For our family, Thanksgiving is all about gratitude, thankfulness, and being together. I know I am happier when I pay attention to things I am grateful for, and I hope to impart this on my kids. Additionally, the science on the benefits of gratitude is pretty astounding (more on that below). The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving are a great time to focus on gratitude as a family. To help us focus on gratitude this Thanksgiving season, I have created a free, printable Gratitude Turkey with a place for kids to record what they’re thankful in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Try it this year!
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Disclaimer: The information published in this blog is for information and entertainment purposes only. I am not an expert and you should look elsewhere for advice. I am not liable for any damages resulting from using the information on this blog. All activities for children should be done with adult supervision. For further information, see the Disclaimer page.
Why teach gratitude to kids?
Gratitude has been shown to have tremendous positive effects on people’s lives. According to this article in Forbes, gratitude increases opportunities for relationships, improves physical and psychological health, leads to better sleep, and improves self esteem. Additionally, people that intentionally count their blessings are happier and experience less depression.
According to the Health Start Foundation, gratitude can also help kids have a better attitude towards school and their families, experience less stress, and be more mindful and present in their everyday lives. Wow! Sounds pretty great, right?
These are all benefits I want for my children, and teaching them how to practice gratitude is a priority for our family. I find it encouraging that practicing gratitude and teaching gratitude to kids doesn’t take much time or energy and also doesn’t have to cost anything.
There are several ways we can practice gratitude with our kids, including writing thank you notes, spending time volunteering and giving to others, and intentionally and regularly sharing what we’re thankful for.
This Gratitude Turkey is one way to consciously record what we are grateful for in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.
What is the Gratitude Turkey and How to Complete It
The Gratitude Turkey is a super simple and easy activity.
Print out the free Gratitude Turkey and then have kids write down things they are grateful for. Kids can write down one item each day until the turkey is filled, or fill out the entire turkey in a few sittings. Your family could also work together to complete the Gratitude Turkey all at once. There are lots of great options and you can do what works for you!
The image is black and white so kids can also decorate any way they want.
Supplies needed for the Gratitude Turkey
All you really need to complete this Gratitude Turkey is a writing utensil to record what the child is grateful for. If kids are not able to write, they can draw a small picture or have an adult record what they’re grateful for.
To make it more fun, kids can color in or decorate their turkey however they want.
Get your free, printable Gratitude Turkey
By downloading the free, printable Gratitude Turkey, you accept these terms and conditions:
- This activity was created by Hey Kelly Marie for personal and personal classroom use.
- The Gratitude Turkey is copyright protected. © 2020 Hey Kelly Marie and all rights reserved.
- Additionally, this activity may not be sold, hosted, stored, or reproduced on any other site or blog.
- Lastly, adult supervision is required for children’s activities. It is up to the child’s caretakers to determine what is developmentally appropriate and safe for their child. Caretakers have full responsibility for child safety and development.
To download the Gratitude Turkey, please subscribe to Hey Kelly Marie emails below, and you’ll get an email including the password to my Printable Resources page. On this page, you’ll find the PDF turkey.
Subscribe here for your Gratitude Turkey.
Email subscribers get access to the entire Hey Kelly Marie Printable Resources Library, including the Preschool Math Workbook, Preschool Cutting Workbook, and Preschool Patterns Workbook.
I’m working on more workbooks and activities all the time, and I share them weekly with subscribers. You can unsubscribe at any time. No spam, promise.
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Let me know what you think of the Gratitude Turkey activity!
I’d love to hear about your Gratitude Turkeys. Hearing how my work helps others is so much fun.
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You’ll also love the Thanksgiving Coloring Pages!
I’ve created seven unique Thanksgiving coloring pages for you and your kids to enjoy this year. Check them out!
