4 Ways to Practice Gratitude with your Kids

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I love teaching my kids how to practice gratitude! Why? Oh because it focuses on all the things we are or can be thankful for. It gives an appreciation to gratitude. Ever wonder how we can help instill a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the little things in life by practicing gratitude with our children? What if it were possible to make gratitude a habit?

What if we could teach our children how to find joy in the little things and appreciate life in its entirety, even when they are faced with difficult circumstances? What would the world look like then?

Imagine a world where people have learned how to practice gratitude in their everyday lives. And what would be the best way for us to teach them this skill? By modeling it ourselves. Here are four ways you can start practicing gratitude today with your kids or just by yourself!

1. KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL

A gratitude journal (How to teach your kids to be grateful) is a great way to keep a log of things you are grateful for in your life. Whether it is writing in a physical journal, keeping a gratitude app on your phone, or creating a list on your computer- all that matters is that you have somewhere to go when you want to read over what has been going right in your life.

Before you ask why you’d want a list of all the things you are thankful or grateful for in your life. When bad things come into your life you start questioning why it is always you? Why you are going through this? Why doesn’t anything good ever happen? This is the time that a list of things you are grateful for will come in handy. Go over that list and read each one, thinking back on the time.

If you are someone that struggles with writing then this one may not be the best option for you. (Tip: For the littles, this could be a great way to learn to write or they could draw) However, if you are someone that loves to write or is more of a creative person then I would definitely recommend this one.

The first thing you would want to do is purchase yourself a journal, or make your own if you are crafty. Something that you could use on a daily basis. Then you would want to make an effort to write in it every single day, whether it be about the little things or the big things! Remember this is what you are thankful for. This is the first item I would highly recommend when trying to practice gratitude on a daily basis.

Why is Gratitude Important?

In a previous post, I discussed why gratitude is important and how it can change our lives in a positive way. You and your kids will be able to look back at the moments documented and see how a bad day suddenly becomes a good one. Keeping a gratitude journal with your children will help them to learn how to be grateful for what they have instead of focusing on what’s missing or wrong.

Gratitude journals also help the little things in life not go unnoticed. We all tend to focus on the negative things in life, but there are so many little things that happen every day that can bring us joy. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of these moments and a gratitude journal is a great tool for doing this. Keep in mind though, that you don’t have to be an eloquent writer by any means. The important thing is to get those experiences out of your head and onto paper.

14 Gratitude Prompts for Kids

1. Look around your room and find five things you like about it (i.e., “I like my plush red panda because his long arms are so soft”).
2. Make a list of 10 things you’re grateful for at home (i.e., “I’m grateful for my bed; my stuffed bear; the kitchen where I get to make chocolate chip cookies”).
3. Look around your classroom and find five things you like about it (i.e., “I like how when I raise my hand in class, the teacher always calls on me”; “I like how there’s never a dull moment in the reading circle”).
4. Make a list of 10 things you’re grateful for at school (i.e., “I’m grateful to learn so many new things”; “I’m grateful for all my friends who always listen to me”)
5. Look around your neighborhood and find five things you like about it (i.e., “I like that the man down the street always waves hello”; “I like that there are so many trees everywhere”).
6. Make a list of 3 things you’re grateful for in your neighborhood (i.e., “I’m grateful to have so much open space where I can run around”; “I’m grateful to live by the park”).
7. Make a list of your friends, and find five things you like about each one of them (i.e., “I like that my friend always lets me copy her homework”; “I like that my friend laughs at all my jokes”).
8. Make a list of 10 things you love to do every day (i.e., “I love to learn new things”, “I love to draw pictures”).
9. List the 10 people who make you smile the most (i.e., “My sister because she always helps me pick out my clothes” ; “The man at work because he always gives me free candy”) .
10. What is your favorite foods, and why? (i.e., “I like spaghetti because it’s so delicious and filling”, “I like ice cream cones because they always taste so yummy”).
11. List five people who make you feel loved (i.e., “My mom’s because she always helps me with my homework”, “My grandparents’ because they always take me to the beach”).
12. Make a list of 3 of your favorite subjects at school (i.e., “I like science because we get to do so many fun experiments”, “I like math because it’s easy for me”) .
13. What are your favorite books and why? (i.e., “I love the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series because they’re always full of jokes!”, “I love fantasy books because they always have so many adventures in them”).
14. Make a list of 3 things you’re looking forward to this week (i.e., “Going to hang out with my cousins”, “Going to church on Sunday”) .

I sure hope these help you come up with some of your own gratitude prompts for your Gratitude journal. Remember that the more you practice gratitude, the easier it becomes. Enjoy!

2. GO ON A GRATITUDE WALK or PRAYER WALK

You’ve probably seen me mention a gratitude walk or a prayer walk before, but if you haven’t it is exactly like it sounds. This can be as simple as taking your child outside on a beautiful day and finding the beauty in nature. A gratitude walk is a great way to introduce kids to practicing gratitude while looking around at just the very things around them in nature.

A gratitude walk would be an excellent opportunity to teach your child how to look at life through a heart of gratitude. Ask them what around them makes them smile or makes them feel at peace. Explain how they can thank God for that, etc. They’ll also become more present in the moment, just make sure phones are put away.

3. WRITE THANK YOU CARDS

A wonderful way for anyone to practice gratitude is by sending out handwritten thank you cards. It doesn’t take much just a simple thank you. Or maybe tell them how appreciative you are to them being around and why. I mean when was the last time you got one?

Wouldn’t it be nice to receive a note from someone that really enjoyed that gift you thoughtfully bought or made last year? You can never go wrong with gratitude, especially when it is expressed by someone else.

4. GIVE TO OTHERS

Another fun activity to help practice gratitude is having your child go through their toys/clothes/books/etc that they no longer use or need and find ways that you could give back to the community! Make piles and help them understand.

Whether this may be donating what you have found or finding a way to make a difference in someone else’s life. Even the smallest gestures can go a long way and will be something your child will remember forever!

Remember, this is not about materialism and making sure we have everything we need to survive. This is more of an exercise in appreciation and showing our children how to find joy in little things. By practicing gratitude we can maintain a happier and healthier life.

Gratitude is something that should be taught from a young age, so start now!