Resources for Practicing and Teaching Gratitude

last updated September 1, 2020

photo by Kiy Turk on Unsplash

by Catharine Hannay

“I would maintain that 

thanks are the highest form of thought, 

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”

G.K. Chesterton

Here are a variety of resources to help adults and kids learn about and practice gratitude, including:

• teaching tips;
• research links;
• songs and videos; and
• several different types of activities.

Gratitude Practices and Activities

• A Teacher’s Gratitude Practice To Make It Through Virtual Faculty Meetings: "Faculty Meeting Gratitude Bingo," created by middle school teacher Erin Bryk
• A Gratitude Practice for Challenging Times
• Three Ways to Practice Gratitude Every Day
• 7 Gratitude Practices, for Teachers and Students by Season Mussey from her book Mindfulness in the Classroom: Mindful Principles for Social Emotional Learning

• 9 Simple but Powerful Gratitude Practices to Share with Your Students by Erin Rado of Mindfulness + Magic

• More Than Saying Thank You: Activities That Encourage Awe for the Ordinary  by Brandi Lust of Learning Lab Consulting, from her book Myths of Being Human: Four Paths to Connect with What Matters
• Noticing the Five Senses: A Daily Mindfulness Log can be used as a reminder to be more appreciative of the simple small moments of happiness in our daily lives

Quotes, Blessings, and Parables

• Secular and Spiritual Perspectives on Gratitude: Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Humanist blessings.
• Tales of Generosity: Lessons on Gratitude and Compassion: a variety of tales of giving, from serious to ironic.
• Mindfulness and Happiness: quotations about appreciating the present moment and experiencing contentment.

Songs and Videos

Grateful: A Love Song to the World 

by Nimo Patel and Daniel Nahmod 

for Empty Hands Music

Songs and Videos about Gratitude

The Video Playlist on Practicing and Teaching Gratitude includes reasons to be grateful and the science of gratitude. 

On the Song Playlists for Teachers, I've included three playlists specifically about gratitude:

• Songs About Gratitude, part 1
• Songs About Gratitude, part 2
• Great Children's Songs about Mindfulness, Self-Acceptance, and Gratitude 

There are also a lot of songs about thankfulness and appreciation in the following playlists:

• Are You Happy? 
• Be Here Now 
• Kindness and Compassion (part 1 of 2)
• Kindness and Compassion (part 2 of 2)
• Songs About Friends and Family
• What is Love?

Useful Links About Gratitude

These websites have a lot of useful resources on practicing and teaching gratitude.

The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley:

• What is Gratitude?
• Why Practice Gratitude?
• How Do I Cultivate Gratitude?
• Seven Ways to Foster Gratitude in Kids
• Thanks! A Strengths-Based Gratitude Curriculum for Teens and Tweens

A Network for Grateful Living (Gratefulness.org): 

• Poetry about Gratitude
• Practices for Grateful Living 
• Books related to Gratitude and Gratefulness

Mindful magazine (Mindful.org):

• Four Ways to Foster Gratitude in Children
• Four Ways to Wire Your Brain for Gratitude
• How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain
• Three Guided Meditations to Foster Deep Gratitude
• What Science Reveals About Gratitude’s Impact on the Brain 
• Why a Grateful Brain is a Giving One

There are many more resources for teaching mindfulness, compassion, and SEL at mindfulteachers.org/p/mindfulness-resources.html, including:

• Expert interviews with experienced mindfulness teachers and teacher trainers;
• Video Playlists on mindfulness, compassion, and self-care; and 
• Activities for Exploring the Five Senses

Catharine Hannay is the founder of MindfulTeachers.org and the author of Being You: A Girl’s Guide to Mindfulness, a workbook for teen girls on mindfulness, compassion, and self-acceptance. (Sales of the book help me continue to run MindfulTeachers.org with no sponsorship or advertising.)

catharinehannay.com