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December 7, 2024 11 mins

50 Gratitude Journal Prompts for Kids
Ever wondered how teaching gratitude can transform a child's life? Discover the remarkable benefits of gratitude journaling for kids in our latest episode. Drawing inspiration from a blog post on listallion.com, we explore 50 unique prompts that help children appreciate the positives around them—from the laughter shared with friends to the wonders of nature. These prompts are not just about saying 'thank you'; they are powerful tools that nurture happiness, social skills, and emotional intelligence. We discuss how these prompts can be personalized to suit various ages and personalities, turning them into engaging family activities or meaningful conversations.

But it's not just for kids! We delve into the transformative power of gratitude for adults, particularly parents and teachers. Learn how incorporating gratitude into daily routines can unlock personal growth and shift perspectives, even in the face of challenges. Embrace the journey of exercising your "gratitude muscles" and see how reframing failures as learning opportunities can enrich your life. Join us for an insightful conversation that encourages everyone to recognize everyday pleasures and embrace a mindset of gratitude, no matter the circumstances.

LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.

For More Info on LeStallion, check out:
https://lestallion.com/

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, ready to dive deep into gratitude.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Always ready for that .

Speaker 1 (00:03):
But today it's gratitude for kids.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Ah, interesting.

Speaker 1 (00:07):
Yeah, so we got this blog post from listallioncom 50
Gratitude Journal Prompts forKids.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
I'm already kind of stumped Really.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
Yeah, I mean, how do you even like start with that?
How do you teach a kid to begrateful for like I don't know
doing dishes?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well, it's not really about being grateful for you
know, chores, right, but you'vehit a point.
Kids, they don't always see thegood in things that well, we
adults take for granted.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
I guess yeah.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
These prompts.
They're not about, you know,forcing thankfulness right.
It's more about helping themsee the positives.
Okay, big or small.
Okay, right it's more abouthelping them see the positives.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
Ok, big or small, ok, so like planting seeds of
appreciation.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yes, exactly, and it's amazing how early those
seeds can take root.
Research shows evenpreschoolers benefit.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Seriously.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Oh yeah, Increase happiness, better social skills,
all that.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
Wow.
So we're not just talking aboutraising like polite kids.

Speaker 2 (01:00):
No Say thank you.

Speaker 1 (01:01):
It actually impacts their development.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Hmm, that's pretty fascinating, yeah.
And this blog post.
It breaks these prompts downinto themes.
The first one people gettingkids to think about that friend
who always makes them laugh.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
Right.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Or a teacher who just explains things in a way that
clicks.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
Also like recognizing the positive impact people have
on their lives.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
Exactly, and the blog even says the people in our
lives make each day brighter.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Ah, that's sweet Right.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
It's about encouraging kids to think about
those positive interactions, tounderstand the value of
relationships.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
I see.
So, instead of just like takingthose acts for granted, they
start to understand the thoughtbehind them.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yes, the intention, the effort.
Right, Right that shift inperspective is what we're aiming
for.

Speaker 1 (01:47):
Yeah, I like that.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
So the next theme this one really resonated with
me Appreciating nature.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
Ooh, this is where I struggle, even as an adult, like
I know I should be grateful for.
You know fresh air and sunshine, but so easy to just forget,
right, how do you get a kidexcited about like a tree?

Speaker 2 (02:07):
Well, the blog post suggests focusing on the sensory
details.
So instead of just, you know,be thankful for trees, it
prompts kids to think abouttheir favorite tree.
Oh, the shape, the way theleaves feel, the sounds it makes
in the wind.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
I see so turning something ordinary into a
personal experience.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Exactly.
It's about mindfulness, really,and studies show connecting
with nature, even in small ways,can reduce stress, boost mood.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
Hmm, maybe I need to steal a few of these prompts for
myself.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
Go for it Now.
This next theme is all aboutthose everyday pleasures,
Recognizing small joys.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
Okay, like what, being grateful for video games.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
My nephews have that one down Pat.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
Well, maybe, but this goes a bit deeper.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Think about a favorite song, a delicious meal
or even just a time they felt,you know, truly happy.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
So training their brains to notice those little
moments of joy that we usuallyjust like miss.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
Yes, because they add up, you know.

Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
They build a foundation for a more positive
outlook.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
It's like that saying don't sweat the small stuff,
but in this case it's savor thesmall stuff, right.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Exactly Okay, ready for a curve ball?
The next category is findinggratitude in challenges.

Speaker 1 (03:19):
Wait, what?
Yeah?
How do you teach a kid to begrateful for like failing a test
?

Speaker 2 (03:25):
Well, you're not grateful for the failure, but
for the opportunity to learnfrom it.

Speaker 1 (03:29):
So like reframing it as a chance to become more
resilient?

