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 This article explores why gratitude matters and
gives you simple activities, games, and exercises that can help your
child develop an attitude of gratitude every day.
Why Is It Important to Teach Children Gratitude?
Why teach your child to be thankful? First, think of the mental
health benefits. Gratitude can make your child happier. “Gratitude
helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences,
improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong
relationships,” according to Harvard Medical School experts.
Gratitude can also help boost your child’s physical health. In a
study, psychologists asked participants to write a few sentences a
week. One group wrote about what they were grateful for that week. A
second group was told to write about daily irritations. And finally,
a third group was asked to write a few sentences without any
positive or negative emphasis.
After 10 weeks, those who focused on gratitude were more optimistic,
felt better about their lives, and even exercised more—with fewer
doctor’s visits than those who focused on what irritated them.
To practice gratitude for others, children must put themselves in
the shoes of others by thinking about what they could be feeling.
These are complex social-emotional skills—ones that children tend to
develop around ages 3 to 5, making this the perfect age to introduce
gratitude into their lives.
How to Help Children Learn Gratitude
There are plenty of ways you can instill gratitude in your children.
One method is simply by modeling gratitude in your own life. Your
children watch and learn from your own actions. Here are some other
ways can help your child see how you express gratitude (from PBS for
Parents):
At bedtime, tell your child what you are thankful for and ask them
to come up with a few ideas of their own. Try to think of new things
each night. Expressing gratitude helps your child learn to look for
the good in their daily lives (as shown in the “Thankful Thinking”
activity included in this resource).
Lead by example! Children imitate adult behavior, so make an effort
to say “thank you” in your daily interactions. You can also practice
saying “please” and “thank you” with your child while you play with
a favorite toy or stuffed animal.
Write thank you notes together to a loved one, and let your children
add a picture of their own. As your children get older, encourage
them to write their own thank you cards or make gifts for people in
their lives.
5 Gratitude Exercises for Children
Keep a Gratitude Journal
By keeping a gratitude journal, children can learn to notice the
good things in their lives. For children who can write, you can find
gratitude journal printable templates here, or use prompts like
these to help your child start their own.
Younger children can draw in a journal, or they may express
themselves as children do in the early stages of development—through
scribble writing or by writing letters that match some of the sounds
in the words. They may also use invented, approximate spellings. In
a journal, any expression is great. For this activity, focus on the
idea and not the accuracy of the writing.
Start a Morning Gratitude Routine
Some simple, regular routines can help build a sense of gratitude.
At mealtime, each family member can say what they’re grateful for
that day. Or in the morning, children can start the day stating what
they’re grateful for. This can help children begin on the right foot
and set the mood for the rest of the day.
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Make a Gratitude Tree
A gratitude tree is a fun craft that’s perfect for preschoolers.
Your children can cut out “leaves” from construction paper, and
write what they’re grateful for on each leaf. It can be anything,
from family members or pets to something they like to do.
Write Poems About Gratitude
Reading or writing poems about gratitude is a fun family activity
that can encourage a child’s creative spirit. Here are a few poems
about Thanksgiving that are perfect to share with children.
Make a Gratitude Box or Jar
This is a simple craft that helps children gather tangible evidence
of how much they have to be grateful for. Any box or jar will do,
but you can craft a special one if you want.
Each day, help your child write what they’re grateful for on a slip
of paper and put it in the box or jar. At the end of the month, or
on a special day, take out the paper and read each piece with your
child.
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