Of course teaching our kids to say “thank you” matters. But our job doesn't stop at the words. We also get to help them notice WHAT they're thankful for and WHY. Because there's a difference between teaching kids to say thank you and actually giving them opportunities to practice gratitude.
And with Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to share one of our favorite family traditions that helps us do exactly that. It's simple, it's fun, and you probably already have everything you need at home.
All you need is paper, glue, and very low expectations for what a turkey should look like.
Our Family's Gratefulness Turkey Tradition
Every November, we make gratefulness turkeys leading up to Thanksgiving. Each day, we name one thing we're grateful for, write it on a paper feather, and glue it to our turkey. Over the course of the month, our turkeys slowly fill up with all the little things that make our lives good.
The kids get all the creative control when it comes to decorating. Colors, googly eyes, whatever they want. One of our turkeys is a cyclops this year, which was a bold artistic choice, but we're going with it. I'm really loving the whimsy that this little evil-looking turkey adds to our interior decorating.
And yes, we leave our gratefulness turkeys hanging on our front door all year long. We see them every single day and talk about them often. They're a little reminder of all the blessings we already have, long after Thanksgiving is over.
It's become one of my favorite traditions. The turkeys themselves are pretty entertaining, but I especially love the conversations we get to have while making them.
Want to see our gratefulness turkeys in action? Watch the original reel on Instagram!
Why Teaching Kids Gratitude Goes Beyond Saying Thank You
There's actually research behind the gratitude part, too! According to research discussed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, gratitude involves more than simply expressing thanks. It also includes noticing what we're grateful for, understanding why it matters, and recognizing the people or experiences behind it.
And research involving older children and teens has found that gratitude exercises can support optimism and satisfaction with their lives. While that doesn't necessarily mean the same outcomes have been demonstrated in toddlers, it does give us a reason to think about how we introduce gratitude to our kids as they grow.
For younger kids, I love that this activity gives them a simple, concrete way to practice noticing the good and talking about why it matters. Instead of expecting them to understand this big, abstract concept of gratitude, we're making it something they can actually see, touch, and participate in.
And we're not expecting them to get it perfectly. We're just giving them opportunities to practice.
How to Make a Gratefulness Turkey With Your Kids
You don't need anything fancy to make your own gratefulness turkey. In fact, part of what I love about this activity is how easy it is to throw together with supplies you probably already have lying around.
What You'll Need
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Markers or crayons
• Googly eyes or other decorations (optional, but highly encouraged)
Putting Your Gratefulness Turkey Together
Start by cutting out a turkey body and a few paper feathers. I also cut out a beak and that weird little red thing turkeys have, but you can draw those on if that’s easier. Then let your kids decorate their turkeys however they want, even if their creative vision looks absolutely nothing like the turkey you had in mind.
Each day leading up to Thanksgiving, ask your child to name one thing they're grateful for. Write their answer on a feather and glue it onto the turkey. Keep adding feathers throughout the month, and by Thanksgiving, you'll have a turkey full of little reminders of the things your family appreciates.
And if you want to leave it hanging up all year like we do, go for it! I love that ours have become part of our everyday surroundings instead of just another holiday decoration that gets packed away.
How to Practice Gratitude With Toddlers and Younger Kids
We first started doing this with my oldest when she was around two, so you definitely don't have to wait until your kids are older to introduce gratitude activities.
But if you've ever asked a toddler, “What are you grateful for?” you probably know that question doesn't always go over particularly well. You might get a blank stare, a confused look, or a very enthusiastic “I don't know!”
That's okay. Gratitude can be a pretty abstract concept for little kids, so sometimes we just need to ask the question a little differently.
Try Asking These Questions Instead
What made you smile today?
What was your favorite part of today?
Who did you have fun playing with?
What's something you really love?
Sometimes their answers are silly, and sometimes it's something as simple as toys or friends. I share my answers, too, because I want them to see that gratitude isn't just something I'm asking them to practice. It's something we can all do together.
We're not looking for the most thoughtful or impressive answers. We're just helping our kids recognize the people, experiences, and little moments that make an ordinary day good.
A Little Late to the Turkey Party? No Problem!
If you're reading this halfway through November and thinking, Well, shoot. Guess we'll try this next year, don't worry. You can start whenever you want!
And if you're someone who likes starting fresh on the first of the month, you can easily adapt this tradition for December. Make a paper Christmas tree and add an ornament for each thing your family is grateful for. Or create a paper fireplace and hang little gratitude stockings as you count down to Christmas.
Honestly, it doesn't even have to be holiday-themed. You could make a gratitude tree, a paper flower with gratitude petals, or whatever else your kids come up with. The point isn't what you're making. It's creating an opportunity to slow down, notice the good things already in your lives, and talk about them together.
And if you're starting late? Hi, same! But start anyway. Get your paper and glue, and get a lil crafty.
Teaching Gratitude Is About Practice, Not Perfection
My kids can still want more things. They're kids afterall, and I'm not expecting them to walk around being perfectly grateful for everything they have all the time.
I just want them to have opportunities to appreciate what's already here. To notice the people they love, the things that make them happy, and all those little moments that are so easy to overlook when we're busy going about our days.
And if a paper turkey with one eye helps us practice that? Well, I think that's a pretty good tradition to keep around.
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