I’m Thankful: A Gratitude Journal for Kids

Welcome to our guide on starting a gratitude journal for kids. This fun and educational activity not only enhances your child’s writing skills but also instills a sense of thankfulness in them.

As parents, we are always looking for creative ways to teach our children valuable life lessons. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, there’s no better time to start than now.

This guide will also cover Thanksgiving activities for preschoolers to foster gratitude at an early age.

Let’s dive in and explore how maintaining a gratitude journal can positively affect your child’s outlook and reinforce the values of appreciation and thankfulness.

What is gratitude for kids?

Working to teach children to be thankful is a rewarding task that enables kids to grow up with a positive and appreciative outlook. Start by introducing the concept of gratitude in simple, easy-to-understand terms. For instance, you could explain that being grateful means feeling happy about the good things in our lives and saying ‘thank you’.

One effective method is through regular discussions around the dinner table or during bedtime. Ask your little one about the best part of their day or something nice that someone did for them. Encourage them to express their feelings and vocalize their appreciation.

Reading together is another great way to instill gratitude. Pick children’s books that illustrate the theme of thankfulness and discuss them afterwards. You might consider books like The Thankful Book by Todd Parr or Gratitude Soup by Olivia Rosewood.

Remember, it’s essential to model gratitude yourself. Show your appreciation for small things in everyday life, and use the words ‘thank you’ regularly. Your child will naturally pick up on this behavior, realizing that gratitude is a key part of everyday interactions.

Finally, start a simple gratitude journal with them. Each day, help them write down or draw something they’re grateful for. This ongoing activity can be a fun and enriching way to reinforce the concept of gratitude in their young minds.

Gratitude Journal for Kids

To help our kids cultivate this beneficial habit, we’ve designed this Gratitude Journal.

It’s a tool for them to record their daily reflections, appreciate the small joys, and understand the importance of saying ‘Thank you.’

Let’s get started…

What does a gratitude journal look like?

Our gratitude journal printable is perfect for young children. It contains fifteen pages each structured in the same way.

Each page features a writing prompt such as “Someone I’m thankful for… who is a good friend.”

There is a box that is perfect for kids who want to draw a picture of what they’re thankful for.

Below that box is a set of writing lines on which children can write about what they’re thankful for. For preschoolers who aren’t ready to write, they can dictate their thoughts for a grownup to write their words.

Free Printable Gratitude Journal Pages

A Printable Gratitude Journal is an excellent keepsake that you can cherish for years to come. It’s simple and convenient to print out at home. Once you have printed out the journal, you can easily bind it using a spiral binder or put it together in a binder with page protectors. As your child fills out the journal each day, it gradually transforms into a tangible memory book encapsulating their thoughts and expressions of gratitude.

One of the remarkable advantages of a printable journal is the ability to reprint it year after year. This practice allows you to create a collection of gratitude journals over the years. Over time, your child can revisit these journals, comparing their entries, and witnessing their own growth in understanding and expressing gratitude. It’s a beautiful tradition that emphasizes the importance of gratitude and creates a cherished trove of childhood memories.

Gratitude Books for Preschoolers

In addition to a gratitude journal, books are a timeless resource for teaching children about gratitude. They captivate young minds with colorful illustrations, relatable characters, and meaningful stories.

These books will help your little ones understand gratitude in an enjoyable and memorable way. Let’s explore these wonderful literary treasures together.

Thankful – Like the gardener thankful for every green sprout, and the fireman, for putting the fire out, readers are encouraged to be thankful for the many blessings they find in their lives.

Being Thankful – Little Critter isn’t getting anything he wants. Gator gets cool brand-new sneakers, while Little Critter is stuck with his boring blue ones. Tiger’s dad has a boat―but not Little Critter’s dad. And even at the ice cream shop, Little Critter can’t enjoy his chocolate ice cream cone because he would rather have a huge ice cream sundae instead. But on a trip to the farm, Grandma shows Little Critter why thankfulness is so important and helps make any situation seem so much happier.

Grow Grateful – Kiko goes on a camping trip with her class and learns about gratitude! Throughout the trip, Kiko discovers different things she appreciates about her family, friends, and opportunities.

Thanksgiving Activities

Just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, this standing turkey puzzle toy will make the perfect toy. Whether you would like to give your favorite child a cute gift when they visit on Thanksgiving or you just want to inspire their imagination with a fun Thanksgiving themed toy, this guy is right for you.

This fun Thanksgiving Activity Book for Kids is the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit. Kids of all ages will love this fantastic coloring and activity book filled with Thanksgiving-themed coloring pages, word search, mazes, connect the dots, step-by-step drawing, and more.

Here are some fun Thanksgiving songs for your preschool and kindergarten kids to enjoy during the holiday season!

Create a Thankful Tree! This kit includes everything you need to get started.

Mom may want to keep a One-Minute Gratitude Journal of her own. This one is already bound.

Kids will love writing down what they’re grateful for when they play this easy gratitude game!

One of the best ways to teach gratitude with mindfulness is by incorporating gratitude activities for kids. Another approach is to encourage children to savor the present moment through mindful practices like focusing on their breath or engaging their senses.

This Thanksgiving, embark on a heartwarming adventure with your little ones by sending them on a gratitude scavenger hunt! Encourage them to explore their surroundings and discover things they’re grateful for, while creating cherished memories and fostering a sense of appreciation. Let the spirit of gratitude guide their journey this holiday season!