How We Used a Gratitude Tree Craft to Practice Thankfulness with Our Kids
Gratitude is something I want to intentionally teach my kids—not just around Thanksgiving but all year long. But let’s be honest, when you have little ones, abstract concepts like “thankfulness” don’t always sink in through a lecture.
That’s why I love using hands-on activities to make lessons stick. Recently, my two daughters, Ruthie and Ella (ages 2.5 and 6.5) and I spent an afternoon creating our own gratitude trees using my printable Gratitude Tree craft, and it turned out to be one of my favorite family moments this fall.
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Why We Chose a Gratitude Tree
A gratitude tree is such a simple, visual way for kids to reflect on what they’re thankful for. Each leaf represents a blessing, big or small, that we can thank God for.
In the past, we’ve been a thankful turkey family — and we very well might still make some thankful turkeys later this season! But I wanted to try something new, and this also felt perfect for early fall, since it’s a little less Thanksgiving-specific.
This is exactly why I designed my Gratitude Tree craft for families, Sunday schools, and classrooms. It’s an easy way to connect seasonal fun with faith, reminding kids that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).
Setting Up the Activity
Here’s what we used:
I printed two copies of the craft so each girl could have her own tree. For my toddler, I should have cut everything out ahead of time, so that’s my pro tip right here – cut out pieces ahead of time to make things run even smoother!
We set everything up on our coffee table and both girls and got to work!
Creating Our Gratitude Trees
This part was so sweet. My 6.5-year-old immediately started writing her own words on the leaves: “family,” “cousins,” “friends,” “church,” “Panera mac and cheese.”
My 2.5-year-old isn’t writing yet, so I asked her what she loves and wrote her answers on the leaves. (That’s another pro tip: the idea of thankfulness can be a bit abstract for little ones. You can make it easier to understand by asking, “What do you love?” instead.)
After filling out the leaves, they both decorated their trees with crayons, glued the leaves on, and proudly displayed them on the fridge.
Tips for Other Moms
- Prep ahead for younger kids: cut out the pieces before you sit down (you’ll thank me for this one!).
- Do it in short bursts if your child has a short attention span. You can add more leaves throughout the week, or even throughout the season.
- Display the finished trees somewhere visible as a daily reminder of gratitude.
Make Your Own Gratitude Tree
If you’d like to try this with your family, you can grab the Printable Gratitude Tree Craft from my TPT shop.
You’ll love how easy it is to set up, and your kids will love sharing what they’re thankful for. It’s the perfect fall activity to point little hearts toward gratitude.
And if you’re looking for more ways to connect faith and family life, you might also enjoy:
- How to Teach Your Child about Jesus Through Everyday Routines
- Create a Simple Family Prayer Time Routine
- Parable of the Lost Sheep Sensory Bin
Will you try making gratitude trees with your kiddos this year? I would LOVE to hear about it! Comment below or message me on Instagram and tell me all about it!
