Creating a Culture of Gratitude: Engaging Practices for Families

In today’s fast-paced world, encouraging gratitude in children is a valuable life skill that is more important than ever. Teaching kids the value of gratitude and thankfulness not only enhances their emotional well-being and personal development but also promotes positive relationships and a sense of community. In this blog post, we will explore effective strategies to encourage grateful kids and instill a lifelong appreciation for the good things in life.

Why is practicing gratitude with kids important?

Gratitude is a powerful emotion that helps children develop empathy, resilience, and a positive outlook on life. It has a positive impact on their emotional, social, and psychological development. Research shows that grateful kids are more likely to:

• Foster positive attitude – Gratitude helps children develop a positive outlook on life. When kids learn to focus on the things they are thankful for, they are less likely to dwell on negative aspects or complaints.
• Have Stronger Relationships: Gratitude fosters connection and encourages kids to be more generous and supportive of their peers.
• Improves Mental and emotional wellbeing: Expressing gratitude is linked to increased happiness and children can experience lower levels of depression, stress and anxiety. Teaching kids to recognise and appreciate positive experiences can improve their emotional well-being and lead to better emotional regulation.
• Enhance Academic Performance: A positive mindset can improve focus and motivation, resulting in better academic outcomes.
• Promotes empathy and compassion: Grateful children tend to be more empathetic and compassionate toward others. They are better at recognising and appreciating the kindness and support they receive from others, which can strengthen their social relationships.
• Reduces Materialism: Gratitude can help combat materialistic attitudes and entitlement. When children appreciate non-material aspects of life, such as relationships, experiences and acts of kindness, they are less likely to be solely focused on material possessions.
• Strengthens Resilience: Gratitude can enhance resilience by helping children develop coping skills.  When faced with challenges, grateful kids are more likely to focus on the positive aspects and find ways to overcome difficulties. 
• Improves Social Skills: Expressing gratitude often involves saying “Thank you” and showing appreciation. These social skills are important for building and maintain healthy relationships with peers, family and teachers.
• Enhances Mindfulness: Gratitude encourages mindfulness and being present in the moment. It helps kids become more aware of the good things happening around them and the positive aspects of their lives.
• Boosts Self-Esteem: When children recognise the positive impact they have on others and the things they are grateful for, it can boost their self-esteem and self-worth.
• Strengthens Family Bonds: Practicing gratitude as a family activity can strengthen the bonds between parents and children. Sharing what each family member is thankful for during meals or before bedtime can be a bonding experience. (in our online membership there is a whole month dedicated to gratitude with family activities, every month. tranquilkidsyoga.thinkific.com. )

Here are 5 Effective Strategies to Encourage Grateful Kids

1. Model Grateful Behaviour and express thankfulness aloud:

Children learn best through observation. By expressing gratitude in your daily life, you set a powerful example. Share what you’re thankful for during family meals, and encourage your kids to do the same. This simple practice helps kids understand the importance of gratitude and how to express it. Encourage your child to verbally express gratitude and teach them to say ‘thank you’ when someone does something kind for them or gives them a gift. Also encourage them to express appreciation not just for material things but also for acts of kindness, like a friend sharing a toy, or a parent helping with homework.

2. Keep a Gratitude Journal

Introduce the concept of a gratitude journal to your kids. Encourage them to write down three things they are grateful and thankful for each day or week. These can be simple things like a favourite toy, a fun activity, or the support of a friend or family member. Over time, the journal helps them focus and reflect on the positive aspects of their lives but will also reinforces the habit of gratitude.

3. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness teaches children to be present and appreciate the moment. Engage in mindfulness exercises together, such as deep breathing or nature walks. Discuss the things they notice and appreciate, fostering a sense of gratitude for the world around them.

4.   Acts of kindness: Engage kids in acts of kindness and service to others. Encourage them to do something nice for someone else, whether it’s helping a family member, a friend, or a neighbor. Talk to them about how their actions can make others feel appreciated and valued.

