Want to have some fun with the Grands this Thanksgiving? Play the gratitude game and teach them to think about the things they are thankful for in their lives. Here’s what you’ll need:
Fall-colored paper
Fall-colored yarn - use a thicker yarn that’s easier for small hands to work with
Hole punch
Scissors
Crayons
Before Thanksgiving cut out lots of leaves and cornucopias. Make them 3-4” in diameter and use a variety of colors. Punch a hole in each for later stringing on the yarn necklaces.
Have a basket full of blank cutouts available for Grands at the family gathering. Explain to Grands they’ll be doing social media the old-fashioned way and posting their gratitude thoughts on the cutouts. Ask them to think of things they are grateful for throughout the activities and write each one on a different cutout. Younger Grands may need some help and prompting. For older Grands, you may ask them to put why they are thankful on the back of the cutout or draw pics for their post.
Midway through the festivities, have the Grands gather their cutouts and string them on a yarn necklace. Putting knots in the yarn as each cutout is strung can help separate them and make the gratitude posts easier to read.
Depending on the number of grandchildren and age ranges, prepare a few prizes. Prizes can be for the most posts, the funniest, the cutest, the most creative, and so on.
When the day is done, each child will have a memento to commemorate the things they were thankful for at Thanksgiving 2022. Date the back of one of the cutouts and take a Grand Pic with all the Grands wearing their necklaces.
Hint: Entice older, “too cool for that” Grands to participate with a couple of prizes desirable enough to get their attention. Once they get going they’ll most likely join in and enjoy themselves but sometimes a nudge doesn’t hurt!
If you want to spread even more joy, have adults participate, too. For the past few years, we’ve had light-up Christmas bulb necklaces at our office or family Christmas parties. It may seem corny at first but once everyone gets a necklace on, spirits lifts, and smiles follow. A festive atmosphere with some fun is good for the soul!
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