Less than twenty days until My friend Janel wrote a blog entry on gratitude. In which she said, "Thankfulness is eternally linked, I think, to humility." Both are qualities I want to be true of Mr. Intensity. Janel had a quote by author HU Westermayer that struck a chord with me, "The pilgrims built seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these, who nevertheless set aside a day of thanksgiving."
One way I hope to teach him about such is by using Thanksgiving, a Time to Remember. (There's also a super bundle with things you won't find at Amazon.) This book is beautifully illustrated - I have it on a cookbook stand in my kitchen. It's written with the intention of being read aloud, maybe over a few days to the littles, to teach them about the true history of Thanksgiving.
Other ways I hope to integrate history and thankfulness with Mr. Intensity is to make a few fun craft projects - like this one from No Time for Flash Cards. Or how 'bout these super cute edible turkeys? Popcorn crafts are always a favorite.
And for those small motor skills - this felt & button turkey or this one with clothes pins.
How do you hope to instill gratitude in your lil turkeys? Leave a comment and I'll enter you to win a copy of the above mentioned book. If you don't have a blog, make sure to leave a way to be contacted. A name will be randomly chosen on Friday night (11/14).
17 comments:
This is a very important quality. I plan to write a blog post on Thanksgiving activities soon but off the top of my head...As she gets older, I would like to get Zhana in the practice of keeping an ongoing gratitude journal. I think thank you notes are very important. Even with her being 2, we always make a thank you card for recipients.
thank you so much for all those ideas...I am going to go check them out now!
That felt and button turkey is too cute! Thanks for all the great ideas.
Jennifer
Each day during the month of November we are writing down one thing we are thankful for. Then we put them on the wall in the kitchen.
What a wonderful book! Pick me!!!
I had never thought of thankfullness being tied to humility. But that is so true. I have been really convicted of late that the best way to instil character in my sons, thankfullness being one we are working on right now, is to model it to them. So I am making a conscious effort to stop complaining and look at how to be grateful no matter what happens in life.
We finally got our Thanksgiving leaves set up today.
Each person writes down one thing that he is grateful for each day on a paper leaf. I hang them from a string in front of our bay window. It looks like leaves are falling.
Cheesy, but gets us all in a grateful frame of mind.
We pray together each night and reflect and thank Jesus for all of the many blessings He gave us that day (seemingly good and bad)...
Thanks for sharing these resources Julie! I would love to be entered into this giveaway.
I love the ideas presented. I cannot wait to make the Thanksgiving garland. I would love to share the book with my children.
kgammon@gmail.com
I would love to win a book! I am always looking to do something different for Thanksgiving. Last year we did a history on the pilgrims lapbook. Not sure what I am doing this year. I don't have much time. I know we will do a 'Thankful Garland' and read Psalm 136 each day leading up to Thanksgiving Day.
Love your funny photos!
My little ones are 2 1/2 and 1 year old. We hope to instill thankfulness in them by involving them in the lives of other children in the world who don't share the same comforts we enjoy.
We usually give to Gospel For Asia this time of year, and the International Mission Board offers a great flip-chart of children from people groups around the world, with pictures and fun-facts. My two are a little young to understand yet, but I look forward to going through it with them each year.
What fun you must be having in your house!! I would love to be a fly on your walls. Thanks for keeping it fun and simple.
We pray together every evening giving thanks for all the blessings of the day (naming them one by one - my daughter is too young, but we do it for her). Love your blog - thank you.
chris_2374 AT lycos.com
We always pray before bedtime giving thanks for different things from the day. My girls are 3 & 1, so they mostly listen. As they get older I want to make it a point to have them help me think of 2 unique things to be thankful for every day. :)
I think prayerful thanks is the best, most tangible way to show gratitude.
We also make an appoint to thank each other outloud often (my husband and I) so the kids will hear it!
Thanks for the contest!
Megret
We often tell our children how blessed we are to live in America and how there are many children around the world that go to bed hungry and have no one to call mommy or daddy. They feel for these children and often pray for them.
Mrs. Warillever is the winner!
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