I’m really thrilled to be taking part in the Create Your Own Happy Book Tour starting today. I’m really excited to be showing you one of my favourite activities from the book: making a happy jar. This is a lovely activity, which is easy to do and only requires a few cheap materials but which encourages so much happiness. You can read my review of the book Create Your Own Happy written by Penny Alexander and Becky Goddard-Hill, Illustrated by Clare Forrest.
To make a happy jar you only need a few materials and equipment, most of which you already have at home. All you really need is a jar as the decoration can be anything you want, as simple or as complicated as you want to make it.
We used some washed out jam jars with the labels removed, gel pens, stickers, white labels and post-it notes.
The girls loved reading the explanation behind making a Happy Jar and why it would help to reflect on all the little things which make you happy. All three girls were keen to make their own jar and to record the things in their day which made them happy.
We kept thins easy with this activity. The girls designed their own label for their jar and then decorated it with stickers.
Molly was clearly inspired by the illustrations in the book and wrote HAPPY in lots of different colours.
Once they were finished decorating the girls enjoyed discussing what made them happy. They started with general things, their cats, baking cakes, seeing friends. Charlotte put monkeys, of course.
As the week has gone on the girls have added little things which have made them happy. It is quick to do and so easy. They used post-it notes, so it is very easy. I added my own one from the last week of the holidays.
When it’s the end of the month, we are planning to open the jars and read what has made them happy. It is such a lovely activity to do as a family.
The finished jars look pretty and will go on the children’s new desks, a constant reminder to look for the little things which make them happy every day.
Follow along with the book tour to check out more activities from the book. Tomorrow’s activity is Create a laughter jar from Diary of the Dad.
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