Saying Thank You

Learning to say "thank you" is an important part of growing up. And it's not all about sending thank you letters after birthdays and Christmas! Showing children how easy it is to show our appreciation, modelling ways of doing so for them, and encouraging them to say thank you often in their everyday lives is easy to do and so important. After all, study after study is now showing that people (and children) who are grateful for the little things are often the happiest, too. So get into the gratitude habit and throw some thank you's around!

We've pulled together some ideas for a brainstorming session with the kids about saying thank you - what makes it important, why you should do it, etc. And we've also pulled together some of our printable activities that have saying thank you as their theme.

Brainstorming Saying Thank You

• How do you feel when someone says thank you to you?
• How do you feel when you say thank you to someone else?
• Does it make a difference when we say thank you? How big a difference?
• Do people always notice when you do something kind or useful, and thank you? Does it matter if they do?
• Do you need to thank someone for doing their job? For example, should you say thank you to your teacher at the end of the day, or to the attendant in a shop when you buy something?
• Is saying thank you the same as being grateful?
• What is gratitude?
• Who do you say thank you to most often?
• Should you thank your parents?
• Should you thank your friends?
• How do you know if someone really means it when they say thank you?
• Do you write thank you letters when you receive a gift? Why / why not?
• Can you think of some interesting ways to say thank you?

Saying Thank You Printables