In this post, you will find some ideas to help teach kids, of all ages, about being grateful for things in the hope that one day they will also develop this mindset that will lead to true happiness in their life.
1. Say ‘Thank you’
Modeling and instilling the importance of saying ‘thank you’ is a great way to begin the lifelong practice of gratitude. Use gentle reminders when kids forget, eventually they”ll remember.
2. Show your appreciation for the small stuff
3. Make it part of your daily routine
4. Sometimes say ‘no’ to the material things
5. Give and volunteer to help others
At School: set aside some time to do some local charity work as a class. This may involve helping out at a local center or raise funds for a cause to help those in need.
At home: together you can set aside items in good condition to give to others who may need them and/or volunteer to help at a local charity center. You could also host your own fundraising events to help a cause, keep your kids involved in the process.
6. Role Play
7. Random Acts of Kindness
compliment someone
do a chore without being asked
set up a cake stall/lemonade stand and donate the profits to a charity
invite someone who is sitting alone to play or talk
say hello to everyone you see
make a thank you card for someone
give some of your food to someone who may have none
8. Gratitude Jar
In the classroom, keep your gratitude jar on a shelf in the classroom. Allow kids to add to it anytime they want, but make it a habit to do a thankful note once a week to add to the jar.
The goal of this is to get kids in the habit of remembering to stop every now and again to be grateful for something in their lives.
Do you have an activity or approach that helps instill gratitude? Please share what has worked for you in the comments sections.
