These fun character building activities that teach perseverance are part of my character building education series. Today’s lesson provides a number of hands-on experiences to teach kids the value of learning to persevere.
Just because it’s a learning opportunity doesn’t mean it’s going to be boring. Trust me, kids are going to have fun with this one.
Character Building Education Series
Welcome to my character building education series, where we work on 52 traits throughout the year. 52 character traits means you can work on building character with your kids every single week of the year. Each trait comes with over 7 lessons, which means you can be working on character every single day of the year!
You have found a lesson on perseverance. Please visit my perseverance tab to see all of my lessons. It’s always nice to start the perseverance lesson off with the very first perseverance lesson, which teaches the meaning of the word and a Bible verse that goes along with it.
Here is today’s lesson:
Subject: Character Building – Perseverance
Objective: Kids will learn how to persevere in fun activities and experience the joy of improving after working hard at something.
Perseverance Bible Verse
As a reminder to work on the Bible verse daily with your kids, here it is:
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets theprize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24 NIV
Fun Character Building Activities that Teach Perseverance
Today will be filled with activities that will challenge your kids to persevere. Knowing that this series can be used on kids of all ages, I will provide a list of possible perseverance stations. You can decide which activities might challenge your kids while also providing enjoyment.
If teaching in a classroom, set up stations around the room and have kids take turns at each station. You can do a variety of different stations or the same station repeated a number of times just to get all the kids through the activity.
Choose tasks that kids will not be able to accomplish on their first try.
We chose to do five different stations. The kids were having fun, it kept them occupied and it really drives home the lesson on perseverance. You can set up as many stations as you would like.
Perseverance Activity Station Options
Ball or Egg on Spoon Relay
Choose a small spoon with a big ball or egg. We picked out baby spoons to use. The size of the object to carry can be varied based on your child’s age and ability.
Simply have kids carry the object from one place to another. This activity can be an outdoor or an indoor activity.
The goal is to go from one spot to another and back again without dropping the ball. Have them keep working at it until they’ve accomplished the task.
Ring Toss
Using a ring toss set, set up a ring toss for your child. Don’t have a ring toss set? Cut out the center of plastic paper plates and toss them at cups or mason jars. Practice yourself to determine an appropriate distance.
Make a ring toss goal like this: I will make 3 in a row.
Bean Bag Toss
Set up a bucket for kids to throw bean bag and balls into. Have them set a challenging yet attainable goal for themselves like, “I will get five in a row.”
Ping Pong Bounce
On a table set up a small container and hand your child a ping pong ball. Show kids how to bounce the ball and land it in the container.
It will take practice, which is what character building activities that teach perseverance are all about.
Have them set a challenging but attainable goal for themselves. This will be different for different ages and abilities.
Frog Hop Game
This frog hop game is a fun little push game for kids. Kids push the little tab and watch the front fly into the pond. Have kids set a goal for themselves.
More Fun Activities that Teach Perseverance
There are lots of activities that kids can do that require practice and perseverance in order to succeed. For each of the activities, set a challenging and yet achievable goal.
Here are more perseverance station ideas:
- basketball shots
- water bottle flipping
- cup stacking
- corn hole shots
- any of these OREO cookie challenges
- any of these Minute to Win It challenges
After working toward their goals have them repeat their Bible verse – “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24 NIV
Celebrate their victories with a little ribbon ceremony. I made very simple perseverance ribbons we could pin on them.
Encourage sibling or classmate to cheer along and celebrate one another’s victories. It’s not all just about ourselves learning to persevere, but it is also about celebrating when other people reach their goals as well.
Want More Perseverance Activities?
Children’s Books About Perseverance
Ice Cream in a Bag Experiment Teaches Perseverance
Note: This post was originally written in 2012 but was updated in 2020 with better pictures and formatting.
