There’s something very special about teaching children that it’s okay to struggle. In fact, it’s more than okay. It’s how we grow. I’ve always believed that little hands need little reminders. Not lectures. Not long speeches. Just something they can hold, shake, peek into, and remember: “I can try again.”
This craft is simple, inexpensive, and surprisingly powerful. We’re going to make a “Never Give Up” Determination Jar — a small jar filled with colorful paper “challenge slips” and encouraging reminder notes. It becomes a cozy little tool they can use whenever they feel frustrated or want to quit.
And the best part? It’s made from things you probably already have tucked away in a drawer.
Let’s gather up our supplies and get started.
Materials You’ll Need
- 1 clean, empty jar with lid (a jam jar or peanut butter jar works beautifully)
- Construction paper or scrap paper in several colors
- Markers or crayons
- Stickers (optional but fun)
- Glue or tape
- Ribbon, yarn, or string
- Child-safe scissors ✂️
- Small bowl (for holding paper slips while you work)
- Optional: glitter glue, washi tape, or old magazine pictures
That’s it. No fancy tools. No complicated steps. Just simple materials and a little time together.
Step 1: Prepare the Jar Together 🫙✨
First, wash and dry the jar thoroughly. If the label is stubborn, soak it in warm soapy water for a bit — that usually does the trick. Little ones love helping peel labels, by the way. It feels like a secret mission.
Once the jar is clean and dry, set it on the table and let the children decorate it.
You can:
- Wrap ribbon around the neck of the jar 🎀
- Glue on paper shapes
- Add stickers
- Use markers to draw directly on the glass (permanent marker works best — this part is for grown-up hands)
On a piece of construction paper, help them write “Never Give Up” or “I Can Do Hard Things.” If they’re still learning to write, you can lightly pencil the words for them to trace. Cut it out and glue it onto the jar.
Little hands may need help with cutting and tying ribbon. Keep scissors pointed down and remind them to sit while cutting ✂️🙂.
While decorating, gently talk about times when they kept trying even when something felt hard — riding a bike, tying shoes, finishing a puzzle. Keep it light and cheerful.
Step 2: Make the Determination Slips 🌈
Now for the heart of the jar.
Cut colorful paper into small strips — about the size of a fortune cookie message. You’ll want 20–30 slips if you can manage it.
On half of the slips, write “challenge ideas.” These are small tasks that encourage persistence. For example:
- Try building the tallest block tower you can 🏗️
- Practice writing your name three times
- Draw a picture without erasing
- Do 5 jumping jacks
- Finish a puzzle piece you skipped
- Learn one new word today
- Try tying your shoes one more time
Keep challenges age-appropriate. For younger grandchildren, keep it simple and physical. For older ones, you can include school-related efforts like reading a page out loud.
On the other half of the slips, write encouraging messages such as:
- Mistakes help me learn 💛
- I am brave when I try
- I can try again
- Slow is still progress
- Every expert was once a beginner
- I get stronger when things are hard 💪
- It’s okay to ask for help
Let them decorate each slip with tiny drawings or stickers. Even scribbles count. The goal isn’t neatness — it’s ownership.
If writing becomes tiring, take a snack break. Determination shouldn’t feel exhausting.
Step 3: Talk About “The Wobbly Feeling” 💭
Before placing the slips inside the jar, sit together for a moment and talk about frustration.
I like to call it “the wobbly feeling.” Children understand that.
You might say, “You know that feeling when you want to stomp your foot and say ‘I can’t’? That’s the wobbly feeling. This jar is for that moment.”
Ask them:
- What feels hard sometimes?
- What do you do when you feel like quitting?
Keep the tone gentle. No correcting or lecturing. Just listening.
This conversation is just as important as the craft itself.
Step 4: Fill the Jar and Create a Ritual 🎉
Fold each slip and place them into the jar together. Shake it a little so they mix up.
Now explain how it works:
Whenever they feel frustrated, they can:
- Take a deep breath 🌬️
- Open the jar
- Pull out one slip
- Read it (or have Grandma read it)
- Try again
You might even practice once. Pretend something is hard — maybe stacking blocks until they fall — and then dramatically say, “Oh dear, I have the wobbly feeling!” Then pull out a slip and try again.
Children learn through play. Keep it playful.
Step 5: Make It Visible and Accessible 🏡
Place the jar somewhere easy to reach — maybe near the homework table, craft corner, or play area.
The key is visibility. If it’s tucked away in a cabinet, it won’t be used.
You can also create a little “determination spot” with a small pillow or chair nearby. A calm-down corner, but without calling it that. Just a cozy thinking place.
Step 6: Model Determination Yourself 💕
This is the quiet secret of the whole project.
Use the jar yourself.
If you’re baking cookies and burn a batch, say, “Well now, I suppose I need the jar today!” Pull a slip and read it out loud.
When children see grown-ups practicing persistence, the message settles deeper than any lecture ever could.
Gentle Safety Notes ⚠️
- Supervise scissor use closely.
- Avoid very small decorative pieces if toddlers are nearby.
- If using permanent markers, handle those yourself.
- Keep glitter minimal unless you enjoy sparkles for weeks (and I say that from experience).
Variations for Different Ages 🌟
For Preschoolers:
- Use picture challenges instead of written words.
- Add smiley face drawings.
- Keep slips short and simple.
For Early Elementary:
- Let them write their own encouragement notes.
- Add goal-based slips like “Read 10 minutes.”
For Older Children:
- Include bigger challenges like “Practice math for 5 more minutes.”
- Add reflection slips: “What did I learn from this?”
Why This Craft Matters
Determination isn’t built in one big heroic moment. It grows in tiny, ordinary ones — tying shoes, finishing puzzles, trying again after falling down.
This jar makes perseverance tangible. It gives children something to reach for when their feelings feel bigger than they are.
And quietly, without fuss, it teaches them:
Frustration is normal.
Trying again is powerful.
They are capable.
Storage and Maintenance Tips 🧺
Every few weeks, refresh the slips. Remove ones that feel too easy and add new challenges.
You can even date the slips and save old ones in a small envelope to look back on later. It’s lovely to see progress over time.
If the jar gets smudged, simply wipe it down with a damp cloth. If decorations peel off, let them repair it — another lesson in persistence.
A Little Grandma Truth
Some days, they won’t want to use the jar. Some days, they’ll still cry. That’s alright.
Determination isn’t about never feeling upset. It’s about learning that those feelings pass — and that trying again is always an option.
And when they’re grown, they may not remember the exact jar. But they’ll remember that when something felt hard, Grandma believed they could handle it.
That belief stays.
