Every kid has their hero. Maybe yours is obsessed with Elsa's ice powers, or they're convinced they can swing through the city like Spiderman.

These stories aren't just entertaining, they're secretly teaching our kids loyalty, bravery, friendship, and a trait we don't talk about enough: tenacity. You know, that stubborn determination to keep going even when things get tough?

We want our kids to tackle their challenges the same way their favorite characters do. We've come up with a list of activities that make building tenacity feel less like work and more like an adventure. Because when your kiddo knows how to push through the hard stuff, they'll face their challenges with the same brave, never-back-down attitude as their favorite hero. 

Physical Challenges: Building Strength and Grit

Learn a Sport: Whether it's soccer, swimming, or gymnastics, sports naturally teach kids to practice, fail, try again, and celebrate progress. Focus on effort and improvement, not just winning.

Ride a Bike: Let your child struggle a bit (safely!). Encourage them to get back on after a tumble. Celebrate balancing for three seconds or pedaling two feet farther than yesterday.

Obstacle Course at Home: Set up a simple course using pillows, furniture, and tape. Time them and let them beat their own record. It's physical, fun, and builds perseverance!

Fun Creative Challenges

Paint a Picture: Give your child a painting project that takes multiple sessions. When they get frustrated, remind them that it doesn't need to be perfect, and the more they do it, the better they'll get.

Build a Fort: Encourage them to build, rebuild, and keep trying until their fort is exactly how they want it. Problem-solving, creativity and tenacity, all in one project that they're probably dying to do anyways. 

Learn a New Craft: Origami, bracelet-making, building with LEGOs... pick something that requires patience. Celebrate the effort, highlight how the end result wouldn't be nearly as cool without the effort they just put in. 

Daily Tenacity Builders

Simple habits that quietly build grit:

Read 20 Minutes Every Day: Consistency is the goal with this one. Reading is a great skill for kids in general and using it to develop a daily habit is even more so. Some kids find this one harder than others, maybe even just 10 minutes together works for your family!

Keep a "Hard Things I Did" Journal: At the end of each day, have your child write or draw one hard thing they did. Over time, they'll develop an innate knowledge that they can do hard things.

Set Weekly Personal Goals: Let your child set one small goal each week: "Make my bed every day" or something you know they'd be excited to do or learn. Check in and celebrate when they follow through.

Reflect on Mistakes: At dinner, ask: "What's one mistake you made today, and what did it teach you?" This normalizes failure as a learning opportunity.

5-Minute Challenge Blocks

Set a timer for just 5 minutes and have your child focus on one thing. It's amazing what kids can accomplish when they know there's an end in sight! This builds stamina without feeling overwhelming.

• Reading practice

• Cleaning one messy area

• Practicing a skill

• Working on homework

Small bites make big tasks feel doable!

The Big Idea: How Tenacity Actually Grows:

• Small daily discomfort (trying something that feels a little hard)

• Completing small tasks (finishing what they start)

• Reflecting on effort (noticing when they pushed through)

• Being allowed to struggle safely (with you nearby, cheering them on)

Building tenacity is a lifetime process but small daily movements will set your kid in the right direction. Don’t be discouraged when things don’t stick right away. Take things in bite-sized chunks and a lot of patience, and one day you’ll look up and have a kid who knows they can do anything they set their mind to.