17 Ways Kids Can Be Thankful

The holiday season is a time when people reflect on gratitude and giving. In November, many teachers introduce the character trait of thankfulness in their character education curriculum. Do you need ideas to help your students brainstorm ways to be thankful? You are in the right place! This post provides 17 ways to be thankful.

Sometimes, children don’t realize they can be grateful for the simple things in life. Being thankful for concrete items is easy for children to think of when being thankful. Most children were taught from a young age to say “Thank you” when they were given a gift for a birthday, holiday, or special occasion. What about focusing on the abstract things? This list will help you and your students brainstorm ideas for gratitude!

17 Ways to Be Thankful

I am thankful for:

being healthy.
having a loving family.
having a good friend(s).
my teacher who cares about me.
_____ who helped me with _____.
_____ who showed me _____.
_____ who cooks dinner for me.
_____ who comes to my games and cheers for me.
_____ who takes me to practice and supports me.
_____ who taught me how to _____.
_____ who gave me a hug because _____.
_____ who supports me in everything I do.
_____ who gave me _____ because _____.
having the ability to _____.
_____ for challenging me to _____.
for showing me how to be positive and caring.
having food and shelter.

I love this quote from Victoria Osteen- “Let me encourage you to get up every day and focus on what you have in life. Be thankful for the blessings of the little things, even when you don’t get what you expect.”

Do you need a suggested mentor text list? Gratitude or Thankful Book List on Amazon Lists!

If you are interested in a Thankful Door Decor for Character Education that also includes a poster with the list of 17 Ways to be Thankful to share with your students, click on the picture below!