Gratitude Kids Bible Lesson
- Eljoh Hartzer
- May 31
- 5 min read
The following Sunday School Lesson on Thankfulness is a great resource to teach kids the value of a thankful heart. This lesson includes icebreakers, an object lesson, a Bible lesson, a game, bonus Bible verses on thankfulness, and a craft activity. Enjoy!
Ice-breakers about being thankful
When it’s difficult to give thanks
We are going to practice the importance of having an “attitude of gratitude” with this powerful and funny game.
Everybody stands in a circle
One person needs to complain about something
The next person needs to say something they’re thankful for
This pattern continues round and round
Make sure everybody gets a chance to say something they’re grateful for and something they don’t like.
Here’s an example:
Sammy: “Ugh, I hate the weather like this!”
Tom: “I am so happy to have woken up today.”
This teaches kids that God is with them when they’re going through a hard time, and it teaches them how to change the narrative. Focusing on good times all the time at kids’ church can sometimes let kids feel far from God when they go through bad times. Allowing them to express what they do not like can be cathartic and actually really eye-opening! Remind them of God’s eternal love, even when things are hard.
Tweak this game for older kids:
To make the game a bit more complicated for older kids (or high school students), have the negativity go in one direction (anti-clockwise). Every time someone complains, the next person to speak should be in the anti-clockwise direction from them. But when someone says something positive about God’s goodness, the direction changes (clockwise).
This is a powerful visual example of how focusing on good things can change our mood.
Thankfulness Object Lesson
Skit:
The teacher walks in carrying a basket with all kinds of amazing things that the kids in your children’s church would enjoy. Perhaps you have some sweets, your favorite food, water balloons, a bunch of flowers, a pastry… What else? The idea is that the kids should get excited when they look at it.
Walk around a bit with hanging shoulders and then turn towards the kids. Give them a boring greeting: “Oh, you’re here… Look what happened. My sister and I both got a gift basket but mine… SUCKS!” Then start packing out everything from your basket on a table or on the floor. Say: “Isn’t it terrible? Who wants this stuff!? It’s the worst!”
The kids should engage and perhaps you could even hand out the stuff to them. Ask them why it’s cool. “Why do you want this? What am I not seeing? Can you help me understand why my gift basket is good?”
Key takeaway:
When we focus on what we do not have sadness hangs around us like a heavy cloud. But the perfect way to notice God’s blessings in your life is to learn the importance of gratitude. Everybody says in a loud voice: “Thank you, God!”
Fun Lesson
The thankful leper.
Let’s read from the Bible. This is what it says in the New Testament book written by Jesus’ friend, Luke, chapter 17:
Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem. He went from Galilee to Samaria. He came into a small town, and ten men met him there. They did not come close to him, because they all had leprosy. But the men shouted, “Jesus! Master! Please help us!”
When Jesus saw the men, he said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”
What can we learn?
This really happened! Jesus was just walking around with His disciples when a group of sick people shouted the name of the Lord Jesus. The men had leprosy which is a skin disease, so they could not come close to Him.
Calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is the first step.
I wonder if the 10 men were a little disappointed that Jesus did not heal them right away. He did not stretch out his hands and touch them and say “Be Healed” like he did some other times. What did He do? Who can remember? (Let them answer) He sent them to the priests. One of the most important things to see here is this: They were healed on their way.
Sometimes God gives us something to obey before we get the breakthrough.
Now, the cool thing about this Bible story is that only 1 of the 10 men ran back to Christ Jesus. He was sure God healed him. The man who ran back was also a Samaritan and not a Jew, yet he bowed down at Jesus’ feet and… thanked Him! Jesus was happy that the man stopped what he was doing, turned back, and said thank you.
It makes a difference when we stop and say “thank you”.
Games about Thankfulness
No Sunday School Lesson on Thankfulness is complete without a few good games. Play the famous games below, but add this twist: They have to stop and say “thank you” before doing the next step. If someone forgets to say “thank you”, they’re out!
Simon Says
Open the Gates
Red Light, Green Light
Stuck in the Mud
Hot Potato
Simply saying “thank you” is a great activity to practice gratitude, but you also need to remind the Sunday School kids that gratitude is not just about thanking family members and friends. It is about thanking God!
Powerful Verses Teaching Thankfulness
Did the story of the Healed Leper not resonate with you? Here are some different Bible verses that you can also use in your Thankfulness Lesson for Sunday School. The aim is to teach your kids church about God’s love and how we can thank Him.
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name… to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.”
Psalm 92:1-2
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Colossians 3:17
“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.”
Colossians 4:2
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Colossians 3:17
Arts and crafts
Below are three simple crafts that you can use to teach your Sunday school class the value of giving thanks.
1: Each child can make a Gratitude List that they need to fill out the following week at home. Let them write a heading like “My Thank You God List” or “Getting an Attitude of Gratitude”. They can decorate the page by drawing pictures of things they are thankful for. Then they need to draw lines that they can fill in later.
2: Alternatively, you can download and use this coloring page Gratitude List for Kids:
3: Also, check out the Bible Verse Jar in our shop. You can make something similar but write down things you are thankful for on the strips of paper.
Notes for teachers using this Sunday School Lesson:
We hope you enjoyed this Sunday School Lesson on Thankfulness. Let us know in the comments below how the kids in your church responded to it!
This might be used as an alternative to those typical Thanksgiving Sunday School Lessons. If you make it a Thanksgiving Lesson, it might be fun to include some more traditional Thanksgiving elements in the game and crafts. Thanksgiving Bible lessons tend to become a little monotonous, so this one is a great alternative to teach true thankfulness.
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