Expressing gratitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. As adults, many of us are aware that there is tons of research out there that supports this fact. Gratitude helps you to reframe bad situations quicker, get out of a funk, and overall live a more content, happier, and more fulfilling life.
Still, when it comes to teaching children, and more specifically, young elementary students about gratitude, it can feel a little bit nebulous. As in, it can feel like we’re trying to cram a philosophical topic into a nice and cute bow.
But rest assured that gratitude, being grateful for things and noticing it habitually, is a characteristic worth teaching our littlest learners.
When I was a classroom teacher, one of my favorite things to do was to include lessons that were multi-sensory: lessons that involved coloring and cutting and standing up and acting out things.
Teaching little learners about gratitude doesn’t have to be boring! Here are some of my favorite resources:
(1) The Gratitude Jar by Katrina Liu
I love a good read-aloud book, and this one is it! This book is a great story about focusing on gratitude in an interactive way.
The beautiful thing is that you can read the book, and then have students create their own gratitude jars for a week in the classroom, reflecting on the lessons from the book. The possibilities for lesson plans are endless with this gem of a book – plus the pictures are ADORABLE!
(2) Writing Thank You Cards
Having students write thank you cards is a great way to remember who they are grateful for in life.
With students, it’s great to encourage them to be specific when thanking someone. For example, instead of thanking their sister for being a “good sister”, they can more specifically thank her for sharing her toys with them or letting them go first in a game.
As an additional thought, it’s a great time of year to shower janitors, lunch ladies, and other school support staff with a flurry of letters from students that show how much students notice how they keep the school in tip-top shape!
(3) Learn About the History of Thanksgiving while doing this CUTE Craftivity
One of my favorite teacher creators is TeacherNoire (follow her on Instagram, TikTok, & TeachersPayTeachers!)
Here Thanksgiving Research Project is a great activity for your upper elementary and middle school students to complete! It’s colorful, packed with a lot of great information about the history of Thanksgiving, and it’s basically the lesson you need to survive these final days before Thanksgiving break!
Remember this: whatever you do to highlight gratitude will be enough.
You are enough!
If you’re a teacher reading this, know that I am rooting for you, and I’m grateful for all of our dedicated educators making classrooms run even when we don’t see all the work you put in behind the scenes.
Your Friend,
Vimbo
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Vimbo Watson, M.Ed. is a speaker, professional development provider, education expert, former school principal, and national speaker on school culture, burnout recovery, and transformational leadership. She is also an active Navy spouse, named the AFI 2025 Washington Navy Yard Spouse of the Year. She helps educators, companies, and organizations build better systems where people don’t just survive—they thrive. Email hello@vimbowatson.com to connect!
