A creative gratitude activity for preschoolers inspired by Bear Says Thanks.
Those are the first two lines of a sweet song my boys learned in preschool, which now begins every meal in our house too. Gratitude can be a tricky concept for preschoolers, who are just leaving the "me, me, me" self centered toddler phase and are slowly learning to be thankful for the things around them. It's an important concept to learn and is especially relevant as we head into Thanksgiving.
That's why I've come up with a super easy activity to help my boys understand gratitude, and I'm enlisting the help of one of our favorite books. I've also made a fun free printable to go with it too!
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This week, the Virtual Book Club for Kids is focusing on gratitude, and I'm excited to share an activity inspired by one of our favorite books on giving thanks. Karma Wilson's Bear Says Thanks is a fun book about Bear, who decides to host a dinner for his friends but finds his cupboard is bare. As each friend arrives bearing food, Bear learns to be thankful for his blessings - especially his good friends. Bear Says Thanks is just one of our favorite books on gratitude - see more great choices below:
After reading Bear Says Thanks, I was inspired to come up with an open ended activity to let my boys express what they are thankful for - this makes a great activity anytime and would be an awesome addition to your kids' Thanksgiving table too!
Gratitude Activity Printable Inspired by Bear Says Thanks
This activity is wonderfully simple, and allows children of all ages and skill levels to think about and express the things they are grateful for. All you need is a copy of Bear Says Thanks, our free printable, your favorite art supplies, and your imagination!
This free "I Am Beary Thankful For..." printable was inspired by Bear, and is an adorable canvas for kids to use to share what they are grateful for. There is a large open area for kids to write or draw what they are most thankful for. Or, you can use family photos to create a collage (what a great keepsake idea too!). To get your printable delivered to your email, simply enter your info below.
Then grab your supplies and get creative! My boys decided to draw pictures of their pets, as that's what they were feeling most thankful for today. As they draw, paint, or collage, you can encourage them to talk about gratitude and why it is important to be grateful for all the wonderful things around us.
Need inspiration for your project? Here's some of our favorite art supplies that are perfect for this!
If you like this printable, you'll love my collection of 15 free printables to teach gratitude! Find them all here.
More Activities Inspired by Bear Says Thanks
Check out even more fun activities inspired by Bear Says Thanks from my co-hosts of the Virtual Book Club for Kids! And join us on Facebook for more ideas and inspiration.
