Thanksgiving Gratitude Activities for the Whole Family

Gratitude is the part of Thanksgiving that's easiest to skip and most worth keeping. A few simple Thanksgiving gratitude activities give the day its meaning back without adding to the host's workload — and they work for every age at the table. Here are traditions to start that turn gratitude from a word into a practice.

The Gratitude Jar

Set out a jar with slips of paper and pens where guests can write something they're thankful for throughout the day. Read them aloud at the table — or save them to read after dessert. It's the Thanksgiving gratitude activity that becomes the part of the day people remember most, and it costs nothing.

A Thankful Tree

Cut leaf shapes from paper and have each guest write one thing they're grateful for on a leaf, then hang them on a few bare branches in a vase. The tree fills through the afternoon and becomes the centerpiece. It doubles as a Thanksgiving craft for kids and a conversation starter for the grown-ups.

Give Back Together

Gratitude expressed becomes gratitude multiplied. Volunteer as a family at a food bank in the days before, donate what you'd spend on one dish, or fill a box for a shelter. A Thanksgiving gratitude activity that gives back is the one that carries the spirit of the day past the table — and it's the tradition worth repeating.