Gratitude is a powerful lesson for kids, but what if we could teach them to look beyond themselves? This fun, free activity helps kids appreciate the people who make a difference in their lives!
It’s never too early to teach our kids the importance of gratitude. Many people teach their kids about gratitude by encouraging them to think about things they are grateful for. But what about a gratitude activity that teaches kids to think outside of themselves? Today I’m sharing a fun and free gratitude activity with you that does exactly that.
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Why Should We Teach Our Kids About Gratitude?
Gratitude is one of the most important character traits that kids can learn. Teaching kids to think outside themselves and be grateful for life’s little blessings will help them develop into adults who are kinder, less self-centered, and more aware than they would have otherwise been.
We can help our kids develop gratitude at an early age by finding simple ways to encourage them to think outside of themselves. The more we encourage this type of thinking, the easier it will be for our kids to act in a grateful manner when they are adults and in situations that require it.
The strategy that I share with you below helps you to teach your kids to think beyond their own little world. Encourage your kids to think outside themselves with this fun gratitude activity. Be sure to grab the free printable!
Why Do We Focus on Teaching Gratitude Around Thanksgiving?
The holiday season is a time when everybody makes an effort to slow down and think about the good things they have in their lives. While it’s ideal that we learn to be grateful all year long, during the holidays, gratitude is a main topic of discussion so it’s only natural that we talk about gratitude in our own homes this time of year.
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to focus on gratitude because, during this month, we are surrounded by reminders of how fortunate we are. We start with Thanksgiving and end with Christmas and everything in between focuses on thankfulness and gratitude too.
It’s like a reminder all month long that we should be grateful for what we have.
What better time to teach your kids about the importance of being grateful and looking outside of themselves than now, during the holiday season? This gratitude activity will have your child feeling thankful in no time!
What is the Best Way to Teach Kids to Think Outside Themselves?
One of the best ways that you can encourage your kids to think beyond themselves is by showing them how much you appreciate them. Kids model what they see. When they see you being grateful for everybody and everything in your life, even when you’re having a rough day, they will model that same behavior.
This time of year, many families encourage their kids to make lists of items they are grateful for. This is a wonderful activity! But wouldn’t it be even better if, instead of focusing on things, we focused on people we are grateful for?
This free printable gratitude activity helps you to teach kids to think outside of themselves by focusing on people they are grateful for.
Download Your Free Printable Gratitude Activity Template
Today I am sharing a brand new, gratitude-themed printable activity with you. This printable features 4 beautiful pages, including 12 card-sized templates for your kids to fill out.
First, your kids need to think about 12 people they are grateful for in their lives. This could be friends, teachers, family members, or community workers. Assign one person to each card, and have your kids fill each card out. This will get them to focus on the things they love and appreciate about that person and will really get them thinking outside of themselves.
At the end of the activity, you can choose what to do with your cards. Cut them up and give them to the person in question, save them in some kind of gratitude journal, or display them on your gratitude wall or other gratitude display.
Sound good? I thought so. If you think your kids would benefit from this activity, Grab your gratitude template now!
Feel free to do this activity again and again! You could do one card every day leading up to Thanksgiving or you could do several cards every Sunday. The choice is yours! However you choose to complete this activity, your kids are sure to gain some valuable lessons and insights.
Who Are We Most Grateful For?
It’s pretty easy for most adults to come up with the list of people in their lives that they are grateful for, but your kids may have a harder time with this.
Here are just a few ideas of people your child might be grateful for.
- Teachers
- Coaches
- Friends
- Aunts/Uncles
- Cousins
- Grandparents
- Mailman
- Grocer
- Waiter/Waitress
- Siblings
- Neighbors
- Church leaders
Encourage your kids to think about the people they interact with on a regular basis and why that person makes a difference in their life
After they come up with a list of people, you can have them explain why they are grateful for that person. Letting them share their thoughts about each person will help to cement the lesson in their minds and encourage them to be grateful for all of the people in their lives.
More Fun Gratitude Activities
There are so many ways to teach kids about gratitude! Here are just a few more examples of fun gratitude activities for kids.
- Make a gratitude wall or door
- Make a gratitude pumpkin
- Keep a gratitude journal
- Participate in a month-long gratitude challenge
- Write a letter of gratitude
- Give somebody a compliment
- Go on a gratitude walk and make a list of all the things you see that you are grateful for
- Start a love jar
- Make a treat for a neighbor or friend that you are grateful for
- Make a gratitude jar
- Count your blessings as you brush your teeth
- Give somebody a small, anonymous gift (rock, pine cone, note, etc)
- Go on a field trip to learn about somebody who has done something good for someone else
- Take pictures of random acts of kindness that you see all around you
- Do an act of service for somebody you love
More Thanksgiving Resources
Thanksgiving and Kids
Teaching Kids the History of Thanksgiving
Free Thanksgiving Printables
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