1.
Thankful ABCs
I did this activity last year in my classroom. I wanted to help my students specifically identify things about school they are grateful for. It was a little challenging but the outcome was something that brought a lot of happiness and appreciation for our school and classroom. Below is the list we came up with and a link to a printable for you to use. It could work for home as well, focus on things at home that start with each letter your family is grateful for.
Get your printable here.
2.
Gratitude Tree
Photo from Sweet Honey in 2nd |
3.
Send a Thank you Card
Take the time to have your child/students send a thank you card. Ask them to think of someone they are grateful for and then have them write a short note of thanks. Below are two different types: a decorate your own card and a fall themed card.
4.
Gratitude Jar Writing
My sister-in-law and her family's gratitude jar set up. |
5.
I found this gem on Pinterest. It is a template to fill in different blessings you have in your life. You could do this on a blank sheet of paper, but I LOVE that these ladies have given topics of gratitude {i.e. Ten things about today that I'm grateful for, Ten places on earth I'm grateful for, etc.}. This would be really fun to do altogether as a family one night. For school, I don't think some of the topics would be appropriate {Ten things about the gospel I'm grateful for} but there are TWO pages. One of the pages has 5 topics that are all school appropriate. Yay!
6.
Gratitude Collage
This is one of my favorite ideas! Especially because it can be done so many different ways. My first thought was of students using an iPad around the classroom/school/outside {with supervision} taking photos of things they're grateful for and then making a digital collage to share with each other. You could do the same thing at home with your own iPad and a collage making app. I quickly made one with existing photos on my phone using the Project Life app. You could do this with real photos/magazines/newspapers as well for a more hands on project.
7.
I will let Britni explain how to make this game happen so you don't just read it twice. This one will take some more time but it will definitely excite your children and/or students!
8.
Gratitude Themed Books
There are a lot of books that can help show the theme of gratitude to children of all ages. Below are a few that I really enjoy and I would love to hear what books you use to teach this trait.
Grateful: A Song of Giving Thanks by John Bucchino
Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
An Awesome Book of Thanks by Dallas Clayton
Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
The Thankful Book by Todd Parr
Happiness Is... by Lisa Swerling
The Most Thankful Thing by Lisa McCourt
Grateful: A Song of Giving Thanks by John Bucchino
Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
An Awesome Book of Thanks by Dallas Clayton
Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
The Thankful Book by Todd Parr
Happiness Is... by Lisa Swerling
The Most Thankful Thing by Lisa McCourt
9.
Children love to do things secretly. This activity combines that love with looking for acts of gratitude they appreciate. This is easy to be done in the classroom and at home. Give your child/student a "Gratitude Spy" sheet and have them fill it in with acts of kindness they see other people doing. For example, "I spied Dad fixing the family car." I can just imagine my cute nieces and nephews sneaking around the house looking for things they appreciate. The best part would be to share their spy reports with the family/class. What a fun experience!
10.
I found this activity here. You can just go there, or read my shortened version. The idea is to help children understand that they should be grateful for themselves and their personal worth. You start by having them think about and share things they are grateful for. After everyone has a turn, display a decorated shoe box {or any box that you can take the lid off}. Tell them that inside is a wonderful gift we should all be grateful for and that it can't be bought in a store. Invite each child to come look inside and see what it is. If you are working with multiple children, make sure they know they shouldn't tell others what was inside. Inside the box is a mirror. When they look inside, they see themselves! Take some time to discuss that each of us is something to be thankful for.
11.
Gratitude Charades and/or Pictionary
This one is pretty self explanatory. Write down a bunch of things to be grateful for on slips of paper and then use them to guide a game of Charades or Pictionary. I like this idea because with a fun game it can put the whole family/classroom in a grateful mindset.
12.
Gratitude Poems
This is a fun way to write out what you're grateful for. You can use any form of poetry to do this! It can be free verse, concrete, a haiku, limerick, acrostic, etc. One template I came up with is:
Thank you _______________
Thank you _______________
Thank you _______________
Thank you _______________
I could think of more and more
So many things to be grateful for
This could be memorized and shared with the class and/or family.
Thank you kind and gentle breeze
Thank you silent falling leaves
Thank you love and laughter sweet
Thank you softly kicking feet
I could think of more and more
So many things to be grateful for
Thank you _______________
Thank you _______________
Thank you _______________
Thank you _______________
I could think of more and more
So many things to be grateful for
This could be memorized and shared with the class and/or family.
Thank you kind and gentle breeze
Thank you silent falling leaves
Thank you love and laughter sweet
Thank you softly kicking feet
I could think of more and more
So many things to be grateful for
13.
