With Thanksgiving coming up, it’s important for kids to take the time to reflect on the things and people they are appreciative of. A great way to help inculcate a sense of gratitude in kids is by taking some of the camp activities that incorporate gratitude and practicing them at home. Here are 4 of our favorites!
Web of Appreciation
At camp, kids sit in a circle and use a yarn ball to physically connect to every member of the group. One person holds on to one end of the yarn, and throws the other end to someone else in the group along with one thing they appreciated about that person. This continues until everyone is holding a part of the yarn, and at the end you have a web that shows the connections everyone has made at camp. The same idea can be used at home. You can replicate the Web of Appreciation with your family, or use a simpler Talking Stick to go around the dinner table and have each person say one thing they appreciate about another member of the family.
Friendship Bracelets
Friendship bracelets are a great, fun way for kids to show appreciation for the people they love. Here’s a video showing steps for making a simple friendship bracelet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XcFb1TyTgw
Friendship Journals
Take one colored sheet of construction paper and 3-5 sheets of blank printer paper. Fold the papers in half so that the colored construction paper becomes a cover for the blank printer paper. Hold the folded paper up like a book, and punch holes on the left hand side to bind the book with yarn. Make one of these books for every member of the family, and have everyone write their names on the front cover. Once finished, have everyone write in each other’s journals at least one thing they appreciate about that person. For younger kids, you can have them draw pictures to show their appreciation.
Clay Beads
Use small pieces of clay to roll into beads. Have each person make enough beads for everyone in the group. Once your beads are rolled, put them through a straw to ensure there’s a hole in them as they dry and have each person paint their cluster of beads a different color. Once the beads are dry, have everyone share their beads so that each person has a bead of every color representing everyone in the group. Use yarn or lanyard string to make a bracelet out of your new beads or a keychain to remember everyone in the group!
These activities help kids reflect on their relationships with others at camp, and can just as easily be used at home to help emphasize a sense of gratitude during the holiday season.
For more on the Importance of Teaching Kids Gratitude and ways Camp Helps teach Appreciation, check out our Ready for Camp Blog.
