5 ways to talk about thankfulness with your children this month:
When introducing thankfulness to young children, I like to refer to the feeling associated with it. When we are thankful, we will feel happy, lucky, special. These are more concrete concepts that little ones have an easier time understanding. In the activities below, try using these feelings to provide examples to your children (i.e. “It makes me happy when you help me to clear the table. I am thankful for your help.”) and to prompt their responses as well (i.e. “You are thankful for your bike. Having a nice bike makes you feel ____.”)
- Thank you cards - Everyone loves receiving mail and unexpected notes. Have your child choose a person (teacher, bus driver, waitress, friend, or family member) that they would like to send a thank you note to. Work together to include in the note why they are thankful for that person. You can prompt their thinking by asking, “What does this person do that makes you feel happy?”.
- Make a list - Sitting with your child and writing out a simple “What are you thankful for…” list provides an opportunity to talk about the things in your child’s life that are important to them. You can ask questions about each thing (item, person, pet, event) that they choose to encourage them to elaborate on their thinking and to have an intimate conversation. For the younger crowd, printing out pictures of their favorite things or looking through a family photo-album is a good way to prompt the conversation. You can start by saying, “This is Grandma. What do you like about Grandma?”, and follow their response with, “You are thankful for Grandma because she pushes you on the swings.”
- Take a walk - Sitting down and thinking up a list of items that one is thankful for may not be ideal for all. Strolling around your neighborhood, local park, downtown, or even around the rooms of your home will give you an opportunity to point out specific items and simple pleasures (warm sun, colorful leaves, friendly faces) that you’re thankful for, and encourage your child to do the same.
- Pay it forward - Talk to your child about acts of kindness that they have experienced that have made them feel grateful. Brainstorm a list with them of actions they could do to give others that feeling of gratitude. Work with them to choose something feasible (donating to a food or toy drive; bringing a friend a special snack; offering help with a chore) and help them to execute it. Make sure to talk about how they feel as the one doing the good deed too!
- Read books - There are many Thanksgiving themed picture books that describe and exemplify thankfulness in ways that little ones will be able to understand. Some of my favorite titles are:
Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
Thankful by Eileen Spinelli
Thanks For Thanksgiving by Julie Markes
Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
Giving Thanks by Jonathan London
Thank You Thanksgiving by
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