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Teaching Kids Gratitude and Giving Back During the Holidays

Boxing Foods For Aid Distribution

With the holiday season upon us, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of gifts, holiday decorations, and the busy bustle of planning. However, over the years, I’ve come to realize just how meaningful it can be to focus on gratitude and giving back, especially for my kids.


I want them to feel the joy of the holiday season, but I also want them to understand that this time of year is about more than just receiving. 

It’s about kindness, community, and helping others who may not be as fortunate.

In this post, I’ll share how my family has embraced gratitude and giving back during the holidays with practical ideas, from volunteering together to creating simple donation-friendly crafts. 

These activities have not only brought us closer but have also instilled valuable lessons in my children that I hope they’ll carry with them for life.

Start with Simple Gratitude Conversations

One of the easiest ways to begin teaching gratitude is to incorporate it into our daily conversations. Around the holidays, I like to sit down with my kids and talk about what we’re thankful for. 

It can be something big, like “I’m grateful for our family,” or something small, like “I’m grateful for hot chocolate.”

I’ve found that this simple practice helps my kids reflect on the good things in their lives, and it’s an easy way to cultivate a habit of gratitude. Over time, it has helped them realize that they have so much to be thankful for, which naturally inspires them to give back.

Create a Family Giving Tradition

Maybe try planning an annual “Family Giving Day.” Each year, pick a cause or charity to support as a family, and spend time together choosing what you want to contribute. 

It can be as simple as donating gently used toys, and other times, even buying groceries for a local food bank or gathering winter clothes for a shelter.

By involving kids in the process, they can feel like they’re actively participating in making a difference. Also talk about who they’re helping and why it matters, which can really bring the spirit of giving home. 

It will be amazing to see them get excited about giving instead of just receiving!

Free stock photo of africa, aid, assistance

Volunteer Together as a Family

Volunteering is one of the best ways to show kids the importance of giving back. Try to find family-friendly volunteer opportunities during the holidays, like helping out at a food bank, participating in a community clean-up, or visiting a local nursing home. 

Just make sure to choose activities that are age-appropriate and safe for your children. 

Donate Clothes to a Local Shelter

One way we encourage giving during the holiday season is by donating old toys. My kids love being part of gathering old toys.

This has become a meaningful annual event, and it’s a great opportunity to teach my kids the importance of giving back. It also reminds them that they are part of a larger community of people who care about making a difference.

Create a “Kindness Advent Calendar

Instead of a traditional advent calendar filled with treats, we plan on starting a “Kindness Advent Calendar” where each day leading up to Christmas, we will focus on a small act of kindness. I plan on sitting down with my kids at the beginning of the month, and together, we will come up with 24 different acts. Some of the things we will include are:

Holding the door open for someone

Writing a thank-you note to a teacher

Bringing a treat to a neighbor

Donating a few coins to a charity box

Calling a grandparent to say hi

Each day, we will check off an act of kindness, and by the end of the month, my kids have completed 24 small acts that have brightened someone else’s day. 

I hope this will become a fun and easy way to incorporate gratitude and giving into our daily lives.

Read Books About Gratitude and Generosity

I’ve found that reading stories about gratitude and kindness is a wonderful way to spark meaningful conversations with my kids. There are so many beautiful children’s books that emphasize the importance of helping others and being thankful. Some good ones are:

The Thankful Book* by Todd Parr

Those Shoes* by Maribeth Boelts

Last Stop on Market Street* by Matt de la Peña

After reading, talk about the lessons from the stories and how you can apply them in your own lives. Books are a gentle, engaging way to help kids understand gratitude and giving on a deeper level.

Encourage Them to Practice Gratitude Daily

Finally, I encourage my kids to practice gratitude every day, not just during the holidays. This year, I plan on keeping a “gratitude jar” in our great room, and each night, we will write down one thing we’re thankful for on a slip of paper and put it in the jar. 

By the end of the month, it will be full of little notes, and we can read them together as a reminder of all the wonderful things we have.

Practicing gratitude daily helps my kids recognize the positives in their lives, no matter how big or small, and reinforces the habit of giving thanks regularly. 

Final Thoughts

The holiday season is the perfect time to teach our kids about gratitude and the joy of giving. These activities have brought so much meaning to our holidays, and I love knowing that my kids are learning values they’ll carry with them. 

Whether it’s through volunteering, making crafts to donate, or sharing daily moments of thankfulness, these small acts have made a big impact in our lives. 

I hope some of these ideas inspire you to create your own family traditions focused on gratitude and giving back.

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5 Comments

  1. Great post. It is never too early to instil an attitude of gratitude and the spirit of giving back in children. It’s made my little one appreciate even the smallest things.

  2. The art of gratitude and giving back is not just for children but also adults. God loves a cheerful giver. Instilling in young children the joy of giving and being grateful for the smallest things lets them grow up with an awareness of showing empathy to the less fortunate. Thank you for sharing this inspirational post.

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