Gratitude. The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

This is the dictionary stated meaning of the word. Teaching my kids gratitude is something I am determined to do this coming school year. I believe living with gratitude is the key to happiness. Let’s dive into 5 ways to teach gratitude to children.

Simple living is my current journey. This includes simplified DIY projects and decor or recipes that bring you back to the basics of nutrition but what I love more than all the life “hacks” for simplicity is helping people find success in the simple.

What is finding success through the simple?

It means leaning into the things that truly add value to life and change us from the inside out. Things such as gratitude is a perfect example of that. I am thrilled to be partnering with The Coca-Cola Company, Kellogg Company, J.M. Smucker Company, and The HERSHEY’S Company to demonstrate a simple way to share with others and teach our children gratitude through learning, reading and giving to those in need this back to school season.

Below are just a few of the food items ( there is a multitude) that offer books for each product purchase and their common location in Walmart to find them. Look for the added star on the front of their labels.

I want my children to have a heart for others and I want them to realize how much they have to be thankful for. I am always thinking of ways to teach this to my kids and I am excited to share some of my ideas.

5 Ways to Teach Gratitude to Children

1. Gratitude scavenger hunt. My kids love to “hunt for treasure” and pretend with me! Believe me, my husband is often standing from afar laughing at us as we enter “imagination land”. Scavenger hunts help kids to become aware of the simple things in nature they can be grateful for. We’ve made a free printable that you can download of the scavenger hunt.

2. Gratitude wall. I love home decor at Simple Acres. I am looking forward to painting a wall in my house soon with chalkboard paint above our kitchen table. This will be a place I will encourage the family to reflect on things they are grateful for. Dinner time is a great time to do this. We will be covering the wall with chalk written statements of gratitude as a family. (Coming soon!) If a whole wall isn’t your thing a smaller chalkboard set somewhere in everyone’s view is a simple idea as well.

3. Get creative. There are so many ways to teach gratitude to our children and often art is a powerful tool for teaching and self expression. This gratitude roundup by Rhythms of Play is full of a year of ideas to do with your kids that is fun and educational.

4. Volunteer to help others in need. Some of my children are finally getting old enough to be able to come with me to help others in need. I have been looking forward to volunteering in a food bank for some time and was absolutely thrilled with the opportunity to partner with The Coca-Cola Company, Kellogg Company, J.M. Smucker Company, and The HERSHEY’S Company with this project. The reason being, we will be using some of the food we are buying and the FREE books we are receiving to donate to the food shelter. Serving others who are in need or less fortunate teaches kids to not only appreciate what they have but also how to share in the gifts life has presented them. I believe gratitude is much more genuine when it inspires giving of oneself!

5. Gift with generosity. Gifting is giving of oneself in a tangible way. Being generous is the by product of acknowledging the many things one is grateful for. The kids and I will be taking our books and and some of The HERSHEY’S Company treats we bought and creating simple gift baskets out of brown lunch bags, some string, a label and recipe card and so much more. Below is a recipe card you can print if you would like to make bags with books and chocolates.This S’mores Dip and Chocolate Covered Cracker recipe is delicious.

Here is some of our gift kit makings. All you need is the materials pictured below. This simple DIY “generosity basket” is something the kids can make with you.

Materials:

• scholastic books
• back to school materials: erasers, pens, pencils, notebooks, scissors, stapler, glue, play-do
• gift bags for goodies
• foods from The Coca-Cola Company, Kellogg Company, J.M. Smucker Company, and The HERSHEY’S Company
• recipe card to include your favorite recipe that includes the foods above
• tulle or tissue paper for decor
• string

Here is the free downloadable recipe card printable: recipe card

Place it all in a basket ready to give to others. I also made a basket for each of my children to use at homework time through the week.

Here is the deal! You earn a free Scholastic book by purchasing any of the over 100 participating Coca-Cola, HERSHEY’S, Kellogg’s, or J.M. Smucker’s products at Walmart between 6/29/16 – 9/30/16 (1 item = 1 book).

Here are the steps to redeeming your FREE books.

1. Buy any participating Coca-Cola, HERSHEY’S, Kellogg’s, or J.M. Smucker product at Walmart between 6/29/16 and 9/30/16. For a full list of participating products, refer to here.

2. Join or log in to Kellogg’s Family Rewards. This is located at the top right of the screen.

3. Upload your receipt within 30 days of purchase.
4. Choose or donate your free book.

Within minutes I had uploaded my receipt and selected my FREE books! This is a Walmart exclusive program that helps you enjoy the gift of learning as a family while you get to teach your children the value of paying it forward!

Friends, I hope you will take advantage of this Walmart exclusive “Start School Like a Champion” program where Coca-Cola®, Kellogg’s®, HERSHEY’S, and ©/® J.M. Smucker have teamed up with Scholastic.

I love that while I do my back to school shopping I can have the opportunity to redeem books that become the vehicle for teaching my kids the gift of giving and blessing others with not only food but the opportunity to have their own books to enjoy.

Let’s teach gratitude this season by not only taking part in the generosity of these companies but in sharing in this very important part of life, GIVING and learning!

Here is a book case perfect for all the books you will collect (affiliate link).

Here is a fun outdoors scavenger hunt kit for families (affiliate link).

Here is a chalk board perfect for starting a gratitude wall at your home (affiliate link).

If you would like to follow our journey of the simple life, family, food, and creativity in a more personal way join us on Instagram!

Today I am grateful for my little ones and the precious moments we can teach them and love them. What are you grateful for?

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Just playing airplanes outside with my princess. It's important to take a step away from work and business and be present. Man… I LOVE my babies!❤️💙💗

A post shared by Stefanie at Simple Acres (@simpleacresblog) on Aug 6, 2016 at 5:48pm PDT

The post 5 Ways to Teach Gratitude to Children appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.