Do your kids or students focus on what went wrong in their day and miss the good things around them? Teaching Gratitude to Kids is a Building Character workbook for ages 8 to 12 that helps kids understand what gratitude is, notice the good in everyday life (even during a challenge), and show thanks to the people around them.
This workbook is printed and shipped by Amazon. Order the paperback on Amazon.
The workbook was written by Tammy Roose, an upper elementary teacher and the creator of Tarheelstate Teacher, and is adapted from her Gratitude SEL Unit for upper elementary classrooms.
NOTE: This 96-page paperback is written for kids to work through on their own or alongside a parent or teacher. If you are teaching gratitude to a whole class, the Gratitude SEL Unit covers the same topic with 20 days of lesson plans and Google Slides (digital download only).
For kids who want to keep going, the companion Practice Gratitude Journal offers 14 weeks of daily prompts that pair with this workbook.
Through reading passages, gratitude sorts, scenario pages, and journal prompts, kids practice what to think and say when it's hard to feel thankful, including how to flip a complaint into a gratitude statement, how to see a disappointment through a new lens, and how to use the G.I.V.E. Strategy to thank someone.
WHY PARENTS LOVE THIS WORKBOOK
- A Variety of Engaging Activities in One Book: Reading passages, sorts, Seeing Through a New Lens scenarios, a weekly gratitude log, mindfulness strategies, quote reflections, and creative projects like My Gratitude Symbol, My Gratitude Playlist and Album Cover, and A Note of Gratitude.
- Kids Can Work On Their Own or With an Adult: Directions are written for kids ages 8 to 12, so they can complete the activities independently or alongside a parent, teacher, or counselor. Children can work from the first page to the last, or skip to the sections that fit what they need right now. The "Gratitude in Action" Gratitude Tracker follows a monthly calendar for kids who want to record the ways they show thanks over several weeks.
- Start with Understanding: The workbook opens with The Science of Gratitude, a two-page introduction to what researchers have learned about gratitude and why practicing it works.
- Setting Gratitude Goals that Can Continue After the Workbook: A "Gratitude in Action" Gratitude Tracker, My Gratitude Weekly Log, a Post Reflection & Action Plan, a Weekly Goal Reflection, and a Declaration of My Commitment to Gratitude help kids keep practicing grateful habits.
- No Right or Wrong Answers: The activities focus on reflection, discussion, and real-world application.
WHAT'S INSIDE THE GRATITUDE WORKBOOK
✨ Section 1: The Heart of Gratitude: What is Gratitude?, important vocabulary, Reflecting on My Gratitude, reflection questions, My Beliefs About Gratitude, Gratitude Rocks, and Gratitude: The Catalyst for Happiness
✨ Section 2: Gratitude, Big and Small: Types of Gratitude, The Science Fair Setback story, Brainstorming Types of Everyday Gratitude, Sorting Through Types of Gratitude, The Science of Gratitude, and Ways Gratitude Improves Our Lives
✨ Section 3: Growing Your Gratitude Toolkit: My Gratitude Weekly Log, My Gratitude Symbol, What Is Mindfulness?, Clearing the Clouds, Helpful Mindfulness Strategies, Seeing Through a New Lens, Flipping Complaints to an Attitude of Gratitude, and Growing Health Through Gratitude
✨ Section 4: The Power of Expressing Gratitude: The Thank-You Experiment, Gratitude in Action: Who Inspires You?, The G.I.V.E. Strategy, Ways to Express Gratitude to Others, The ABC's of Expressing Gratitude, Unwrapping Gratitude, A Note of Gratitude, and the "Gratitude in Action" Gratitude Tracker
✨ Section 5: Living with Gratitude: The Experience of Gratefulness, My Gratitude Playlist, My Gratitude Album Cover, The Treasure of Today, Practicing Gratitude Can Be Challenging, a Gratitude Choice Board, and a Declaration of My Commitment to Gratitude
✨ Appendix: Recommended picture books about gratitude, reproducible templates, and a one-week preview of the Practice Gratitude Journal
Practicing gratitude isn't always easy, especially after a hard day or a disappointment. Teaching Gratitude to Kids helps kids notice the good, shift their perspective when things don't go their way, and share their thanks with the people who matter to them.
THIS WORKBOOK IS PERFECT FOR
- Parents and caregivers supporting social emotional learning at home
- Teachers and school counselors leading character education lessons
- Homeschool families and after-school programs
CASEL STANDARDS ALIGNMENT
Self-Awareness
- Linking feelings, values, and thoughts
Self-Management
- Identifying and using stress management strategies
- Setting personal and collective goals
Social Awareness
- Understanding and expressing gratitude
- Recognizing strengths in others
- Taking others’ perspectives
Relationship Skills
- Developing positive relationships
- Communicating effectively
Responsible Decision-Making
- Reflecting on one’s role to promote personal, family, and community well-being
MORE BUILDING CHARACTER WORKBOOKS
Each workbook in the series follows a similar layout, so kids know what to expect from one topic to the next:
- Telling the Truth & Integrity
- Empathy & Caring About Others
- Being & Getting Motivated
- Being Yourself
- Having Courage
- Making & Keeping Friends
- Setting Goals
- Showing Responsibility & Making Good Choices
- Developing a Growth Mindset
- Conflict Resolution
BOOK DETAILS
- Paperback, 96 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches
- Ages 8 to 12 (grades 3 to 6)
- Author: Tammy Roose
- Publisher: Tarheelstate Teacher Publishing
- ISBN: 978-1968882044
- Available on Amazon: order the paperback here
Copyright © Tammy Roose, Tarheelstate Teacher LLC. The purchase of this workbook gives the buyer permission to reproduce pages for single classroom, home, or small group use only.
