Writing Thank You Notes {Encouraging Thankfulness}

Writing thank you notes is such a great way to help kids (and adults) practice the art of thankfulness. There are always things we can be thankful for. Even when the situation isn’t so fun, we can find something to be thankful for. Sometimes we have to look really hard or even have a friend point it out. But it’s there.

Writing thank you notes is also a sneaky way to make writing meaningful because it has a built-in audience. It can be especially fun when you write them at random times…when your audience isn’t expecting it!

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Writing Thank You Notes

To encourage an attitude of thankfulness in my kids and in me, especially before Thanksgiving, I issued a thankfulness challenge. I created some simple “Thank You” cards (TY=thank you), printed them on card stock, and placed them in a prominent spot in our kitchen so that all the kids could reach them. {See the free download at the end of this post to print your own!}

I said, “We are all going to look for ways (mommy included) that we can be thankful for someone else. Maybe a person cleaned up your mess. Maybe they let you take the first turn at something. We can even thank people outside of this house, like the people who bag up our groceries at the grocery store.

“We we have a way that we’re thankful, we’re going to grab one of these little thank you cards and write them a simple thank you note in this white space. And…here’s the fun part…we’re going to put that special note in a place where the other person will find it, like on top of their pillow or on their desk. We will leave it a secret and not point it out, knowing that they will find it and it will make them happy.”

Not but about 20 minutes later, my oldest went into the kitchen, jotted a note to his brother and placed it in a “hiding spot”.

A little while later, I “caught” my oldest son being thoughtful and kind to his younger sister. I jotted him a quick note and placed it near his toothbrush in the bathroom.

Not Just for Thanksgiving

Writing thank you notes doesn’t have to just be a Thanksgiving thing. Constantly looking for ways to thank others or things for which we can be thankful for is a great way to think outside of ourselves and put others first. It’s also a FANTASTIC way to change our perspective on things, especially when we’re facing a difficult person or situation.

So, as a way to practice for Thanksgiving (or any time of year), LOOK for ways to be thankful and encourage your kids to do the same!

Download the FREE cards by clicking below:

Happy Thanksgiving!
~Becky

Find all our Printable Thanksgiving Activities.