While child-friendly gratitude activities are plentiful, especially around Thanksgiving, teaching kids gratitude with a gratitude challenge will go a long way in teaching this life-changing skill.
Because when it comes to Thanksgiving and kids, there is so much more to this important holiday than just turkey and pie.
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Teaching Gratitude to Kids with a Gratitude Challenge
Gratitude is a life lesson that, when taught properly, will follow your children long after their childhood years are over. Encouraging your children to develop grateful hearts is not only to bless others, but to also help frame their own perspective.
Being Grateful in All Things
I am a firm believer in being grateful in all things. I honestly believe that when you are able to be grateful for the little things in life, the bad, horrible, nasty things don’t seem so bad. And when you’re focused on looking for things to be grateful for, more good things tend to jump out at you.
This kind of attitude makes for a naturally happier person, no matter what life throws their way. And this is the kind of person I want all of my kids to grow up to be – truly happy and aware of how blessed they are, no matter what.
Gratitude is More Than Just a “Thank You”
From a young age, we remind children to say “thank you” to show a quick manner of gratitude. However, as they grow older, children will need to understand the much longer version of what it means to be thankful. After all, the true feeling of gratefulness requires more than just the platitude of a simple phrase when somebody gives you a gift.
Que in the challenge of helping kids develop a truly thankful heart. Keep reading for 3 intentional ways to teach gratitude to your children and a challenge to make it stick.
Related – Teaching Kids Gratitude with a Gratitude Journal
Teaching Gratitude to Children – 4 Simple Ideas
Gratitude Mail
Back to the topic of kids getting in the habit of saying a quick “thanks,” gratitude mail requires them to take some time and really think about what it means to be grateful. For this activity, have your children choose 3 people to write a gratitude postcard to and send it to them by mail.
You can choose to do 3 all in one day or spread them out throughout the week. Help them think of people they are truly grateful for. Perhaps they have a family member battling cancer who’s showing them how to be brave. Maybe their best friend let them borrow a bike last week.
Whoever they choose, make sure the message is well thought out and sincere. An extra thing you can do is write each of your children a gratitude postcard and send it to them so they receive gratitude mail too. This can give kids an real-world example of what it feels like to receive genuine gratitude from a loved one
Thankful Whiteboard
To help show your children more appreciation, mount a small whiteboard on each person’s bedroom door – yours included. Let everyone in the family know they can write on them as long as the message is positive. Displaying personal positivity for everybody else to see will do wonders to boost each of your children’s self-esteem and give them even more gratitude practice.
Some ideas of what to write on the board are:
- Thank you notes
- Bible verses
- Appreciation statements
- Words of encouragement
- Positive pictures (smiley faces, hearts, etc.)
It may take a few reminders to get used to; however, this will give everyone – especially your children – a new way to communicate their appreciation for one another.
Appreciation Balloons
This is one family activity that you’ll want to add to the calendar at least once a week. Have your children write one note of thanks or appreciation and roll it up. For example, “Thanks for helping with the dishes this week!” Place it inside of the balloon, blow it up, and tie it off.
Write the name of the person the balloon is for on the outside so you’ll know who gets what balloon. You can put them all in a pile and have the children find the balloons with their names on it, or simply have them give it to who it’s intended for.
Take turns popping the balloons and reading the messages inside. You’ll find that your children will love showing appreciation as much as receiving it! This is a fun and exciting way to practice gratitude for every family member, from the 2-year-old to the 82-year-old.
Daily Gratitude Challenge for Kids
Simple gratitude activities like the ones listed above are a great way to get started on the quest to teaching kids to be grateful, but if you’re looking for a way to help permanently foster a heart of gratitude in your children, consider doing this daily gratitude challenge.
Write down each of the ideas listed below on slips of paper. Fold and place them in a gratitude box (or gratitude jar). If you include 30 slips per family member (it’s okay if some are duplicated) then you are well on your way to a free 30-day gratitude challenge!
Each morning, have your children draw a slip of paper from the box or jar and that becomes their mission for the day. Each night have a discussion with your children to see if their mission was accomplished. Continue until all the slips are gone or add them back into the box to keep the challenge going.
Challenge Ideas to Consider:
- Say thank you.
- Give away something you no longer use.
- Tell someone you love them.
- Call a friend.
- Give someone a treat.
- Hold the door for a stranger.
- Send a thank-you note.
- Compliment a stranger.
- Share a word of encouragement.
- Take a thankful pause.
- Say a prayer of gratitude, specifically listing some small things you are grateful for.
- Volunteer.
- Show a random act of kindness.
- Take a meal to a homeless person.
- Call a family member.
- Text a family member.
- Let someone know you appreciate them.
- Draw a picture or write a poem for somebody.
- Pick up some trash that you find on the ground (at home or out and about).
- Give a hug (or send a virtual hug) to somebody going through hard times
- Write down a list of little things you are grateful for in your own gratitude journal
- Think of some positive emotions a loved one makes you feel. (joy, peace, safety, love, etc) Write them down and give them to the person.
If you want, I’ve made a printable list of 20 simple ideas for you to include in your 30-day challenge. You’ll have to come up with 10 more or just duplicate a few to make a full 30 days, but it’s a start. Just print, cut out each idea into little slips, and you’re ready to go.
And when you print out this 30 Day Gratitude Challenge for Kids list, you will also receive a paper Gratitude Jar that you can use instead of/in addition to. Some families prefer drawing and writing rather than shoving slips in a jar or pulling them out of a jar, so this paper jar activity will help with that. Both are included in the list/bundle so you have options.
Regardless of your approach to teaching gratitude to your children whether you follow a 30-day challenge or just enjoy simple activities at home, make it a point to express appreciation toward your children. In essence, what they see modeled for them will become the actions they reciprocate. Always seek to practice intentional gratuity – a long-lasting attitude of gratitude.
And if you liked these gratitude challenge tips, you’re going to LOVE this Christ-Giving Tree. It’s our new favorite Christ-centered holiday tradition!
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Thanksgiving and Kids – Playing and Learning All Season Long
The History of Thanksgiving
Teaching Kids Gratitude
Thanksgiving STEM Activities
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