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Simple Ways To Teach Your Children Gratitude

Simple Ways To Teach Your Children Gratitude Simple Ways To Teach Your Children Gratitude

Gratitude — it's not just for Thanksgiving! Teaching kids to appreciate life's little moments can set them up for a more positive outlook, building empathy, patience, and resilience along the way. And while it can be a challenge to help them focus on the good, a few simple gratitude practices can make it feel natural and fun.

With Thanksgiving around the corner, let's explore some easy, kid-friendly ways to help your kids notice the little things that make life sweeter.

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Why Instilling Gratitude Is So Important

Practicing gratitude is more than a polite gesture; it's about cultivating a habit that can bring long-lasting emotional perks. Studies show that kids who regularly practice gratitude feel happier, experience less stress, and even form stronger connections with friends and family. One study found that children who practiced gratitude had a more optimistic outlook and felt more satisfied with life — both of which influenced their friendships and well-being over time.

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Simple, Age-Appropriate Ways to Start a Gratitude Habit

You don't need an elaborate plan to start building this habit. Here are some easy, age-specific ways to bring gratitude into daily life:

Toddlers (Ages 0-3): For the youngest ones, learning to say "thank you" is a perfect first step. They'll start to feel the warm fuzzies from showing appreciation and making others feel special, planting the seeds of lifelong habits!

Preschoolers (Ages 3-5): At this age, storytelling and routines make a big impact. Try adding a quick "What made you happy today?" during bedtime or dinner. This little ritual helps them focus on the positives and feel connected to family and friends.

School-Age Kids (Ages 6-10): For older kids, activities like journaling, thank you notes, or listing three things they're grateful for each day can help them reflect on life's bright spots. These practices encourage them to see that even on off days, there's always something worth appreciating.

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Creative Ways to Make Gratitude a Family Thing

Ready to go beyond the basics? Here are a few fun ways to make gratitude part of your family's world:

Box of Thanks: In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, have each family member jot down what they're thankful for and toss it in a "Box of Thanks." Then, read them out loud during Thanksgiving dinner for a feel-good moment you'll all remember.

Gratitude Tree: Craft a "Gratitude Tree" with paper leaves where everyone writes or draws something they're grateful for. Pin the leaves to a board or hang them on a branch as a visual reminder of what makes life sweet. Bring out the markers and glitter for an extra dose of creativity!

Giving Back: Find simple ways to give back as a family, like baking treats for neighbors or donating toys. Small acts of kindness help kids understand that gratitude and generosity go hand-in-hand, bringing joy to others as well.

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Consistency Over Perfection

Don't stress about getting it "right" — gratitude is more about showing up than checking off boxes. Little rituals, like thanking each other at the dinner table or sharing one positive thing from the day, can quickly become family traditions. These consistent, simple practices make gratitude feel as natural as a morning hug.

Embracing Gratitude Together

Thanksgiving is a great moment to kick-start these practices, but they're easy to continue year-round. By making gratitude part of your family's routine, you're creating a habit that's both meaningful and enjoyable, one that will stay with your kids as they grow.

So go ahead, start a new tradition — one that makes everyone a little happier, well beyond Thanksgiving night.

For more on fostering gratitude:

Harvard Health: Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier
PBS Kids for Parents: Practicing Gratitude
Positive Psychology: Gratitude Exercises and Games for Kids

 

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15 Comments

  • Jessica D

    Dec/05/2024

    I love these! We read “The Gratitude Jar” and it’s similar to the gratitude box idea. He decided that it was time to part with some toys because he was thankful he got to play with them but another kid can play with them now. The book def helped, looking forward to doing a gratitude jar activity to welcome 2025 😄.

  • Ashley

    Dec/05/2024

    We do a happy and a sad every night. What was the happiest part of your day and what was the saddest? It helps the girls to practice gratitude and empathy!

  • Dani gehring

    Dec/05/2024

    Grateful for the Little Things🥰
    Do you ever stop to appreciate the small moments that make life beautiful?
    Life can get hectic, and it’s easy to forget the simple joys that surround us. Today, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for the little things:

    A warm cup of coffee on a chilly morning☕️ A heartfelt laugh shared with a loved one😂 The feeling of accomplishment after completing a task✅ The kindness of strangers🧍🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️
    These little things add up to make life truly special. Let’s make it a habit to practice gratitude daily. It can shift our perspective, boost our mood, and improve our overall well-being.
    What are you grateful for today? 😍

  • Kendyl

    Dec/05/2024

    I have a 2yr old who is very expressive with her face & words, so I always remind her to say thank you & just using everyday manners. She will even give me compliments like “ you’re so pretty mommy” and I always reply with “thank you”. She will even try to open automatic doors for others. There’s always room for more thanks & gratitude. I hope she continues to use what she knows to be a wonderful person.

  • Amanda wolf

    Dec/05/2024

    Loved how it’s split up into different age groups. Gratitude is an important lesson

  • Chloe

    Dec/05/2024

    I love this! So important to teach children gratitude.

  • Mariah Gerbers

    Dec/05/2024

    I love how this is organized by age. I have been working with my 11 month old to say and sign please and thank you. It’s so fun to watch his progress.

  • Leah

    Dec/05/2024

    These are such great tips on how to teach little ones to be thankful!

  • Kalyn

    Dec/05/2024

    I love the idea of instilling these moral principles so early on. I have a almost 10yr old step son and we really struggled with teaching him gratitude. Having two households where he was always “getting” stuff he really started to develop a sense of entitlement. Thankfully we have moved past it and things have gotten better. We have a now 1yr okd and this year we decided we “have to give to receive” so we can help those in need. So we gave both of them an empty box and helped them fill them with things they are ready to let go of and donated those to those in need. Our oldest was so receptive of why we were doing this and it was nice to see how generous he wanted to be.

  • Savannah Morris

    Dec/05/2024

    I always make sure when i give my boys something they have to say please when asking for it and when i give it to them they have to say thank you, they are 2,3. These tips from this blog will definitely help this mama out! Little sleepies always goes above and beyond ❤️

  • Sara F

    Nov/22/2024

    These are such good tips! Our son’s 3rd word was “dank you” all run together as one word. I hope that as he continues to grow he understands the importance of being grateful. I was a missionary in my 20s (that seems like forever ago now) and living in the USA we have no idea how much we truly have to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving LS fam!

  • Jocelyn Lawson

    Nov/22/2024

    My husband and I both work as first responders, so teaching our boys how to give back and serve the community is super important to us! This year, we will be volunteering at a Christmas event to raise money towards helping families in need and will be including our toddler at the fundraiser! We want him to see that Christmas isn’t all about receiving, but for giving as well.

  • Kayla Weston

    Nov/21/2024

    I love the tip for 3-5 year olds! I have a 3 year old that will often express her feelings by saying something like “that doesn’t make me happy!”. I like the idea of shifting her mindset to the positives by asking her at bedtime what made her happy today!

  • Alexis

    Nov/21/2024

    Our baby boy is about to be five months 🥹 we always make sure to let him know to say thank you. We plan to make it known that Santa is something people choose to believe in and that we can play pretend around this time and that we will play Santa for a child in need and go pick a child or two off the tree at the store. We want to help him understand being grateful for what we are able to have even for the simple things such as food and clothes. Wanting to raise our children to understand not to take anything for granted. 🫶

  • Raegan

    Nov/18/2024

    With my oldest son being 4, saying Thank you is a big part of his daily gratitude. I would love to start a tradition of him going through all of his toys every year and donating them to a family in need for Christmas.

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