Foster a Grateful Home: Free Gratitude Journaling and Family-Friendly Activities
Can you believe it is already November? This month ushers in a busy holiday season with the celebration of Thanksgiving right around the corner, Christmas a month later and a brand-new year just a week after that. For many of us, November is also a time when we think about all the wonderful things for which we are thankful. A great way to keep track of all the blessings in our lives is to write them down in journals or on a calendar. Here are a few free resources and ideas to use this month (and throughout the year) to record all the amazing things for which we are grateful.
Give Thanks Craft Booklet - Download this 9-page PDF from us that includes 3 fun and simple crafts for you and your child to create that focus on the theme of gratitude. Projects include Thankful Turkey Napkin Rings, a Give Thanks Banner and a Little Book of Gratitude.
Motherhood on a Dime - 30 Days of Thanksgiving: Printable Gratitude Journal - This is a pretty printable of little cards that you cut out and put together with a ribbon or a string. It includes a cover and each day is numbered. At the bottom of the article are links to a few more ideas for recording gratitude including a paper chain and decorating a Thankful Tree.
Research Parent - Gratitude Journal for Kids - This is a lovely booklet to create where children can answer a few simple writing prompts each morning and evening. One of the prompts even encourages recording failure as the "brain grows by making mistakes."
Second Chance to Dream - Grateful Journal Sheet - There are two graphic organizer-type gratitude journal pages. While the one with prompts is better suited for older children and adults, the second can be used by anyone. There are also 2 sets of Thanksgiving party printables available on this page as a bonus.
Natural Beach Living - The Best Gratitude Scavenger Hunt for Kids and Adults - Have fun seeking out things to be grateful for with this printable scavenger hunt list.
Playing Playtime - Gratitude Game Thanksgiving Activity - There are 2 printables available on this page. One is for "Gratitude Journal Prompt Envelopes" which consists 30 days of prompts to think about things to be thankful for and a DIY envelope to store the cards in. The other requires joining their email group to get, but is a little game called "I'm Thankful Skittles." There is also a link to the Teach Beside Me website for "The Gratitude Game: Pick-up Sticks," a clever variation on the traditional game.
Coffee Cups and Crayons - An Easy Way to Teach Kids to be Grateful - If you are looking for simplicity yet pretty, then this one page printable may be for you. It has 30 labeled days of blocks to record something for which you are grateful.
Creative Family Fun - Gratitude Conversation Starters for Families - Lots of wonderful ideas here including free printable "Gratitude Conversation Starters" that can be printed, cut into strips and put into jar for easy picking a random topic that encourages children to realize all the things there for which to be thankful.
Life with My Littles - Giant Printable Gratitude Tree - Children will enjoy decorating this printable tree with leaves that have things that they are grateful for written on them. (Please note that the blogger printed this at an office supply store on 18"X24" poster paper but you may be able to print out on two a few pages of paper and tape together if need be as the download is an image.)
First Day of Home - Gratitude Tree Activity for Families (Free Printable Leaves and SVG File) - Here is another gratitude tree project with printable leaves as well as SVG file for those with a Silhouette machine.