3 Ways to Encourage Thankfulness In Families This Season

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Ah, fall. It’s such an invigorating time of the year with the beauty of fall colors, the cooler weather, and the anticipation of the holidays. Just thinking of these wonderful reasons we love fall makes us thankful! Thankful for the creativity and wonder God puts on display before our eyes. Thankful that we can finally walk outside without melting. And thankful that precious time with family is coming near.

While we want to promote thankfulness all throughout the year, it’s still the perfect time to help kids to turn their eyes towards being grateful for everything around them.

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 – Ephesians 5:20

 So in the spirit of everything “thankful,” here are three great ways to get kids and their families thinking and singing about all of God’s blessings!

1. The Thankfulness Tree

Being thankful doesn’t have to wait until November. Get kids and families focused on being grateful starting as soon as you can get your “Thankfulness Tree” assembled. We simply purchased this kit on Amazon!

You’ll need:

• cut-out tree and leaves
• markers
• tape

Choose a wall and put up your fall tree, bare of all its leaves. Place a table nearby and spread blank leaves all over the table along with some markers and tape. Invite everyone in each family to write something they’re thankful for EVERY week leading up to Thanksgiving, and tape it to your tree. For added fun, help people think of all the ways they’re thankful by giving them a prompt or question to ponder such as…

• Think of your favorite meal this week. Who prepared it? What did God create that made it so good?
• What’s you’re favorite activity or hobby?
• Think of the fun things you get to do as a family. What are they? What makes them fun?
• What’s something extra or special you’ve gotten to do this year?

2. Thankfulness Catchers

It’s craft time! Either plan to help kids make “Thankfulness Catchers” at church or send families home with this download so they can make one as a family. If you decide to send the idea home with families, you can fill a bag for each family with the necessary supplies.

“Thankfulness Catchers” are to help families gather all the things they’re thankful for leading up to Thanksgiving. And as they’re gathered for their Thanksgiving meal, they can pass the catcher around the table, pulling out the strips and reading them out loud.

To make the craft, we raided our supply closet and found everything we needed! Chances are, you have most or all of what you’ll need, too! But even if you don’t, they will be inexpensive to buy.

You’ll need:

• containers (1 per child) (we used a mason jar and a small milk bottle. But if you plan well enough ahead, you can ask parents to bring in their emptied and cleaned canned food cans)
• tissue paper or crepe paper (fall colors suggested!)
• glue
• markers
• ribbon, raffia, or twine
• construction paper, cut into strips (fall colors suggested!)

Making the craft:

Glue pieces of tissue paper or crepe paper around the container (paper can just be torn—it’s faster, especially with the little ones!). Tie a piece of ribbon, raffia, or twine around the top. Write the words “We are thankful for…” on a strip of construction paper and glue it to the container. Give each child a handful of the cut strips of construction paper and explain what the kids are supposed to do with their families. You can also send a note home with the kids explaining what to do.

3. Thankful Worship

There’s nothing like a catchy tune that sticks in your head to remind you to be grateful for everything God has done. That’s why we want to give you this FREE song download—make it your ministry theme song for the season! Fill out the form below and download Group’s song “Thankful” to use in your ministry. You’ll also get a PDF of the song lyrics to help with learning the words!