"I learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it."
-- Nelson Mandela
Everyone needs a little courage sometimes. My twins are heading to kindergarten this week and I'm not sure who needs to be braver: them for heading to a new school or me for letting them go.
Actually I know they will do great, and after a few tears I'll be OK too. But there will be many times when we all need encouragement to face new things that are a bit scary. This month our Family Dinner Book Club is focusing on courage, and I've created a fun DIY activity that will help inspire your entire family to triumph over their everyday fears.
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Exploring Bravery & Courage with Family Dinner Book Club
Every month, our Family Dinner Book Club brings parents and kids together to explore a character trait with books, a themed meal, and an activity. This month we are exploring bravery & courage with a picture book by a truly courageous and inspiring woman.
Malala's Magic Pencil is an autobiographical picture book by Malala Yousafzai, the young woman who triumphed over a Taliban attack and has since gone on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala's story is an inspiration to both kids and adults, and is the perfect feature book for our courage month. You can find more books about courage and bravery from my co-host Jodie at Growing Book by Book.
How to Make a Courage Jar
For our bravery inspired activity, I decided to make a courage jar. This is a really great way to help encourage everyone in the family, as well as to start some conversations around times that we see or show courage in our daily life. Making a courage jar is super easy and requires just a few supplies.
You will need:
Directions:
Click here to see all our Family Dinner Book Club projects.
Want another fun way to give your kids a little encouragement throughout the day? Check out our HUGE collection of lunch box notes in our Kids Lunch Box Planner!
You will need:
- Mason jar or similar
- Jumbo craft sticks
- Markers
- Happy planner stickers (these are optional, but make your jar look so cute, especially if you have terrible handwriting like me. This is the set pictured above).
Directions:
Choose what you would like your courage jar sticks to say. You will want to make two sets: the first includes words of encouragement that can help inspire your kids (or you) when you feel like you need some courage.
I used these Happy Planner stickers to create my sayings, then decorated the rest of the stick with markers. You may need to cut the stickers to fit the stick. Or, you can simply write your encouraging words right on the craft stick. Be creative and make them unique for your family.
I made 10 encouragement sticks for our jar, but you can make as many or as few as you'd like.
Next, you'll want to make a set of sticks to help spark conversation about our fears and to celebrate the times that we conquer them. I made 4 of these simple prompt sticks:
Once all your sticks are finished, simply place them in your jar. Then set it in an area where everyone can easily access it on a daily basis: on the kitchen table, in your family command center, or in the living room.
When someone in the family is needing a bit of courage before the first day of school, a big test, a doctor's appointment, or anything, simply pull a stick from the jar for some encouraging words.
You can also grab one of the talking prompt sticks to share your fears, worries, or even your triumphs of the day. It's a great conversation starter and a perfect fit for your Family Dinner Book Club night!
Complete Your Family Dinner Book Club Night
Make the most of your Family Dinner Book Club experience with a courage themed menu from Sarah of Chef Sarah Elizabeth, and a list of books about bravery and courage from Growing Book by Book.
And be sure to share your Family Dinner Book Club pictures with us on Facebook!
Click here to see all our Family Dinner Book Club projects.
Want another fun way to give your kids a little encouragement throughout the day? Check out our HUGE collection of lunch box notes in our Kids Lunch Box Planner!
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