New Program Encourages Kids to Learn, Grow, and Thrive Through Setbacks

CHICAGO, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — LetMeFail, a new educational initiative, debuts today to transform how students perceive and experience failure. In a culture obsessed with perfection, LetMeFail highlights setbacks as essential stepping stones to growth. The program invites students to dive into failure head-on—practicing it, reflecting on it, and mastering the art of failing better—while posing a bold question: What’s the hidden value in your missteps, and how can you turn them into triumphs?

Developed by Chic Thompson, founder of  WAGiLabs and acclaimed children’s author Lowey Bundy Sichol, LetMeFail targets students in grades 3 through 8, offering a dynamic, hands-on approach to cultivating resilience.

Schools can host a LetMeFail Day filled with activities that are doomed for failure like mind-bending square-counting challenges, Rube Goldberg machine builds, and egg drop experiments—each designed to make failure fun, thought-provoking, and instructive. These playful yet purposeful exercises encourage perseverance, spark creativity, and reveal the surprising lessons mistakes can teach.

Elementary educators from Howe-Manning School in Massachusetts praised LetMeFail as a vital tool in today’s schools, noting that students loved the activities, stayed engaged with new ideas post-session, and benefited from dedicated “fail time” that underscores how mistakes fuel learning.

The program’s flexible framework allows educators and parents to customize it with the LetMeFail Guidebook, Classroom Activities, and Author Videos. Whether implemented as a single high-energy event or woven into lessons over weeks or months, LetMeFail adapts to any learning environment. Virtual author visits further enrich the experience, spotlighting real-world stories of grit and growth to show kids that failure isn’t the end—it’s the beginning.

“We’re on a mission to rewire how kids see failure,” said Chic Thompson, founder of WAGiLabs. “At WAGiLabs, we know curiosity and innovation thrive when you’re not afraid to stumble. LetMeFail equips students with the tools to turn setbacks into springboards for success.” Co-creator Lowey Bundy Sichol, whose books inspire young minds worldwide, added, “Today’s kids are under relentless pressure to get it right every time. LetMeFail gives them permission to fall short, dig into what went wrong, and come back stronger—building not just skills, but unshakable confidence.”

LetMeFail is free for teachers, parents, and schools, complete with interactive exercises, discussion prompts, and platforms for students to share their “failure stories.” By reframing failure as a strength, the program fosters adaptability, self-assurance, and the mindset to tackle life’s challenges head-on.

Ready to bring LetMeFail to your classroom or home? Visit LetMeFail.org.

About LetMeFail
LetMeFail is an educational program that redefines failure as a cornerstone of personal growth. Tailored for students in grades 3 through 8, LetMeFail delivers hands-on activities, rich resources, and inspiring experiences to build resilience and problem-solving prowess. By turning setbacks into opportunities, LetMeFail empowers kids with the confidence and tenacity to thrive in an unpredictable world. Free and accessible, this initiative from WAGiLabs and Lowey Bundy Sichol invites educators, parents, and schools to cultivate a bold new culture of learning through failure.

SOURCE LetMeFail