Create a Thanksgiving Thankful Tree by adding leaves with gratitude notes. This fun, hands-on craft encourages kids to reflect on what they’re thankful for.
Fall is the season of cozy sweaters, pumpkin-spiced everything (I drink way too many pumpkin spice lattes every year), and a time to reflect on what we’re thankful for. We like incorporating meaningful conversations about thankfulness and appreciation around the Thanksgiving table, but sometimes, kids need more prompting to get them talking!
The Thankful Tree craft is a simple yet engaging activity for kids to express gratitude while adding a festive touch to your home decor. Whether it’s family, friends, or even a favorite snack, this craft is the perfect way to help little ones recognize and celebrate all the good things in life.
With the free printable Thankful Tree and Leaves template, the craft takes little time to prepare and uses minimal materials you already have around the house. Let’s grab our supplies and watch gratitude grow, one leaf at a time!
How to Make a Thankful Tree
Materials:
- Free Printable Thankful Tree Template (available for download below)
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
- Optional: Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
- Optional: Stickers, glitter, or other decorative items
Steps to Create Your Thankful Tree
1. Print and Cut Out the Template
Start by downloading and printing the Thankful Tree template. You may want to print the tree trunk and the leaves on cardstock for durability. If you’re going to reuse the tree trunk every Thanksgiving, you can also laminate the paper and use tape for the leaves instead of glue.
If you have a lot of kids or students, you may want to scale down the leaf template so that you can fit more leaves on the Thankful Tree. To do so, simply press print and enter a percentage less than 100% under “scale.”
You can print out the leaf templates on colored printer paper or print them on white printer paper and let the kids color them.
Carefully cut out the leaves.
2. Write What You’re Thankful For
Now comes the fun part! Take the cut-out leaves and use colored pencils, markers, or crayons to write down things you’re grateful for. Encourage the kids to think about family, friends, experiences, and even small things like their favorite toys or a delicious meal.
5. Attach the Leaves
Once everyone has written their words of gratitude, it’s time to attach the leaves to the branches of the gratitude tree. You can use glue, glue dots, or tape to adhere them to the branches of the Thankful Tree.
6. Display Your Thankful Tree
Find a special spot in your home to display your Thankful Tree. It could be on a mantel, a dining table, or even a wall. This will not only serve as a beautiful decoration but also a daily reminder of all the things you and your family are thankful for.
Additional Fun Thankful Tree Ideas
- Family Gratitude Circle: After creating the tree, gather the family around and take turns sharing what you wrote on your leaves. This can lead to heartwarming conversations and strengthen family bonds.
- Decorate with Seasonal Items: Add some autumn-themed decorations around your Thankful Tree, like mini pumpkins or gourds, to enhance the festive feel.
- Make It an Annual Tradition: Each year, revisit the Thankful Tree craft and add new leaves with fresh gratitude notes. It’s a wonderful way to see how your family’s gratitude evolves over time.
Download Your Free Printable Template
To make your crafting experience even easier, we’ve created a free printable template featuring the Thankful Tree branches and leaves. You can download it by clicking on the image below.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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