Inspire Children to be Grateful!
Fun Activities to Promote Thankfulness in Children
With thanksgiving around the corner, let’s encourage gratitude in children. That begins with setting an example. Thank God before meals, thank family members when they help out or express a kind thought, and make comments that show you are thankful for God’s blessings.
Gratitude expresses appreciation for the value of something instead of the monetary cost, in noticing the kindness in words and actions of others. In faith, it is also acknowledging the blessings of God. We can take it a bit deeper by naming the reason for our thankfulness and being specific. For example, instead of simply thanking a child for setting the table show you observed their work with a smile and the words, “Thank you son, for setting the table, and carefully putting the napkins and silverware at each place.”
Living a grateful life has been shown to make people feel happier and stimulates the area of the brain associated with learning and decision making, plus increases empathy in people. It also reduces depressive symptoms. Research also indicates gratitude helps the immune system, lowers blood pressure, and promotes a deeper, more restorative sleep. Being thankful also triggers the nervous system to be calm and increase hormones that make us feel happy. So inspiring gratitude in children benefits them in many ways.
Engage in fun activities that promote gratitude
Dish up thanks. Beside a fun treat set out a bowl with names of family members and any guest. Take turns drying a name and let the person who drew compliment the person whose name he or she drew. They can add thanks for how the person has impacted their life or what they added to the day.
Make a thankful Christmas chain. Cut 30 paper strips in Christmas colors and have children write or draw about a blessing on each strip. Link them together with tape or glue to make a long chain. Start the day after Christmas to cut off an end link and talk about the blessing. That will help everyone focus on gratitude through Christmas Eve.
Scripture Gratitude. Try one of these activities that use scriptures:
Read Psalm 103. As you read, let children give a thumbs up sign and say the repeated phrase ‘His faithfulness endures forever.”
Read Psalm 37 and let the children give a thumbs up or down for what’s good and what’s bad.
Read Matthew 8:23-27 or Matthew 14:22-33. Let children use thumbs up or down to decide if what happened was good or bad. Each time it’s good think of how to thank God such as thank God for boats, keeping us safe, or for disciples. Discuss how we learn from problems and struggle and should also be grateful for the lessons.
Name a blessing and dance! List reasons to thank God. Then take kernels of corn and a glass with clear soda. Have a child drop in a kernel of corn while thanking God for a blessing. The corn will start dancing after a short wait! Your children can dance too, and continue to praise God. Later, make popcorn and let them shout praises and dance as they hear the popping.
Through gratitude children look outward to notice how God and people bless them. They learn that kindness and love they receive makes a difference and that God provides so much for us. They should feel happier as they reflect on all they have, including a loving family and a God who loves them. As children recall their blessings, we hope it helps them feel grateful and inspires them to reach out with kindness and love to others.
Be Grateful!