Gratitude with kids can be tricky—one moment, they’re full of joy over the smallest thing, like a perfectly crunchy leaf, and the next, they’re bemoaning the tragedy of not having exactly the right color cup for lunch. So, where does that leave us when it comes to teaching a thankful heart?

For our family, gratefulness starts with remembering that every good thing—big, small, and downright miraculous—is a gift from God. It’s a perspective we want our kids to carry with them, to help them see blessings in the ordinary. It takes some practice (for all of us!), but here are some ways we’ve found that work surprisingly well.

Making Gratefulness a Daily Thing (Without Making it a Chore)

So here’s the thing: gratitude journals sound beautiful in theory, but in practice? Imagine trying to get a five-year-old to sit still and reflect on the meaning of life every day. Instead, we’ve made it a casual habit. After dinner, we’ll go around the table and each share one thing we’re thankful for. Sometimes we’re grateful for big things, like a family trip or a friend who made our day. Other times, it’s things like, “I’m grateful that I didn’t step on any LEGOs today.” Both count! We call this your “peak and your pit” with peak being the best park of the day and pit being the worst. We have family friends who call this “High, Low, Buffalo.” The high is the best part of the day, the low is the worst part of the day, and buffalo is the silliest part.

The goal is to show them that gratitude doesn’t need to be profound; it’s about recognizing God’s hand in the everyday details of life. And it’s okay if those things are a bit silly sometimes—that’s real life!

Creating a Gratitude Jar (Because Lists Don’t Always Stick)

Instead of expecting kids to maintain a journal (and we all know how that goes…), we’ve embraced the “Gratitude Jar” approach. Every now and then, when something good happens or someone is just extra happy, we’ll jot it down on a little piece of paper and add it to the jar. It can be anything, from “Thankful for sunshine” to “Mom let me have the last cookie.” Over time, it fills up, and whenever we need a reminder of God’s goodness, we can pull a few out and read them. It’s become one of those small family traditions that feels big over time.

Giving Thanks in the Hard Stuff

One of the most important things we can model for our kids is how to be grateful even when things aren’t perfect. Whether it’s a missed nap, a rough day with siblings, or one of those days where nothing seems to go right, we try to show our kids that God’s gifts are there even in the tough stuff. It might not always be easy to see, but it’s always true. We’ll say something like, “Even though today was hard, I’m grateful for…” and fill in the blank. It reminds them that even the “not-so-great” moments hold blessings. It’s ok to feel sadness, but resilience is the goal. Sometimes there might not be a silver lining in a situation, and I want sturdy kids who can navigate that.

Practicing Gratitude by Giving Back

One of the most powerful ways to teach kids thankfulness is by giving to others. When kids understand they can help make someone else’s day a little brighter, it deepens their gratitude. Every so often, we’ll go through our toys, books, and clothes, setting aside items to donate to those who need them more. It’s a tangible way for kids to realize they have more than enough to share.

And giving back doesn’t always have to be about donating things—it can be about sharing time and creativity, too. Simple service projects are a great way for kids to experience the joy of giving, whether it’s decorating placemats for nursing home residents, putting together blessing bags with snacks and toiletries for the homeless, or drawing cheerful pictures to send to sick children. Even baking cookies for a neighbor or first responders can help kids see that gratitude overflows when it’s shared!

Prayers of Gratitude

Finally, we’ve tried to make gratitude a part of our family’s prayer life. It can be as simple as thanking God for the food on our plates and the people around the table, but there’s something beautiful about bringing our thankfulness directly to Him. When we pray together, it’s a gentle way to remind our kids (and ourselves!) that every blessing we have comes from Him.

At the end of the day, teaching gratitude isn’t about trying to raise “perfectly grateful” kids—there’s no such thing! Instead, it’s about helping them see that life, with all its ups and downs, is filled with God’s gifts and common grace. And if that includes not stepping on a LEGO…well, that’s a pretty big blessing in my book!