Speaker 2 (03:32):
Exactly.
Think about a time they didn'tgive up a mistake.
They learned from even a daythat didn't go as planned.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
Oh, so they start to see those challenges as like
stepping stones.
Yeah, not roadblocks, it's likesneaky little life lessons
right.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
Right Now ready to lighten things up.
Last theme is looking forwardwith gratitude.

Speaker 1 (03:52):
Okay, I can get behind that.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
This one taps into the power of positive
anticipation.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
Like being grateful for a vacation that's like
months away.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Exactly, or a weekend movie night.

Speaker 1 (04:02):
Okay, so recognizing that the future holds good
things, yes, it says, the futureis full of possibilities.
I'm already feeling moreoptimistic.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Right, so we've covered a lot, from people and
nature to finding joy and evenchallenges.
Anything else stand out to you?

Speaker 1 (04:17):
Well, I'm just really struck by how adaptable these
prompts are for different ages,personalities.
You could use them asconversation starters, journal
prompts or even just like funlittle thought exercises as a
family, that's a great point.
Yeah, it doesn't have to bethis like formal thing.
Exactly, I think that's what Iwas hanging up on before.
Yeah, yeah it can be, you know,much more flexible than that.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
Exactly Much more organic.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
Yeah, I like that.
Mm more flexible than that,exactly Much more organic.
Yeah, I like that.
Okay, so before we were talkingabout all these gratitude
prompts, can we get into somelike specific examples?

Speaker 2 (04:48):
Absolutely.
Let's start with the peoplefocused ones.

Speaker 1 (04:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:53):
One that stood out to me.
It was think about a time afriend made you laugh.
What did they do?
How did it make you feel?

Speaker 1 (05:02):
Oh, that's good.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
It's not just about remembering the feeling right,
yeah.
But like analyzing the actionbehind it.

Speaker 1 (05:08):
So it's like emotional intelligence and
gratitude.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
Exactly.
There's another one.
It asks about someone who makesthem feel safe A parent,
grandparent, teacher, anyone.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
Oh yeah, that's a powerful one.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
Especially for kids who might be going through a
rough patch.

Speaker 1 (05:24):
For sure.

Speaker 2 (05:25):
Okay, now appreciating nature.

Speaker 1 (05:27):
Right, hit me with it .

Speaker 2 (05:28):
There's this one.
I love it.
It says what is your favoritesound in nature.
Close your eyes and imaginehearing it.

Speaker 1 (05:36):
Okay, that's like a mini meditation.

Speaker 2 (05:39):
Right Gets them to really engage their senses.

Speaker 1 (05:42):
I like that one a lot .

Speaker 2 (05:43):
And then there's one about finding gratitude for a
tiny creature like a ladybug ora worm.
Oh so they appreciate even thelittle thing.
Yeah, the interconnectedness ofit all.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, instead of just ew bugs.

Speaker 2 (05:55):
Exactly Okay.
Moving on to those small joys,Okay.
There's one that says thinkabout a time you felt really
proud of yourself.
What did you accomplish?

Speaker 1 (06:05):
Oh, that's a good one for self-esteem.

Speaker 2 (06:07):
Right, it's not just about what others do for them.

Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (06:10):
It's recognizing their own accomplishments.

Speaker 1 (06:12):
Right right.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
There's another one.
Ask about something they'regood at drawing, singing,
telling jokes, anything.

Speaker 1 (06:19):
So they identify their own talents.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
Yeah.
Now on to the gratitude andchallenges ones.
This one stood out.
Think about a time you made amistake.
What did you learn from?

Speaker 1 (06:30):
it Okay, this is where it gets tricky.

Speaker 2 (06:32):
It is because kids make a lot of mistakes.

Speaker 1 (06:34):
Yeah, that's part of being a kid.

Speaker 2 (06:35):
But it's how they frame those experiences right,
Right.
This helps them shift fromfeeling bad to learning from it.

Speaker 1 (06:41):
So resilience basically.

Speaker 2 (06:43):
Exactly.
There's another one about beingpatient, waiting for an event,
saving up for a toy, evenwaiting in line.

Speaker 1 (06:51):
Oh, patience, the ultimate test.

Speaker 2 (06:54):
It is, but this helps them appreciate delayed
gratification.

Speaker 1 (06:57):
Yeah, that good things take time.

Speaker 2 (06:59):
Mm-hmm, these prompts are like little wisdom nuggets.

Speaker 1 (07:02):
They really are Okay.
What about the looking forwardwith gratitude ones?

Speaker 2 (07:06):
Oh, there's one that says think about a place you've
always wanted to visit.
What do you imagine it would belike?

Speaker 1 (07:12):
Ooh, I love that one Dreaming big.

Speaker 2 (07:14):
Right, and there's one about a goal they're working
towards.
It could be anything Learningto ride a bike, acing a test.

Speaker 1 (07:20):
So they stay.

Speaker 2 (07:23):
Yes, and framing it with gratitude, it helps them
appreciate the journey.

Speaker 1 (07:29):
Okay, I'm really seeing how powerful these
prompts are.

