When we teach the little ones good manners, we show them the importance of saying ” please”, “excuse me” Where ” thank you “. Grateful children indeed arouse the admiration of those around them and maintain more satisfying social interactions. This value not only helps them relate to others, but also makes them happier and emotionally healthy. For this reason, today we want to offer you fun manual activities to teach children to be grateful.
First, we want to remind you that gratitude isn’t just a practice, it’s a value. In other words, it is not a question of pronouncing the word like a mechanical habit. It’s about developing a positive outlook on life, to get used to seeing and recognizing the goodness that surrounds us and to value the presence of those who accompany us. And, to develop this style of thinking, nothing better than to start from childhood.
Being grateful by doing manual activities
There is no doubt that every mother would like her children to experience the benefits of practicing gratitude. However, you may not be very good at applying this values education. It is clear that the most effective is the daily example. However, doing manual activities is much more playful and funand it’s a great way to capture children’s attention on these important aspects.
While having fun, the little ones explore their creativity and improve their manual skills. They can internalize the message of gratitude. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to spend quality time with family and bond with the little ones. You want to try ? So, pay attention to the following options.
1. Thank You Cocotte
Do you remember the origami casserole you made when you were a child? This simple and fun activity can help you teach your children the importance of gratitude. To do this, you will only need a blank sheet of paper and paints or markers. You can follow the following steps:
- Cut the sheet to obtain a square.
- Fold it in half into a triangle shapethen undo this step.
- Bring the four corners to the center (you will get a smaller square).
- Fold in half, and undo this step.
- Turn the paper over and bring the four corners to the center.
Now that we’ve finished the origami part, it’s time to decorate. You will notice that there are four triangles divided in two: color each of these eight spaces with a different color.
Next, lift the flaps and write these phrases inside that reflect your reasons for gratitude. Everything is ready to start playing!
2. Painted Gratitude Stones for Being Thankful
Children love to collect and collect objects from nature such as leaves, shells or stones. In this case, we are going to use the latter to carry out one of the best manual activities to teach children to be grateful. Just select beautiful big stones, clean them and follow the next steps :
- Use acrylic or water-based paint to paint the smoother bottom of each of the stones and let dry.
- Using a fine brush, write on this background the reasons for which you are grateful.
- You can also add decorations in all the colors and shapes you want.
Now that the painted stones are ready, you can place them in a visible place to always keep in mind the many reasons to be grateful. This colorful and eye-catching object can be a beautiful natural decoration for a child’s room.
3. The Tree of Gratitude
To carry out this activity, you can take several branches that you will find in a park and arrange them vertically in a pot or container, as if it were a small tree. Or, also, you can draw a tree on cardboard, cut it out and stick it on the wall like a poster.
After completing the previous step, it’s time to create the sheets. Draw them on cardboard, cut them out and write on each of them what you feel grateful for. Then tape each leaf to the branches of the tree.
You can choose the tone of the leaves depending on the time of year, or create flowers or fruits instead. Moreover, you can add more and more sheets and sentences, or renew them from time to time. It’s a great way to cultivate gratitude.
Teach your kids to say thank you every night
Crafting is as fun as it is educational. However, repetition is the fundamental basis for establishing a habit. Therefore, if you want to instill the feeling of gratitude in your children, encouraging them to say thank you every night can be very positive.
When you go to bed your child, take a few minutes to remember three aspects of the day that you feel grateful for. It can be things as simple as a friend’s smile, mom’s kisses, or the delicious dish that was eaten for dinner. It also helps children fall asleep filled with positive thoughts and comforting emotions.
At the end of the day, a child who practices gratitude is happier, more empathetic and more resilient. He is a little one who will find it easier and easier to sense the opportunities and kindness around him, to feel worthy and precious, and to enjoy better social relationships.
We encourage you to practice these activities to teach children to be grateful and to observe its impact on your children’s lives and yours.