Gratitude isn’t only about feeling thankful and recognizing the good; it’s also about expressing appreciation.
Transforming gratitude into action helps deepen appreciation, promoting feelings of joy and contentment. Writing a note of gratitude to someone is a great way to help children express thanks in a simple yet impactful way.
Materials
- Blank cards or paper
- Pen or pencil
- Colored markers, crayons or pencils
- Stickers or other art supplies to decorate
Instructions
- Ask your child who in their lives they’re grateful for. This can be a friend, family member, teacher, coach, neighbor or even a pet! Encourage them to think about a specific time when they felt thankful for this person, their actions or words.
- Share your own stories of people you’re grateful for.
- Role play how your child might say thank you to this person.
- Create cards or drawings to show their gratefulness. Be creative – this can really be anything!
- Write a message of thanks.
- Deliver the cards. This can be in person, by mail or electronically.
The Science Behind the Smiles
Research shows practicing gratitude improves self-esteem, decreases instances of depression and boosts the immune system. It’s also been show to increase feelings of happiness!
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