Speaker 2 (07:31):
It's not just journaling, it's developing life
skills.

Speaker 1 (07:34):
Exactly.
And you know what's great, youdon't have to wait for a formal
journaling session to use them.
Oh good point.
Like at dinner, instead of howwas your day, you could say tell
me something that made yousmile today.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
Such a simple shift, shift, but it makes a difference
it really does and don'tunderestimate the power of
modeling gratitude yourself ohyeah, for sure kids watch us.
If we show gratitude, they'remore likely to do the same it's
true, actions speak louder, andall that exactly now, before we
move on, I want to leave ourlisteners with this thought how
can we, as adults, benefit fromthese prompts?

Speaker 1 (08:08):
alright, we're back, and you left us with that
question.
I did deny yeah, the beltsbenefiting from these, these kid
focused gratitude prompts.
So is it really as simple aslike stealing a few for
ourselves?

Speaker 2 (08:22):
it can be, but there's a deeper layer here too.
Yeah, you see, we talked aboutgratitude.
We focus on the emotionalbenefits.

Speaker 1 (08:28):
Yeah, feeling happier .

Speaker 2 (08:30):
Exactly More content, but research shows there are
physiological benefits too.

Speaker 1 (08:34):
Wait, really.

Speaker 2 (08:35):
Oh yeah.

Speaker 1 (08:36):
So being grateful can like impact our physical health
.

Speaker 2 (08:39):
It can.

Speaker 1 (08:40):
OK, I need to hear more about this.

Speaker 2 (08:42):
Well, studies show gratitude can lower blood
pressure, improve sleep, evenboost our immune systems.

Speaker 1 (08:48):
Whoa, okay, hold on.
How does that even work?
Is this like mind-body magic orsomething?

Speaker 2 (08:53):
Not magic, but it is pretty amazing.
When we focus on things we'regrateful for our brains release
dopamine and serotonin.

Speaker 1 (09:00):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (09:00):
These are neurotransmitters.
They're linked to happiness,well-being.

Speaker 1 (09:04):
Right.

Speaker 2 (09:04):
And this shift in brain chemistry, it can have a
ripple effect throughout thebody.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
So it's like a mood boost and a health boost all in
one.

Speaker 2 (09:11):
Exactly, and the best part is, we can cultivate this
using those same prompts wetalked about for kids.

Speaker 1 (09:17):
Okay, so give me an example Like how could an adult
apply that prompt about a friendmaking you laugh?

Speaker 2 (09:24):
Well, instead of just remembering the funny moment,
think about the qualities youvalue in that friendship.
How do they enrich your life?
What makes them special?

Speaker 1 (09:34):
Oh, I see so it's going deeper.

Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, you can do that with other prompts too, like
that one about your favoritesound in nature.

Speaker 1 (09:41):
Right.

Speaker 2 (09:42):
We might not have time to.
You know wander through forestsevery day.

Speaker 1 (09:46):
Sadly.

Speaker 2 (09:47):
But we can close our eyes, visualize that sound
brings a moment of peace rightyeah, finding those little
moments of gratitude.
Exactly and remember thatprompt about the tiny creature.

Speaker 1 (09:57):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (09:57):
As adults, we can appreciate those overlooked
parts of our lives.
I see what you mean the baristawho smiles, the coworker who
helps out those small acts ofkindness.
Yeah, shifting our focus towhat's going right, Exactly, and
those gratitude and challengesprompts super relevant for
adults?
Oh for sure.
Life throws us curveballs, butby reflecting on past challenges

(10:18):
, we can tap into our resilience.

Speaker 1 (10:21):
It's like mental muscle memory for tough times.

Speaker 2 (10:24):
Exactly, and the looking forward prompts.
They're an antidote to thedaily grind.

Speaker 1 (10:29):
Ooh, I like that.

Speaker 2 (10:31):
Instead of getting bogged down in to-do lists, we
can visualize our goals, dreambig, get excited about the
future.

Speaker 1 (10:37):
Okay, I'm sold.
I'm stealing some of thesekid-friendly prompts for myself.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
I think you'll be happy with the results.
Gratitude, it's not just afeeling, it's a tool.

Speaker 1 (10:46):
Yeah, it's powerful stuff.

Speaker 2 (10:48):
It really is so.
That wraps up our deep diveinto gratitude journal prompts.

Speaker 1 (10:53):
It does, and I think we learned that they're not just
for kids.

Speaker 2 (10:56):
No, not at all.
Whether you're a parent,teacher or just looking for a
little more appreciation in yourlife these prompts are a great
way to cultivate gratitude.

Speaker 1 (11:06):
Absolutely and unlock its power right.
Well, thanks for joining us onthis journey of discovery.

Speaker 2 (11:11):
My pleasure.

Speaker 1 (11:12):
Until next time, keep those gratitude.
Muscles flexing.

Speaker 2 (11:15):
And we'll see you then.
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