🍂 Are your students focused on thankfulness this season—or are they already thinking ahead to turkey, pie, and time off from school?
🍂 Do you ever wonder how to help kids understand what gratitude is and how to express it?
🍂 Would you love a few Bible lessons about gratitude to help your class truly reflect on what it means to give thanks?
Thanksgiving is a perfect time to pause and teach about gratitude from a biblical perspective. Whether you’re teaching in a classroom, church, or at home, this season opens doors for meaningful conversations about God’s goodness and the importance of a thankful heart.
Why Teach Gratitude from the Bible?
Gratitude isn’t just an attitude—it’s a spiritual practice. When we teach children to thank God, we’re helping them recognize His hand in their lives and see blessings even in ordinary moments. When we teaching them to be grateful for what others do for them, they learn to watch more carefully the actions of those around them. Bible lessons about gratitude help students connect the holiday of Thanksgiving to their daily walk with God.
3 Bible Lessons That Inspire Thankfulness
1. The Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11–19)
Only one man came back to thank Jesus after being healed. This simple but powerful story reminds us that gratitude should move us to action—just like the leper who returned to worship Jesus for healing him.
Teaching idea: Have students draw stick figures showing the ten lepers healed and the one who returned. Talk about how they can show thankfulness in their own lives this week.
2. Give Thanks in All Circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18)
Paul’s words remind believers to give thanks no matter what happens. These verses help kids see that gratitude isn’t based on how we feel—it’s a choice to trust God’s goodness even in the hard times.
Teaching idea: Challenge your class to create a “Thankful List” for things that went well and things that didn’t this week. Discuss how God can use both to grow our faith.
3. David’s Song of Praise (Psalm 103:1–5)
David lists reasons to bless the Lord—from forgiveness to daily blessings. This passage is great for helping students practice personal praise.
Teaching idea: Let each student choose one verse from Psalm 103 to illustrate or journal about in their Thanksgiving Journal.
Bringing Gratitude to Life
When students take time to draw, write, or share what they’re thankful for, gratitude moves from head knowledge to heart practice. These moments help them see how God’s blessings fill their everyday lives—not just at Thanksgiving but all year long.
A Simple Way to Help Kids Practice Thankfulness
Our Thanksgiving Journals are designed to help kids and families reflect on God’s blessings in a fun, meaningful way. Each page includes simple prompts for kids to write or draw what they’re thankful for and who they’re praying for—making it easy to build daily gratitude habits this season.
👉 Explore our Thanksgiving Journals
