Thanksgiving/Gratitude

Book Ideas:

Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes

"At Thanksgiving time, children express their gratitude for the people and things in their lives."

My Book of Thanks by B.G.Hennessy

"A gentle prayer expressing thanks - and asking for help in passing life’s blessings along."

Songs and Rhymes:

Let's be Thankful

Sung to: "Twinkle, twinkle little star"

Let’s be thankful for this day

For our friends and for our play

Let’s be thankful; lets be glad

For the food and things we have

Let’s give thanks for you and me

And our home and family

If your thankful and you know it...

Sung to: "If You're Happy & You Know It"

If you're thankful and you know it clap your hands

If you're thankful and you know it clap your hands

If you're thankful and you know it

Then your face will surely show it

If you're thankful and you know it clap your hands!

I Thank Thee, Dear Father

(LDS Church Primary Song Book pg.7)

I thank thee, dear Father in heaven above,

For thy goodness and mercy, thy kindness and love.

I thank thee for home, friends, and parents so dear,

And for ev'ry blessing that I enjoy here.

Thanks to Our Father

(LDS Church Primary Song Book pg. 20)

Verse1:

Thanks to our Father we will bring,

For he gives us ev'rything.

Verse 2:

Eyes and ears and hands and feet,

Clothes to wear, and food to eat;

Verse 3:

Father, mother, baby small,

Heavenly Father gives us all.

Verse 4:

Thanks to our Father we will bring,

For he gives us ev'rything.

Activity Ideas:

Idea#1: Make Gratitude Books

Cut computer paper into four (you'll need 6 pages) and staple together. You can do this a couple of ways.

Version A: Write "My Gratitude Book" on the first page and then have your child tell you five things he/she is thankful for and draw and label each on the blank pages.

Version B: Cut and staple the pages together and make a gratitude coloring book for your child to color. (This might be a good option for younger preschoolers). For this kind of book I used the lyrics to the song "Thanks to our Father". Here is what you would write on each page:

Page 1- "My Gratitude Book"

Page 2- "Thanks to our Father we will bring, for he gives us everything.

(draw or print a child praying)

Page 3- "Eyes and ears and hands and feet," (draw or print each body part mentioned)

Page 4- "Clothes to wear," (draw or print picture of clothes)
Page 5- "and food to eat;" (draw or print picture of food)

Page 6- "Father, Mother, baby small, Heavenly Father gives us all." (draw or glue in a photo of your family)

Version C: Cut and staple paper into a book and label each page with the words to the poem, as mentioned in version B, but have your child draw the pictures to go along with the words.

Idea#2: Make Thank you Cards

If you don't already have the family tradition of choosing someone to specifically write and thank at thanksgiving time, then start this year. The hand print turkey in the photo above is a fun way for the kids to decorate their cards. If you want you can even add this poem below the hand print:

This isn't just a turkey
As anyone can see.
I made it with my hands
Which are a part of me!
It comes with lots of love
Especially to say----
I hope you have a very
Happy Thanksgiving Day!

***Add to the fun by making some cute Thanksgiving cookies to go with the thankyou cards and deliver them.