“Thank your aunt for the gift!” “What do you say when I hand you the thing you asked for…?” As parents, we often remind our kids to say thank you, but all too often those words aren’t connected with the feeling of gratitude.
It may seem obvious to adults, but we have to teach kids to recognize what thankfulness feels like, so they’re more aware—and more likely to express their appreciation when they get that warm fuzzy feeling (without you having to prompt them).
The holidays are always a great time to think about gratitude, but these five activities will promote thankfulness in your kids all year long. Click here for free printables to make each of these games even easier!
Gratitude scavenger hunt
Make a list (or print ours for free) of things people can find related to gratitude, such as:
- Something you need every day
- A favorite food
- Something that makes you happy
Snap photos of (or simply write down) each thing on the list as you find it, and check them off.
Make it a race, or just reconnect when everyone’s finished and share what you found!
Thankfulness through the five senses
Tuning in to the details of what’s around you can help you feel more grateful.
Make (or print) a chart with the five senses (sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste) and have kids write or draw a favorite experience in each category that applies to them.
Last letter gratitude list
Add a fun twist to the tradition of naming things you’re thankful for! When one person names something they’re grateful for, the next person has to name something that starts with the LAST letter of the previous word.
Example: Ice creaM → MusiC → Cozy sweateR → etc.
Five-color thank yous
Start with lots of playing pieces in five different colors (you can use candy like M&Ms or Skittles, stickers, small toys, or anything that comes in five colors).
When a player randomly selects a color, they have to name something that they’re grateful for in the category that matches that color, whether it’s a person, place, thing, event, or something about themselves.
Thankful tree
Draw or print out a tree with empty branches, and cut out some leaf shapes from colored paper.
Have everyone in the family write something they’re grateful for on a leaf, and stick them on the tree.
Watch your tree fill up as you get inspired to add more ideas.
