Simple Activities to Teach Our Kids to Be Grateful

By K. Parker

With another Thanksgiving just around the corner, many parents are struggling to figure out just how best to teach their kids the meaning of this holiday. 

Gratitude: A Vital Trait for Happy People

It can be difficult to teach kids how to express gratitude and feel truly appreciative for their blessings. We might feel frustrated because our children may forget to say thank you or reject our delightful cooking. But we need to remember what is really important in teaching our kids to be thankful. Being satisfied with our blessings and feeling grateful is a crucial skill to becoming a contented, successful adult who is capable of feeling real joy. 

Kids who grow up never learning how to be grateful in their lives usually end up pretty miserable. And of course, it can be frustrating as well, when kids can’t see how much work goes into providing a lovely home for them. This is why so much of the gospel speaks of gratitude and how important it is for us in every aspect of our lives.

What Makes the Difference in Teaching this Essential Life Lesson? Service!

The pinnacle of God’s requests for us is His commandment to love Him and each other. We need to be willing to be instruments in His hands, so that we can lift others and ease their burdens. This is one of the most important things for our children to learn! Not just to “love one another” but how to give and grow that love. 

I remember when I was young, the frustration I felt at being forced to go to service projects. After a week of school and homework and my own chores around the house, I didn’t want to go out of my way on a Saturday to do more work. However, the yard work we did for a veteran who was having a hard time mowing and weeding his yard stuck with me. I was also equally impacted when we helped clean an elderly woman’s home and improve her quality of life. 

I will never forget the looks on their faces when they saw what we had done. Both of these people were so grateful to have us come in and help with a task that seemed so intimidating to them in their circumstances. They truly needed instruments of God to help them through, and I had to realize that this is how God uses people to reach and help others. It made an impact on how I look at not just others, but also myself and my capabilities.  

Great Ways to Teach Kids to Be Thankful:

Service really is one of the best ways to teach kids how to be grateful for what they have. This also can be a challenge as well. 

It’s hard for kids to learn the meaning of gratitude by giving away things— be it old toys or simply their time. It’ll just seem unfair to them. But if they can see the result that their service will bring, see the gratitude in the people they’re helping, then that is what can make the difference in their whole worldview. 

Simple Service Activities for Latter-day Saint Kids:

• Cultivate an attitude of gratitude in your own family! Set an example by leaving notes for your children, friends, or neighbors. List things that you like about them or appreciate. Challenge your kids to write notes to one another, school friends, teachers, extended family, or others who might need a little love in their lives.

• Look for service opportunities where they can see the outcome of the service they’re giving. Let them see the gratitude from others and see that they did make a difference in someone else’s life. Make a goal and set a reminder in your phone to have a service or gratitude oriented Family Home Evening each month. Each month you can show your children different ways to serve or show gratitude, whether that is uplifting someone on social media, learning to give sincere compliments to people in person, baking a treat, crafting a gift, feeding the missionaries, writing letters to loved ones far away, or weeding someone’s yard. 

• Check out the JustServe website. You can find loads of opportunities for service there. You simply put in your location and the mile radius you want and you’ll see so many ways to serve in your community. There are even remote options as well! Go through and pick out a service activity with your kids that your entire family will enjoy.

Teaching gratitude and being grateful are things that we can do year-round. It can be daunting to think about serving others with small children at home, but there are simple, age-appropriate activities that your family can do. Be patient with yourself and your kids. Teaching them gratitude while they are young is something you will never regret.

If possible, aim to do some kind of service project regularly with your kids. Showing kids how to serve and be empathetic towards other people will be one of the most crucial lessons they learn in their entire lives. This will lead to more gratitude and peace in their own lives. And n the future, they will most likely want to continue to serve and do more for the people in their community. 

Not sure where to start? Check out our books 30 Days to a Stronger Child and Conversations with My Kids: 30 Essential Family Discussions for the Digital Age for lessons, discussion questions, and activities about gratitude, respect, empathy, friendship, and more.

K. Parker is a writer and editor for Educate and Empower Kids and a graduate from Brigham Young University-Idaho in Professional Studies in English. She is a mom and is excitedly pursuing a career in copy editing as she grows her little family.