Appreciations Box

Looking to add an extra dose of kindness to your home? Try making a family appreciations box!

Here’s how it works:

Ask your child/children to decorate a small box and label it ‘APPRECIATIONS.’ Once decorated, place the box somewhere everyone in the family can easily access it, like on an end table or kitchen counter. Put a small notepad and pencil near the box.

Tell your family that you want them to notice the nice things that your family members do for each other. Show them how they can get a piece of paper from the notepad and write a sentence or two showing appreciation for something specific.

For example, your child might write, “I appreciated it when _____ helped me pick up the food when I accidentally dropped my plate in the kitchen.” Or, “I appreciated ____ got me an ice pack when I fell down.”

After writing, have them sign the note and put it in the appreciation box. Pick a designated time once a week to read the appreciations aloud as your family listens to what they appreciate about each other.