Every year on September 21st World Gratitude Day takes place. It is the perfect opportunity to remind us to step back and think about what we are thankful for. According to endless studies from the world of positive psychology, gratitude is one of the most important ways for us to get a happiness boost and provides us with so many wonderful psychological, physical, and interpersonal benefits.
I want to thank Kim of Growing Up Glad for reminding me about this special holiday. She explains the origin of World Gratitude Day and talks about how her family incorporates gratitude into their lives everyday on her blog.
I also want to take this time to express gratitude to all of my readers, contributors, mentors, and friends who have supported and helped me over the last year with this blog. I am so incredibly excited and thankful to be celebrating Happy Science Mom’s One Year Anniversary!
Enjoy these 10 fun ways to recognize World Gratitude Day with your children. I hope that these ideas inspire you to make gratitude part of your lives every single day of the year.
1. Play the alphabet gratitude game.
2. Show appreciation to others by sending thank you notes.
3. Encourage your children to start a gratitude journal.
4. Take your children to awe-inspiring places that will spark an appreciation for the beautiful wonders of the world.
5. Listen to Happy Kids Songs, a music collection that talks about being thankful.
6. Connect with your children on the ride home from school by asking them what happened during their day that they are grateful for. Discover four additional ways to ensure a happy afterschool routine.
7. Make gratitude a part of your children’s bedtime routine. Learn how.
8. Eat together as if it were Thanksgiving. Enjoy cooking a healthy meal together and acknowledge your appreciation for all the glorious food on the table.
9. Give your time by helping others, which will teach your children to recognize the positive aspects of their own lives. Participate in the Create to Donate campaign or work on a WeeWork for Good kit.
10. Read books about gratitude with your children. Check out my book review of The Thankful Book and enjoy these other super books about gratitude.
How will you celebrate World Gratitude Day?
I love a good alphabet game, and I believe in thank you notes!
My new boss has everyone hand-write two thank you notes a week. It’s so different and yet gratifying in a way to do it. I appreciate having a boss that puts a lot of thought into gratitude.