As we enter the season of Thanksgiving and we focus on gratitude and thankfulness, it is meaningful for children to recognize and practice gratitude. This will lead to a greater understanding of mindfulness, empathy, and interpersonal skills.
Experts like Dr. Robert Emmons, who have studied gratitude, found that when people regularly engage in gratitude, they experience measurable psychological, physical, and interpersonal benefits including higher levels of positive emotions like optimism, enthusiasm, love, and happiness.
Many people think gratitude is simply saying “thank you,” but it is so much more. It is a way of thinking and a daily practice. Discussing the many positive things your child has in their lives; schoolteachers, food to eat, friends, and more will help your child understand the feeling of gratitude.
Fun activities can help your child engage with practicing thankfulness and gratitude. We have included some activities and crafts educators, and parents can use to help teach children the abstract concept of gratitude.
Activity #1: Gratitude Jar
For this activity all you will need is a jar, paper, and decorations!
Set a specific time aside to write a note or draw something that represents something you are grateful for. Slip the note in the jar each day and watch it fill up over the month.
On Thanksgiving, take the notes out and read them aloud to hear what everyone has been grateful for.
Activity #2: Thank You Card
Receiving a thank you card always feels nice, and it lets you know that the person appreciated your gift or something you did. Children can create personalized thank you cards with drawings for special people in their lives.
Handmade cards are personal and something you can do together. This art project gets children to actively think about what they are thankful for. After, they can hand deliver these cards to their loved ones to connect with them through acts of kindness.
Activity #3: Vision Board
November is not the only time we need to express our gratitude. To continue with an attitude of gratitude, gather some magazines and have your child tear out pictures of things for which they are grateful for and of things they would like to do for others.
Glue the pictures to a large piece of paper to create a vision board that will remind them to be grateful all year long.
Activity #4: Thankful ABCs
A fun activity to get your child expressing gratitude while practicing their alphabet is “Thankful ABCs.” Write out letters A-Z and have your child write or draw something they are thankful for beginning with the letter A.
This activity can be played anywhere and challenges your child’s creativity and vocabulary.
Activity #5: Gratitude Candy Game
Not sure what to do with all that leftover Halloween Candy?
Candy like M&Ms or Skittles work perfectly for this activity. If you don’t have candy, colored sticks or paper will work too. Grab 4-5 colors and a sheet of paper or find a printout online. After dinner each night have your child pick out a colored candy from a bowl. According to what color they choose they will name something they are thankful for.
For example, if they choose the color blue, they have to name a place they are thankful for.