Thanksgiving Activities For Children

Can we really be grateful for doing dishes and laundry? Can we be grateful for cleaning after our pets in the yard?

Having students reflect on aspects of their life to be grateful is a common activity. Children tend to just think of an idea and write without really thinking about what it really means. In this activity, students are required to consider aspects of their life they would not normally see it as something to be thankful, and give a positive turn on the event.

For example, "I am grateful to the dishes because it means my family to eat" or "I am grateful for cleaning after my pet in the garden because it means I have a furry companion who loves always me. "" I am grateful to clean my room, because it means that my family has a house to live "

For students to follow the model of the book I write "I am grateful for _____________ because it means ____________." on the plateau. Some years, I even had to write in the first line, "something I do not like" to remind students.

I made this project a couple of different ways.

The first is to use a word processing software to type the words in large letters at the bottom of the page. I have students edit page introduction to the landscape. After printing the students to use multiple media to create illustrations from construction paper to marker, crayon, and paint. Or, using construction paper as the background, students can cut and paste words in the background.

Two, students can design an entire page in a paint program like KidPix and add words to the bottom of the page.

Three, capture pages electronically (either by scanning or stand in front of a camera) and put them in a slideshow, add audio to each child sharing their statement and then publish as a podcast.

This concept of choosing something that you hate to be grateful and adding what it means seems to be difficult for children under fourth grade.

If you want to try this activity with younger students, you can have more success if you compile a complete list of brainstorming with the first section of the statement (for what they do not) and then they have to choose one of these. Then they might be able to understand the second half. If not nail the first half, they go way off course! You will surely see that the reasoning ability of senior emerging!

Overall, this activity became students to reflect on aspects of their lives that they complain more and put them in a positive light. I often remind them that there are people around the world who would be happy to have a bed to do a house cleaning, and food to clear the table.