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Key Takeaways:
- When children practice gratitude, they are more likely to feel happy and less stressed.
- Engaging activities to teach kids about gratitude include scavenger hunts and making a collage.
- Gratitude activities can be done both individually and in groups.
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Practicing gratitude is an important skill to develop. It can be easy to focus on the negative things in life, but being grateful for the positive things, even the small ones, can make children feel happier and more satisfied. Gratitude activities for kids can help strengthen this skill.
Here's why teaching gratitude to kids matters, along with enjoyable exercises to get them started!
The Importance of Teaching Gratitude to Kids
Gratitude is a powerful positive emotion that means appreciating the good things in life. It goes beyond just saying "thank you" and involves a deeper acknowledgment. Research shows that gratitude offers numerous benefits, such as improved optimism, reduced stress, and even physical benefits like increased exercise and fewer visits to the doctor [*].
An article from the Anxiety & Depression Association of America mentions other benefits of gratitude, such as increased social connection, better sleep quality and duration, and a reduced risk of suicide [*].
Simple practices, such as writing kind notes to friends and helping someone with their homework, can help young people develop a sense of gratitude. It doesn’t have to be difficult!
10 Gratitude Activities for Kids
One of the best ways to instill a sense of gratitude in children from an early age is to do fun gratitude activities. Here are a few to consider:
1. The Thankful Tree
The Thankful Tree is a wonderful activity that helps children develop an attitude of gratitude by creating a visual representation of the things they appreciate. This activity is well-suited for kids aged 5-12 years old.
They will need construction paper in different colors, scissors, markers, and a large piece of paper to create the tree trunk. Have your child cut out leaf shapes from the construction paper, and then write or draw one thing they are grateful for on each leaf!
2. The Gratitude Game
In this interactive activity, children get to express their appreciation for various aspects of their lives by picking a stick and sharing their thoughts. This activity requires popsicle sticks, markers, and a container jar to hold the sticks.
On each popsicle stick, write a prompt, such as:
- Name a person you are grateful for and why.
- Describe something in nature that you appreciate.
- Share a skill, strength, or talent you are thankful for. (Use our My Strengths Worksheet as inspiration!)
Place all the sticks in a container, and have kids take turns picking a stick and responding to the prompt by sharing their thoughts. It’s great for those aged 6-12 years old.
3. Thankful ABC
The Thankful ABC activity involves listing things they are thankful for using each letter of the alphabet, from A to Z, on a piece of paper. As they find something, they can reflect on both big and small blessings.
This activity is suitable for kids ages 5 and up, although younger children may need help coming up with ideas. Older kids can do this more independently.
Gather the necessary materials, such as a sheet of paper or notebook, a pencil or colored marker, and an alphabet template (for younger kids). After they complete the list, feel free to discuss some of the items. Teachers may ask, “Why are you thankful for this?” or “How does this make you feel?”
4. My Gratitude Walk
Here’s how to teach kids gratitude which involves taking a walk and consciously noticing and appreciating things around them. This activity is best completed using our My Gratitude Walk Worksheet, which engages their senses. Children ages 4 and up can participate with guidance from their parents and teachers.
Make sure they wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. To explain the purpose of the activity, you might want to say, “Today, we’re going on a Gratitude Walk. As we walk, let’s pay attention to things we see, hear, smell, and feel that make us happy or thankful.”
5. Gratitude Scavenger Hunt
While a gratitude walk is more open-ended, this activity is more structured since it provides children with a specific list of items to find. This adds an element of challenge! This game is suitable for kids ages 4 and up.
To start a gratitude scavenger hunt, provide them with a list of items to find, a pencil to check off items, and a camera (optional) to photograph their findings. As they find each item, encourage them to express why they are grateful for it.
6. Gratitude Collage
A great activity for kids of all ages, a gratitude collage allows them to visually represent things they are grateful for. While they assemble the collage using pictures from magazines and newspapers, they’re able to practice mindfulness.
According to a study involving multiple sources, mindfulness leads to increased levels of gratitude through enhanced positive affect. Higher levels of gratitude then lead to greater prosocial motivation (or a person’s drive to help others) [*].
Let kids know that there’s no right or wrong way to arrange the collage. They can also personalize their work by adding text, drawings, or decorations!
7. Thankful Hearts
This is one of the easiest gratitude exercises for kids that entails writing or drawing what they are thankful for on the heart-shaped cutouts. Suitable for different age groups, Thankful Hearts can be done individually or as a family or classroom activity. It can also be incorporated into lessons about kindness.
Children will need construction paper in various colors, scissors, markers, and other decorative materials. After they cut out heart shapes from the construction paper, they will write or draw something they are thankful for.
Finally, arrange the hearts on a larger piece of paper or poster board for a beautiful display!
8. Gratitude Yoga
Integrating gratitude into yoga sessions can encourage individuals to reflect on the blessings in their lives during physical movement. This activity often involves a community aspect, in which people come together to share their gratitude.
The recommended age range for gratitude yoga varies from 5+ years old to 11 years old. One of the best resources to teach gratitude to kids through yoga is our Managing Stress With Yoga Handout.
Prepare a space that’s large enough for children to move freely. A large yoga mat will do. We recommend starting with gentle warm-up exercises, as well as deep breathing.
9. Gratitude Journal
Journaling provides an opportunity for children to reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. In this activity, they intentionally direct their attention to the goodness in their daily experiences. Kids as young as 6 years can start journaling, and prompts may be needed to structure their entries.
This can be done individually, as a family, or even as a class! We recommend setting a regular time for journaling, such as before bedtime or during quiet moments.
10. Gratitude Books
Stories featuring characters appreciating the good things in their lives give kids helpful examples to learn from. Fortunately, there are plenty of books that are great for children as young as 3 years.
Some of the common themes gratitude books promote include valuing relationships, giving back, and developing a growth mindset. Set the stage for reading by choosing a comfortable spot with some cushions or blankets. After reading a book, you can ask the child open-ended questions on their thoughts about gratitude.
The Bottom Line
One of the keys to happiness is the practice of gratitude, and it is important to make it a normal part of a child’s routine. Activities, such as interactive exercises and crafts, make the concept of gratitude tangible, especially for younger children. Moreover, children are more likely to retain the lesson they’ve learned.
Want to teach kids other essential character traits? Feel free to check out our Character Education Posters that discuss gratitude, kindness, forgiveness, and more!
References:
- Giving thanks can make you happier. (2021, August 14). Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
- The Mental Health Benefits of Gratitude for Kids & Teens. (n.d.). Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/mental-health-benefits-gratitude-kids-teens
- Sawyer, K. B., Thoroughgood, C. N., Stillwell, E. E., Duffy, M. K., Scott, K. L., & Adair, E. A. (2022). Being present and thankful: A multi-study investigation of mindfulness, gratitude, and employee helping behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 107(2), 240–262. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000903
