Gratitude Banner

This is the time of year when we pause to reflect on all of the things that we are grateful for.

I am grateful for my family and dear friends.

I am grateful that I can easily fill the basic needs such as a home, food, and seasonal clothing to keep me warm (or cool).

I am grateful to live in a country where girls can get an education without the fear of acid being thrown in their face.

I am grateful that I have an easy access to books, knowledge, learning — and technology!

I feel so blessed!

It’s also the perfect time to reflect with your grandchildren about the things that they have in their life to be thankful for.

My granddaughters and I made a gratitude banner listing some of our blessings.

We used my free printable for my gratitude banner pattern. The printable has a turkey, pumpkin, and assorted leaves. (Below are just sample pictures of what is in my printable. Don’t try and print them up. They would be too small.)

To make a gratitude banner, you will need fall colored cardstock, scissors, a pen or pencil, craft clothespins, string.

Firs, print and cut out my free printable items. Then write on each one something that you are thankful for.

Since Emma can’t write, she ‘drew’ pictures of things instead.

My granddaughters would write something and then we’d discuss what else they were thankful for. It was good for them to take time to think about their blessings.

I took craft clothespins (my, they were tiny!) and clipped the items onto some string to make a banner.

We hung up the banner in our daughter’s kitchen. Now, everyday, my daughter’s family can see it and remember all of the things they are thankful for. Hopefully, this will spur more conversations about the blessings they enjoy.

This is another activity (like the balloon turkeys) that would be easy to do with your grandkids on Thanksgiving.

If you don’t want to make a banner, you could place the turkeys, leaves, and pumpkins around the place settings on your table, or tape them on a window, or take them home to use as bookmarks.

Whatever you do, remember to give thanks for all that you have.