you know that many silly remarks are just opinions, you make better decisions. You don't take everything personally. You learn to protect yourself. And you can also help others with a sentence like: "That's just an opinion, but it doesn't have to be true."