5. Create a gratitude collage or artwork: Have kids create artwork or a gratitude collage. Provide art supplies, magazines, and newspapers, and let them cut out images or words that represent things they are grateful for. They can then create a visual representation of their gratitude by arranging these items on a poster board or in a scrapbook.

6. Family Gratitude Ritual: Establish a family gratitude ritual, an example might be sharing what each family member is thankful for during meal time or before bedtime. This creates a positive atmosphere and helps kids see that gratitude is a part of daily life.

A lovely way to encourage gratitude in children, and even parents, and educators is through engaging activities such as keeping gratitude journals, expressing thanks regularly, encouraging volunteering or acts of kindness, and modeling gratitude through their own behaviour.

Another effective way to teach gratitude is through storytelling, and what better medium than movies.

In a world constantly buzzing with distractions, instilling values like gratitude in children is more important than ever.

Movies have a unique ability to connect with young audiences, imparting valuable life lessons in an entertaining way. We will explore movies that teach kids gratitude, highlighting how these movies can foster appreciation for the little things in life.

Here are some movies that teach kids about gratitude and the importance of appreciating what they have:

1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – Though it’s often considered a holiday classic, this movie teaches powerful lessons about the value of life, friendship, and appreciating the impact one has on others. This classic movie tells the story of George Bailey, who learns the value of his life and the impact he has on the people around him. While it may be more suitable for older children, its timeless message about appreciating one’s life and the importance of community is universal.
2. A Little Princess (1995) – This adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel highlights themes of gratitude, kindness, and resilience in the face of adversity.
3. The Blind Side (2009) – Based on a true story, this film illustrates the importance of family, kindness, and gratitude for the opportunities we receive in life.
4. Inside Out (2015) – This Pixar film teaches kids about the importance of emotions, including gratitude, and how it can enhance their understanding of relationships and themselves.
5. Up (2009) – This heartwarming adventure emphasizes appreciation for memories, friendship, and living life to the fullest, showcasing the beauty of both loss and gratitude.
6. Finding Nemo (2003) – The journey of Marlin and the lessons learned along the way about family, love, and appreciation highlight the importance of valuing relationships.
7. Wonder (2017) – This film tells the story of a boy with facial differences and the impact of kindness and gratitude, illustrating how important it is to appreciate and embrace differences in others.
8. Big Hero 6 (2014) – This movie shows the importance of friendship, teamwork, and being thankful for those who support us through tough times.
9. Toy Story (1995) – The evolution of the toys’ relationships teaches valuable lessons about friendship, loyalty, and being grateful for the time shared with loved ones.
10. Frozen II (2019) – This sequel explores themes of love, family, and gratitude for the past, while also emphasizing the importance of embracing change and growth.
11. Coco (2017) – Pixar’s Coco beautifully explores themes of family, memory, and gratitude. The young protagonist, Miguel, embarks on a journey to understand his family’s history and learns to appreciate the sacrifices made by his ancestors. The movie emphasizes the importance of cherishing loved ones and remembering those who came before us.
12. A Bug’s Life (1998) – In this delightful animated film, a misfit ant named Flik learns the value of teamwork and gratitude. As he rallies his fellow ants to stand up against oppressive grasshoppers, the story illustrates how working together and appreciating one another’s strengths
13. How the Grinch stole Christmas – A good classic written by Dr Seuss
14. Forrest Gump -Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field-Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. But whatever life gives you, take every opportunity and make the most of it
15. Soul (2020) – This animated film from Pixar explores the meaning of life and finding joy in everyday moments, emphasizing gratitude for life’s simple pleasures.
16. Encanto (2021) – A Disney animated film where a family blessed with magical gifts learns to appreciate one another for who they are, not just for their abilities.
17. The Good Dinosaur (2015) – Another Pixar film where a young dinosaur learns to appreciate his family and the world around him after being separated from home.

These movies convey the message of gratitude through their storylines and character development, making them great choices for teaching kids this important value.