Crafts for the Thanksgiving season

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By Caitlin Murray Giles
Monday, October 26, 2009

Hand turkeys and construction paper Pilgrim hats are fun, but what do they really teach our kids about the true meaning of giving thanks?

Don't get me wrong-we will be making plenty of turkey crafts at our house this year. But I also want to teach my children that Thanksgiving is a time to take note of our blessings. Even though times are tough for many of us, this season is the perfect time for a lesson in simple gratitude.

We all have countless reasons to be grateful but sometimes everyday things get overlooked in the hustle and bustle of family life. So before everyone pens their holiday wish lists, take some time this month to really focus your family's attention on all that you have to be thankful for-especially each other.

A jarful of joy

Find a large glass jar with a lid that you can reuse as your "joy" receptacle. Attach a label and decorate the jar. Get creative with ribbons, sequins, stickers or other embellishments.

Keep another smaller jar nearby with strips of paper cut into 1 1/2-inch by 4-inch strips. Start with about 20 strips of paper in the jar, refill as necessary. Use another small jar to hold crayons, colored pencils or markers so that all of the supplies are ready to go.

When family members feel thankful or appreciative for something in their lives, they can write their thoughts on a strip of paper and put it in the jar.

When the jar is full, gather together to read the entries aloud together as a family.

A joy journal

Create a central place where every member of the family can share their gratitude for all things big and small. Find a bound journal, notebook or sketchbook and decorate the cover. We used alphabet stickers to write "Our Joy Journal" on a plain notebook with lined paper. Keep the joy journal and some pens, markers or crayons in a location where your family meets up on a regular basis, such as the dinner table.

Find a few minutes each day when every member of the family can share something they are grateful for in the journal. Younger children can draw pictures or an adult can help them express their thoughts.

This project has dual purposes. Participants (that means the kids and you, too) get a chance to reflect on their own lives and the things that they might be overlooking. At the same time, through hearing others express appreciation, kids learn about the positive impact their behavior can have on someone else.

Try to keep up with your joy journal for a month and then spend some time together flipping back through the pages.

I think you'll find you are one lucky family.