We’ve talked about the benefits of gratitude before, but how exactly do you help children become grateful?

One strategy we love is the gratitude chain. Using strips of colored paper, have each child write something that he’s grateful for. It can be general, such as, “My friends” or it can be specific such as, “When my brother let me borrow his toy.”

This activity can be done with one kid or with a large group. As you take more opportunities to be grateful, you’ll watch the chain grow. Challenge the kid(s) to see if they can think of a different thing to add each time – no repeats! In no time at all, you’ll have a large visual way to keep gratitude front and center.