1. Blog. My son just starting getting writing assignments in second grade using a student blog site. He loves seeing his words online and gets so excited when classmates comment on his posts. Why not set up a family gratitude journal blog (password-protected, of course)? You can even involve grandparents and cousins, no matter how far they live. You could introduce this idea at the Thanksgiving table and challenge everyone to submit a post each week throughout the year.
2. Audio Recording. Children love to hear their own voices. You can have them record their journal on a phone or iPad. Once you have the recordings, you can get really creative by posting them online for others to listen to or you can even put it to music and create a song or rap using highlights of what they said.
3. Videos. Children also love watching videos of themselves. My daughter can spend hours watching herself on my phone. They will have a blast talking about what they are thankful for and watching it over and over. Maybe have them pretend to be reporters and their gratitude is the news of the day. Or they can act out scenes from the wonderful moments they had.
4. Drawings. For children who are more visual or artistic, ask them to draw or paint what they are thankful for at the time. You can then put the artwork together in a book organized by month or year. Create your own handmade journal or take pictures and use Snapfish or an online slideshow to present the images.
5. Collage. Looking for pictures in magazines or online to build a gratitude collage is a fun family project. And no artistic talent required! All that cutting is also a great way for your child to build fine motor skills.
6. Family Gratitude Jar. Make gratitude a family project by setting a large jar on your counter or table and placing strips of paper near it. Whenever a family member has a moment of gratitude, write out a simple note and place it in the jar. You can read the entries weekly or just pull out a few whenever you need a lift.
Sandi Schwartz is a freelance writer and mother. She has written extensively about parenting, wellness, and the environment. You can find her at www.happysciencemom.com.
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