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Fall is a great time to refresh and get you thinking of all the things you’re grateful for, and these gratitude activities for kids will help! I love that every year we have a whole holiday dedicated to being thankful, and reset our mindset to be more grateful. This year I have really tried to help my kids focus on what they have, and came up with a few fun printables to share. So let’s jump into these 9 gratitude activities for kids. Hopefully you can find one that resonates with your kids and helps them see the good around them!
Gratitude Journal Pages
Earlier in the year we were having some serious issues with one of our kids about always wanting wanting wanting! They were constantly asking to look on Amazon for things, or at the store would throw big fits about getting something. Not something they really needed, or even really wanted, but just wanted something to get something. It was super frustrating to feel like they would use their allowance to buy something only to be looking ahead to the next time they could buy.
So we intervened, put them on a spending freeze and tried to help them look for what they already have to be grateful for. It was not a smooth ride I’ll tell you that much. But in the process of all of this I designed these journal pages to help even the youngest of kids to recognize just three things everyday they’re grateful for.
There are 7 difference page designs, each with 3 things a day for 3 days of gratitude. I designed them so that even pre-readers and writers would be able to use them, with large enough boxes for pictures, or words! It took me longer to design them than it took for him to snap out of his ungrateful attitude, so this month will be the first time we use them.
I am excited that all three of my kids can participate in this activity. And that it’s one of the gratitude activities for kids that they can do everyday! You get to add the date in yourself, so if they miss a day it’s not a huge deal! I’m planning on binding them into a little book that they can work on throughout the month!
You can snag these new Gratitude journal pages for kids in my Shop right here.
Thankful Tree Craft for kids
We have done this for a few thanksgiving centerpieces. It’s super simple, and the kids love participating and watching the tree fill up with leaves each day.
Thankfully this craft is really easy and uses supplies you likely already have! For started take a walk outside with your kids and look for some sticks. You want something that has a lot of branches coming off it so that it will look like a tree. Find 3-5 branches or sticks that are the height you want, or that you can cut down.
Then stick the tree branches you found inside and arrange to look like a tree. You may want to put something heavy in the bottom of your vase so it doesn’t tip as little hands put leaves on it! Next you need some leaves that you can use to add to your thankful tree.
You can download this free version of leaves and cut out or design and cut some of your own. I always print things like this on my favorite paper, it’s a little thicker than regular paper, but not cardstock, and has a nice smooth shine to it!
Arrange the leaves under the tree. Everyday set aside a few minutes for everyone to write something on one of the leaves and put it on the tree. Talk about what you’re grateful for a why and spend a few minutes being grateful as a family.
Watch as your thankful tree craft grows beautiful leaves of gratitude!
Handpainted Thankful Turkeys
My kids always go nuts when I pull out the finger paints. Maybe it’s because I don’t do it a lot because of the mess. But for little preschoolers this is a great Thanksgiving craft, that they’ll love!
For starters you need some fingerpaint. I usually go for the washable kind so we don’t ruin any clothes, but if I am doing something I want to keep long term I go for acrylic paint. If you want to make this really cute to keep and display, I would recommend using some canvas panels instead of paper! This will hold up longer and display really well! If you are using paper, use something thicker like cardstock or heavyweight construction paper to ensure it doesn’t get all wrinkly.
Once you have your supplies ready, you need some little hands! Paint the hand, working quickly so the paint doesn’t start to dry. Paint the thumb and palm brown, and the fingers each a different color. Then press down on all parts of the hand from the tips of the fingers, working down the fingers and to the palm. Make sure you get it all pressed down well!
Let the paint dry, acrylic paint will dry faster than most washable paints so you may have to be patient. Once the handprint is dry, write along the feathers something the child is grateful for. Add a beak, wattle, and eye ball. I like to also include the date either on the back or the bottom corner.
I love this activity for preschoolers, it’s simple, fun and they don’t get too overwhelmed thinking of just 4 things they’re grateful for. It makes a cute keepsake for years to come. I love the things 3-4 year olds come up with that they are grateful for. It’s so fun to see the simple joys of life that come through the eyes of little kids!