Songs of Gratitude
Children love to sing...whether they admit it or not. You could always make up songs, but here are a couple you could also use!
Attitude of Gratitude
Attitude of Gratitude
A Song of Thanks
The Thank You Song
14.
This is a craft that can be done A LOT of different ways. You can decide how much time and effort you want to put into it. The basic idea is to make a turkey and on his feathers, write things you are grateful for. I've seen it where children paint their palm and thumb brown and other fingers different colors, I've seen it drawn and colored on paper, I've seen it done with scrapbook papers, and more! This would be a cute Thanksgiving decoration for the fridge or somewhere in the house.
Here's a really quick way to do the craft courtesy of Ms. Makinson.
Here's a really quick way to do the craft courtesy of Ms. Makinson.
15.
Gratitude Guessing Game
Another fun way to focus on things to be grateful for! This game is played by each person in the family/class writing down something he/she is grateful for. All of the papers are put into a bowl and mixed up. Papers are handed back out to the group at random. People share what is on their piece of paper and the group tries to guess who originally wrote it. Coming up with something very specific could help this game be more exciting {i.e. "Orange seashell from Ruby"}.
16.
Give guests the chance to write or draw pictures on the table the things they are grateful for.If your family is like ours, our sweet kids sit at a smaller table on Thanksgiving. I think this idea is perfect for them but it could be used on a regular dining table as well.
You could use this for the classroom as well. I would love to do this in the class! I would set up the desks like one or two long tables {i.e. 2x7} and run butcher paper down the middle on the day before Thanksgiving break. We could spend some time doing other gratitude games/activities and then have lunch together in the classroom or a small dessert.
You could use this for the classroom as well. I would love to do this in the class! I would set up the desks like one or two long tables {i.e. 2x7} and run butcher paper down the middle on the day before Thanksgiving break. We could spend some time doing other gratitude games/activities and then have lunch together in the classroom or a small dessert.
17.
Gratitude Balloon Bounce
This is a fun game for children because what child doesn't love a balloon?! Inflate a balloon and write 'Gratitude', 'Thankful', or 'Blessings' on it. Instruct children that they need to keep it off the ground AND each time they hit it they have to say something they are grateful for. If they drop it or can't think of something to say, they're out! You could do this with prizes or the winner could keep the balloon.
This is played just like catch phrase but the group comes up with the words to be used. Here's how to play:
- Everyone gets 2 strips of paper
- Write one thing on each strip that you are thankful for
- Put all the strips into a bowl
- Split into teams or just go around the table
- Take turns pulling out one strip and describing what is on the paper without saying any of the words written on the paper
- A point is given to the team for each correct guess
-Use the actual catch phrase timer or your phone {1 minute per round}
- Everyone gets 2 strips of paper
- Write one thing on each strip that you are thankful for
- Put all the strips into a bowl
- Split into teams or just go around the table
- Take turns pulling out one strip and describing what is on the paper without saying any of the words written on the paper
- A point is given to the team for each correct guess
-Use the actual catch phrase timer or your phone {1 minute per round}
19.
Gratitude Scattergories
Another fun version of a classic game. Here's how you can play the game:
- Everyone gets a sheet of paper lists 1-10
- Use a Scattergories letters dice or have a younger player pick a letter for the round
- Set a timer for 90 seconds
- Write down 10 things you are thankful for that start with the letter selected
- After the time expires take turns naming your answers. Duplicate responses are removed fro the list
- Non-duplicate responses earn a point and the person with the most points wins
- Play as many rounds as your party would like
- Everyone gets a sheet of paper lists 1-10
- Use a Scattergories letters dice or have a younger player pick a letter for the round
- Set a timer for 90 seconds
- Write down 10 things you are thankful for that start with the letter selected
- After the time expires take turns naming your answers. Duplicate responses are removed fro the list
- Non-duplicate responses earn a point and the person with the most points wins
- Play as many rounds as your party would like
20.
Gratitude Scavenger Hunt
What a cute FREE printable from Shari at Let's Get Together! This a sweet and fun way to share what you're grateful for. Shari suggests taking photos for each scavenger hunt item but you could bring the item back {if possible} or write it down if you can't take it.
Have fun doing some or all of these things to express gratitude! I can't wait to do some of these with my family this beautiful month.
What a cute FREE printable from Shari at Let's Get Together! This a sweet and fun way to share what you're grateful for. Shari suggests taking photos for each scavenger hunt item but you could bring the item back {if possible} or write it down if you can't take it.
Have fun doing some or all of these things to express gratitude! I can't wait to do some of these with my family this beautiful month.
JNatalie
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