Gratitude Journals (For Kids and Adults!)

November is the month where we focus our hearts and minds on being thankful. In today’s culture, it is so hard to keep our focus on what we have. Social media is constantly pushing everyone’s lives in front of us. The media pushes more and more in front of our kids to make them want more, and be content less. Today, as a member of Good Morning Girls, we started our Gratitude study where we take the time to focus on being thankful for all that God has done. During this time, our family will also take time to focus on being thankful. So today, we made a Thankful Journal to go along with the challenge in week one on today’s blog post. (You can find that blog post here)

Each day, my children are going to write, or draw (based on age and level) what they are thankful for. We have 15 days left until Thanksgiving, and I want them to focus on some of the things they have. We also have a tree where they have been placing leaves each day, but this is something that we can KEEP from year to year. Next year, we will look at these journals, and remember what we were thankful for in the past. This is a great keepsake for you too, Momma!

This idea is not my own, I must give credit where credit is due. I got this idea from this post over at Women Living Well.

Here is the Journals we made tonight- the kids had a great time doing it too!!

All our materials, ready to go!

 

 

All three kids get in on making one! Even my 12 year old.

 

Turkeys on the front!

 

Jared working on his Turkey

 

Getting in on the fun!

 

Adding more stickers!

 

Writing his name

 

Finding the right stickers

 

 

This is great for their fine motor skills!

 

Great busy activity for those last little hours before bedtime!

 

It will be great to see their handwriting change from year to year!

 

We counted out 15 pieces of paper so they have a page a day. My older girl will use notebook paper.

 

Proud of their work!

 

Finished products- ready to be used at homework time tomorrow night!

As I mentioned, each child will do this on their own level. My youngest will draw a picture, and write one word on each page. My middle boy will draw a picture and write one sentence. My big girl will write at least three sentences of what she is thankful for and why. We are also going to add a printed version of the verses that we read that day about being thankful! These will be great for the coffee table each year, and the grandparents will love looking at them before Thanksgiving Dinner!

We can’t forget the adults! I am writing down my thankful things in my quiet time journal each day…. and I am making a list for the day. I also have been posting them on facebook and other areas of social media- because, don’t we know, that social media needs a little more uplifting post and a lot less post that bring us down!

Serving HIM by Serving My family (and you!),
Mandy