Family Gratitude Prompts
Kids often are able to find things they’re grateful for, but sometimes as adults we do not do as good a job! That’s why I love these family gratitude conversation starter prompts. Because you get to spend time together focusing on one area where you’re family is grateful! Kids come up with the best ideas, and always leave me feeling like more grateful.
Simply print out these cards and put them in a place where you will be reminded to complete the activity each day. Draw a card, and spend 3 minutes talking about all the things you’re grateful for in that area. Try to stay on topic! If you really want to see how much you have to be grateful for, keep a running gratitude list as you go through your gratitude prompts. Write them on a piece of butcher paper on the wall, a white board, or chalkboard! Fill it up and see how much there is to be thankful for!
30 Days of Gratitude Activity for Kids
This gratitude chart can be done all at once or over the course of 30 days! As you make your gratitude list throughout the month try to think of things you were thankful for that day. This is a good way to start a gratitude journal. Print one out for each month of the year and assemble together. Try to come up with new things you are grateful for. I have found that once I start recognizing what I have, I see more and more things to be thankful for.
This is an easy thanksgiving kids activity! We have done this all at once with our family. It’s fun to see the kids stretch to think of something else they’re grateful for!
Gratitude Walk
This activity is especially great to young children. Go somewhere new and take a walk through the beautiful fall leaves, at a park, or a nearby trail. Talk with your kids about all they see, and what they’re grateful for. Help them appreciate nature and the beauty that it provides. As you walk and talk about nature help them shift into other things they’re grateful for.
I love being in the mountains with my kids. And helping them recognize and see what a beautiful place we live in. It’s so fun to hear them start to appreciate the leaves, the trees, the sky, the mountains, and see the beauty that is always before their eyes.
When it feels like there is nothing else to be grateful for, a gratitude walk can help you readjust your view in the beauty around you. No matter where you live there are beautiful things to see and appreciate! This is one of the easiest and simplest of this list of gratitude activities for kids.
Gratitude Rock Garden
My kids love to paint rocks! I don’t know if it’s that was have a whole backyard full or rocks, or that we have a cabin where they collect rocks, but they love it! For the last few years we have had little rock gardens in our backyard with all the rocks they collect and paint.
This year I thought it would be fun to alter that love a little bit and put some focus on it. So I decided we would paint rocks with things we’re grateful for. They can write words, or just create whatever it is they are grateful for. You can buy bags of nice smooth river rocks like these at most home improvement stores. They’re smooth and easy to paint. Or if you’re like us and have a yard full of rock, I just send the kids out back to find something that will work!
We usually use acrylic paints on these so they hold up better in the weather. So make sure you have plastic tablecloths for easy cleanup, and paint clothes for your kids.
Sit down and paint with them while you all express gratitude for what you have in a creative way!
Thanksgiving Thankful Turkeys
I designed these turkeys last year as a thankful coloring page. We all sat down and colored and talked about all the things we were grateful for. I was surprised that they were able to come up with such a comprehensive list of things!
When they were done we displayed their turkeys for the month to show how much we had and were thankful for. This one of the easiest gratitude activities for kids. And to make things better, this printable is available for free at this post, or you can purchase it through my Etsy Shop.
Show gratitude to loved ones
One of our favorite things to do is drop goodies off to our family and friends. My 10 year old is a mad baker, she is so good at making yummy dessert masterpieces. But we rarely can eat it all so we love to take it around to share it! These printable thankful tags are so easy to print up and connect to any goodies and have the perfect touch to show anyone how grateful you are for them.
I love how it makes my kids feel when we take treats to neighbors and friends. They love the opportunity to chat at the door, tell someone we love them, door bell ditch, and share something yummy. It’s a great way to help them see that serving others really does make them feel better too. Snag your copies of these printable tags and start sharing goodies too!
I hope you have an amazing thanksgiving this year and that these 9 gratitude activities for kids can help you and your family focus on gratitude! There is definitely healing power that comes from being grateful for what we have. I have felt that in my life when I am grateful. And I have seen that in my kids when they are grateful too. I love Thanksgiving and the time we get to sit down and just be grateful!
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2 Comments
Oh, I love these! Thank you for providing something that isn’t fall themed so we can have something to use any time of the year. 🙂 🙂
Oh, I love these! Thank you for providing something that isn’t fall themed so we can have something to use any time of the year. 🙂