Five Ways to Practice Gratitude with Your Kids in November

"November is tied together with the heartstrings of gratitude.” – J. A. McIntosh.

Now that we're wrapping up the month of October and Halloween, I know that so many people are ready to dive into Christmas! Don't get me wrong, there are so many amazing and wonderful things to feel excited for with Christmas- BUT! I also think there are so many beautiful things to be excited about when it comes to November.

November is the heart and soul of the fall season. This is where the soup warms your tummy, the fire burns in the fireplace, the socks are fuzzy on your feet, and your heart is overflowing with a sense of gratitude.

If you're like me, you want to bask in this season for just a little longer and while we rest here- let's invite our kids to join us.

I am really focusing on finding a few simple and easy ways that I can practice gratitude with my kids this season and I wanted to share them with you in case you wanted to do them too.

1) Gratitude Banner

This is one of my favorite ideas and it's something we've done for almost ten years. I love this idea because it's super easy and very affordable. All you need for this idea is a roll of brown craft paper, some sharpies, and string.

Grab a roll of brown craft paper from the dollar store or Target and on the first day of November, you tape up a big piece of the paper on a door in your communal space. We choose to hang it in our kitchen because this is a space where we will get to see it every day.

I love to write a quote or Bible verse at the top of the paper and then I hang a sharpie on the paper so it's easy to access. At the end of every day, we come together and write one thing we are thankful for followed by a prayer. It's a really great way to bring your family together, slow down, and look at the amazing things you have in your life.

2) Homemade Thanksgiving Dinner Tablecloth

This is another really great and easy idea that leaves a lasting impact on your guests and family for the holiday season. Again, you just need a few things in order to make it happen- the same brown craft paper as discussed above, a sharpie, and a dinner plate.

Here's what you're going to do: lay out the brown paper to cover your dinner table and set the chairs in place just as they will be for your Thanksgiving meal. Then, take your dinner plate and lay it down in front of each chair and trace the dinner plate with the sharpie so that you now have a large circle in front of each seat.

Now it's time to turn on some festive music and put on your creative hats as you decorate each circle. Each circle serves as a place setting for your guest and you can be as elaborate or as simple as you'd like. If you like a more simplistic approach, I would encourage you to neatly write the name of each person in the circle and underneath write "I am thankful for ______." If you like a more elaborate approach, I would encourage you to do the same and maybe add a drawing of silverware, the tracing of a cup, and add a few little doodles or drawings around the place setting. Don't forget to scatter some pens and crayons around the table so people can write what they're thankful for and so the kids can draw while they wait for food.

If you're loving this idea and feeling bummed that you can't do it because you're not hosting the holiday this year, I want to lovingly encourage you that you can also do this for your Thanksgiving breakfast while you watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade!

3) Homemade Gratitude Garlands

In the season of hustle and bustle, I want to encourage you to SLOW DOWN and take some time to just be with your family without running around and doing all of the things. One of the easiest ways to do that, is to set aside an intentional night where you can sit with your family on the living room floor and create homemade garlands. Homemade garlands are the sweetest addition to any type of decor and can really bring a sense of intentionality to your space.

Three types of homemade garlands I would recommend include:

Popcorn Garland- find the how to HERE.

Dried Orange Garland- find the how to HERE.

Chain Garland- find the how to HERE.

Creating a cozy night where you can come together to create something special for your home is unmatched and your kiddos will love looking around and seeing the things they helped you create for the holiday season. Work like this is also really good for their fine motor skills and building skills to help them have focus and longer attention spans. For the paper chain garland, you could even take it a step farther and write down one thing you're thankful for each day to create a month-long chain of gratitude.

4) Gratitude Tree

This is another super easy idea and I bet you already have all of the things needed in order to get this started right away. At the start of November, head out into the back yard with your kids and pick out a handful of sticks that are small to medium in size. Take them inside and put them in a vase on a table or shelf where you can see it daily.

Next, grab some construction paper and cut out a bunch of leaf shapes from the construction paper OR print off a bunch of leaf graphics from the internet. Each day, have your family members fill out one leaf to say what they're thankful for and be sure to add their name to the leaf.

From there, you'll want to hang the leaf on the sticks in the vase by either using a clothespin or piece of twine. By the end of November, you'll have a tree full of gratitude and it will be so special to see how full the tree gets as the month continues on. You're also welcome to invite friends and family to fill out a leaf as they enter your home so that everyone can feel included in the month of gratitude.

5) Gratitude Pumpkin

If you're looking for something to do with that adorable pumpkin that's left over from Halloween, I've got you! Don't throw it out just yet, instead I encourage you to make a gratitude pumpkin! Grab your pumpkin and give it a nice bath with cleaner or warm soap and water. Once it's dry, grab your sharpie and start having your family write their daily gratitudes all over the pumpkin on each day during November.

Then, as Thanksgiving comes around, you have a beautiful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table and it will be the star of the show. As you sit at the table and enjoy your meal, you can look at the pumpkin and reminisce on all of the many blessings you had during the month.

I hope this little list leaves you feeling encouraged to take some time to slow down and be more intentional during the holiday season. You don't have to have a busy holiday season in order to have a productive holiday season, sometimes the simple moments are what matters the most!

As always, if you do any of the ideas seen here today, please tag me on social media so I can see and cheer you on!

Until next time,

SB