Writing
Good bit, hard bit diary
Keep a short diary for a week, writing one good thing and one hard thing each day.
- 10 minutes
- On your own
- Ages 7–9, Ages 9–12
- At home
- Printable: writing page
What to do
- Read the saying and its meaning with an adult: there is no happiness without some misfortune woven through it.
- Each evening for a week, spend about ten minutes on the diary.
- Write the day, then one good bit and one hard bit. Use the sentence starters if they help.
- Some days the good bit will be big and the hard bit small. Some days it will be the other way round. Both are fine.
- At the end of the week, read the whole diary back. Keep it private unless you want to share a page.
Questions to talk about
- Was there a day when the hard bit led to a good bit?
- Do you agree with the saying after a week of writing?
You will need
- The printed writing page
- A pencil
Make it fit
Simpler: Draw the good bit and the hard bit, and an adult writes one word under each.
More of a stretch: On the last day, write a few lines about what the week taught you about good and hard days.
Printables
The instructions card is for the adult running the activity; the worksheet is for the children. Prints on A4 or US Letter at 100% / actual size; colour is optional.
The writing page
Good bit, hard bit diary
Name
Each day, write one good bit and one hard bit.
- Today the good bit was ...
- Today the hard bit was ...
- Tomorrow I hope ...
The instructions card
How to run it · Writing
Good bit, hard bit diary
Keep a short diary for a week, writing one good thing and one hard thing each day.
10 minutesOn your ownAges 7–9, Ages 9–12
What to do
- Read the saying and its meaning with an adult: there is no happiness without some misfortune woven through it.
- Each evening for a week, spend about ten minutes on the diary.
- Write the day, then one good bit and one hard bit. Use the sentence starters if they help.
- Some days the good bit will be big and the hard bit small. Some days it will be the other way round. Both are fine.
- At the end of the week, read the whole diary back. Keep it private unless you want to share a page.
You will need
- The printed writing page
- A pencil
Talk about
- Was there a day when the hard bit led to a good bit?
- Do you agree with the saying after a week of writing?
Make it fit
Simpler: Draw the good bit and the hard bit, and an adult writes one word under each.
Stretch: On the last day, write a few lines about what the week taught you about good and hard days.
Goes with the printable writing page.