It’s November, which typically comes with busy preparations and travel plans for the holidays that will soon be in full swing. Maybe you’re even gearing up for Black Friday shopping. What often gets left out of November is the discussion of thankfulness with our children.

In the past few years that I’ve been an active participant in social media, I’ve noticed many of my friends participating in thankful posts during the month of November that explain each day another thing or person that they are grateful for in their lives. These are wonderful posts, and I imagine they come with some self-reflection and thought, but I often wonder how often we encourage that same introspection with our children.

Encourage Thankfulness in Children

Let’s take a lesson from social media, and look to the daily thankful postings as inspiration on how to encourage our children to spend several minutes daily this month learning what it means to be thankful and reflecting on specific things they are thankful for. Listed below are 5 great activities that you can do with your children each day this month to encourage gratitude and thankfulness beyond simply saying “Thank You.”

5 Activities To Do With Kids to Encourage Thankfulness

Thankfulness Pumpkin

This is a great, easy craft that you can do with your little ones and it makes a cute decoration, too. You can even make them as place cards for Thanksgiving Day, with one for each member of the family attending the meal. Simply cut out pieces of orange construction paper to write something you are thankful for. Cut out green strips for the vines. Use a stapler to form a 3D pumpkin. Voila! Sit back and admire your Thankfulness Pumplin.

Source: The Moffatt Girls

Thankful Jar

This idea of a “thankful jar” is a great one you can adopt for the holiday season and continue throughout the year. Children can add a thankful moment whenever they wish and you can choose to read one or two at dinner each evening. Children can decorate their jar as they wish to make it their own. Reviewing all of the good things that happened to them can help children continue to notice the things they are thankful for each day.

Source: PBS

Thankful Pumpkin

Surely you have a pumpkin or two lying around after Halloween that you can use for this easy activity. All you need is a permanent marker and nightly conversations with your children to create this Thankful Pumpkin. The great thing about this craft is that you can add to it all month long. Maybe do one a night. Everybody in the family can participate. Or each person in the family can do their own!

Source: Amy Latta Creations

Thanks Book

Visit The Wee Society to download and print a “thanks book” that your child can create, and work on letter association, at the same time. This is perfect for non-writing children, too, as there is plenty of room for pictures. Want to capture what your children said about being thankful? Write it on the opposite page or on a sticky note and revisit it with your child each day. Children love to read books that they helped create!

Source: The Wee Society

Thank-You Notes

Writing thank-you notes for gifts after birthdays and holidays can help instill thankfulness in your child. I love these different ideas for making homemade thank-you notes that add a personal touch, as well. Consider having your child think of 5 people that he or she wants to thank. It can be a family member, friend, teacher, or neighbor, and then help him write a nice note to them.

Source: Three Little Ferns

Turkey Trots & Holiday 5Ks in Indianapolis

Encourage thankfulness in children early by focusing on giving thanks, acknowledging things to be grateful for, and spending quality time together with family this Thanksgiving. Create magical memories and experiences to be grateful for by playing one of these 15 Thanksgiving Games for Families. Or, start a new Thanksgiving tradition to encourage giving. The You’ve Been Gobbled Thanksgiving tradition is a fun, child-led activity that can teach children generosity during this season of gratitude and giving. You could also explore volunteer opportunities to do as a family during the holidays or year-round.

What are some ways you have found to encourage thankfulness in children? Share your comments and pictures with us below or tag us on social media using #PLAYindy. Follow Indy with Kids on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest for all of the best ideas and things to do with kids in Indy!