We get it. With all the pressures in the world today, it can often be a struggle to find joy and happiness in the little things. Throw a global pandemic and online learning in the mix, and things get even messier.

It’s no different for kids. Whether they’re 5 or 15 years old, all kids are facing their own problems – that’s where gratitude comes in.

There’s no shortage of research on the topic, and studies show that having an attitude of gratitude can have a huge impact on wellbeing. It’s no surprise, then, that practicing gratitude can help kids thrive both emotionally and academically.

Benefits of gratitude

According to Psychology Today, there are seven main benefits of gratitude.

• Developing new relationships
• Improving physical health
• Improving psychological health
• Increasing empathy and decreasing aggression
• Improving sleep
• Improving self-esteem
• Increasing mental strength

Gratitude doesn’t always come naturally, but daily gratitude and mindfulness activities are a great way to get kids into a routine and help them to develop a growth mindset. Taking time each day to reflect on the positive things will also help kids to develop perspective and positive coping skills – both super important things to learn as a young child.

Of course, we’re always looking to find easy and fun ways for kids to express gratitude, that work for them. A daily gratitude journal is a great place to start. Whether it’s a blank journal or has writing prompts, gratitude journals help kids to turn gratitude into a daily habit, and it also does wonders for their writing skills – win-win!

Having their own gratitude journal gives kids ownership to practice gratitude and mindfulness themselves. Before you know it they will be hooked and looking forward to their daily practice!

The gratitude journal you need

While that all sounds great in principle, having the time to create a daily gratitude journal can be a struggle. So, we’ve got your back!
Our team created a free, customizable, and downloadable gratitude journal you can start using with your class today! It includes daily gratitude templates and other gratitude activities such as a gratitude jar, gratitude pyramid, 30 Day challenges, and more!

You can open the journal up in Kami and share it as individual copies to your students, or if you’d prefer a physical copy, simply print them out and they are good to go!

If you’re looking to create your own gratitude journal for your kids or students, think about including inspirational quotes, positive affirmations, mindfulness activities, and gratitude activities to keep it interesting and varied. Alternatively, if you teach older grades, you can get students to write in a blank journal too!

Remember, gratitude doesn’t always come naturally and kids will need you to lead by example, encouraging them along the way. Bring some classroom gratitude activities into your planning such as Grateful Graffiti or a Gratitude Tree. Find these resources and more on our blog: 3 Ways to Teach Gratitude in the Classroom!