NLPS Developed Resources
Our Mental Health Team (Student Advocacy Counsellors and SFSK Wellness Coaches) have developed the following resources for our NLPS families:
Daily gratitude activities and journal questions. Complete them all and see what a difference it makes!
If you’re looking for a purposeful activity for family night, look no further than the Gratitude Dice game. Maybe the winner gets to be the recipient of a Random Act of Kindness.
Keeping a regular Gratitude Journal encourages us to acknowledge the good things we might otherwise take for granted. It allows us to have mindful moments which in turns lowers stress. Download this resource by clicking on the picture or check out the many journals that are available online.
You can use this resource to help spark a conversation with your children about gratitude.
This strategy can boost our appreciation for the things in our life that we take for granted.
Thankfuls
Questions to help you reflect on what you are thankful for.
Curated Resources
All of the resources below have been reviewed and recommended by our Mental Health Team (Student Advocacy Counsellors and SFSK Wellness Coaches).
- 3 Ways to Practice Gratitude
Nemours Teen Health
Everyone can benefit from making an effort to practice gratitude every day. - 10 Best Gratitude Meditation Scripts
Jupiter - 13 Most Popular Gratitude Exercises and Activities
Positive Psychology
Science-based exercises to help you connect to more positive emotions and enjoy the benefits of gratitude. - The Best Gratitude Activities for Kids and How to Teach Gratitude to Kids (Mindfulmazing)
- Grateful For You
A FREE encouragement toolkit including a 7-day email challenge to help you reconnect with the people who matter most to you. - Grateful Living: Bringing Perspective and Possibility to Life
Grateful Living
This site is full of information and activities to help you foster gratitude in your life. - Gratefulness Practice Space
Grateful Living
Word of the Day, and daily questions to help you reflect on gratefulness and the role it plays in your life. - The Gratitude Game
World Vision
Play this game with the whole family, connect and practice gratitude. - Gratitude Jar
Therapist Aid
Another Gratitude Jar activity, but this one comes with prompts for children to use when writing things to put in the jar. - Gratitude Pick Up Sticks Game
Teach Beside Me
A fun twist on Pick Up Sticks to help get children focused on gratitude. - Gratitude Quiz
Greater Good Magazine
Take the quiz and learn more about the benefits of gratitude. - Mindfulness with Kids and Teens - Gratitude/Treasure Jar
Blissful Kids
Create a treasure jar and then write notes about what you are grateful for to reflect on at other times of the year. - Your 5-Day Gratitude Challenge
TED
5 exercises to increase your gratefulness
- 11 Best Gratitude Apps to Increase Your Wellbeing
Positive Psychology - 365 Gratitude Journal
This free app provides you with a daily personal gratitude prompt.
- 5 Ways Being Thankful is Really Good for You
CBC Kids - 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits Of Gratitude That Will Motivate You To Give Thanks Year-Round
Forbes - 7 Ways to Foster Gratitude in Kids
Greater Good Magazine
Scientifically-based strategies to encourage gratitude in children. - 18 Things to be Thankful for in High School
EF Academy - Express Your Gratitude this Holiday Season
Harvard Health Publishing
Gratitude can help you slow down and gain more from the holiday season. - Giving thanks can make you happier
Harvard Health Publishing
Research (and common sense) suggests that one aspect of the Thanksgiving season can actually lift the spirits, and it's built right into the holiday — being grateful. - Gratitude
Nemours Teens' Health
Explains gratitude for teenagers. - Gratitude Advice Based on Science
Character Lab
Gratitude tips based on science. - Greater Good Magazine
Lots of articles and resources focusing on gratitude. - How Gratitude Can Influence Kids' Well-Being
Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego
Studies show that expressing gratitude can have benefits such as supporting physical and mental well-being, boosting self-esteem, and enhancing sleep quality; all of which contribute to happier, healthier children. - How to Start a Gratitude Practice
healthline - The Mental Health Benefits of Gratitude for Kids & Teens
Anxiety & Depression Association of America
Explains the benefits that gratitude has on mental health for kids and teenagers.
The books listed below can be requested at your local library or purchased at the retailer of your choice. Many are also available as audiobooks and we have included read aloud YouTube videos when available.
Gratitude is My Superpower: A Children's Book about Giving Thanks and Practicing Positivity
by Alicia Ortego
Little Betsy will learn that happiness is made up of simple things in life, both small and big. With the help of the magic stone, she will begin to feel gratitude for her parents, friends, and toys. But what happens when little Betsy forgets to use the magic of her stone? She will realize that the power of gratitude is hidden in her heart.
Thankful
by Eileen Spinelli
Celebrate everyday blessings, practice thankfulness, and observe the wonderful acts of service that keep us going each and every day.
Those Shoes
by Maribeth Boelts
All Jeremy wants is a pair of those shoes, the ones everyone at school seems to be wearing. But Jeremy’s grandma tells him they don’t have room for "want," just "need," and what Jeremy needs are new boots for winter. When Jeremy’s shoes fall apart at school, and the guidance counselor gives him a hand-me-down pair, the boy is more determined than ever to have those shoes, even a thrift-shop pair that are much too small. But sore feet aren’t much fun, and Jeremy comes to realize that the things he has -- warm boots, a loving grandma, and the chance to help a friend -- are worth more than the things he wants.