How Thankful Are You? A Fun Way to Teach Your Family to Reflect

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Thanksgiving is a time for big dinners and family get-togethers. It's a time for pumpkin pie and pilgrim talk. But it's also a time for reflection. Sometimes, that's a hard concept for kids to grasp.

Here's a fun way to include thanks in your Thanksgiving. Even the youngest children can participate with this easy project, which we've dubbed "A Hat Full of Thankful!"

What You Need:

  • A structured hat, one that holds its shape
  • Index cards or note paper
  • Pens or something to write with

What to Do:

  1. Think of the hat as a thought-collector of sorts. Find your stiffest head topper—bowler, cowboy, top hat—any hat will do as long as it's not too soft.
  2. Place it upside-down on a table in the entryway of your home and surround it with a stack of index cards and a cluster of colored pens.
  3. As each guest arrives, take their coats and point them towards the hat. Ask them to write down at least one thing for which they're thankful. Younger kids may need a little bit of help, but anyone is old enough to know what makes them happy.
  4. Once everyone has finished collect the hat. Then at some point during dinner, pass it around the table and have each person reach in for a card and read it aloud. Listen up. We guarantee some of the things will surprise you!