Inside: How to have a gratitude scavenger hunt for kids
Gratitude is one of the most powerful things on this planet. When you learn how to focus on what you are grateful for, the rest of your life will fall into place. You know the saying, “what you focus on grows”.
So by focussing on the good in our lives, you are not only being mindful, but you are attracting more good. It’s like a never ending cycle of awesomeness.
The ultimate win-win, if you will. I wish people could learn this earlier on.
So going forward, I think it’s our duty to instill this in our children.
The benefits are there. Doing even 5 minutes of daily mindful gratitude can have amazing impacts on the brain and mental health wellness. But how do we possibly begin to teach this to kids?
There are many ways, in fact, but my favorite of which is to make it a game. Games have been proven to hold a child’s attention for longer than a regular school lesson, so by making it fun, they will actually retain more. Today we are going to go over how to have a gratitude scavenger hunt for kids. It’s simple, with step-by-step instructions. I even included a list of printable lists and some ideas you can include.
But before we get into that, let’s talk about the benefits of gratitude exercises and how these games help.
Table of Contents
The Benefits of Gratitude
We could all use a little positivity right now, and learning to switch gears and focus on the good is the best way to do that. Not to mention, there are so many health benefits that go along with gratitude that you may not realize.
According to BabySparks, “Gratitude wasn’t always on the radar of the scientific community. But recently, there’s been a growing curiosity in its benefits and how it affects our minds, bodies, and even our communities.”
The long-term benefits of gratitude include:
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- An ability to feel a deeper sense of emotions, such as happiness and joy
- Stronger immune system
- An ability to feel more optimistic about the future
- Better sleep patterns
- Less stress and anxiety
- Reduced aggression
- Better coping skills
- Increased empathy
How crazy is this? So this game is fun AND good for who. I love it.
Now that we learned a little bit about the power of gratitude, I think it’s time we dive into the game. I discuss how to play, and some tips and tricks as well. Let’s do this!
How to Set Up a Gratitude Scavenger Hunt for Kids
It’s actually much simpler than it sounds, especially since the scavenger hunt that you are putting together doesn’t require you to actually hide things. The things the kids are finding are already just existing. Easy peasy! Let’s start with step one.
Step One
Have everyone sit down and get their thinking caps on. Start a discussion about what brings them joy, what they are happy to have, and the things they appreciate. You can also take this time to discuss the importance of being grateful, that way they can carry that wisdom with them as they go through life.
Step Two For A Successful Gratitude Scavenger Hunt For Kids
Now you can create your list. You can either use one of the pre-made ones I included below, or you can simply make your own. I gave some examples of what to include below as well. Once you have your list, you can get started. If you are making the list yourself, I recommend using a word processing site and adding some cute graphics. The graphics tend to make the whole game feel more legit and will get the kids even more excited.
Step Three
The point of this game isn’t to win but to have fun. We don’t want the kids to be rushing around trying to find everything quickly and missing the best part of the activity, which is being grateful. So have them go around and find all of the things on the list. And then at the end, have the first person who is done help to pass out goodies.
Now that you know how to play, take a look at the list options.
Pre-made Printable Gratitude Scavenger Hunt For Kids
1. Gratitude Scavenger Hunt – I love how simple and cute this one is. The photos by the checkboxes are a nice touch, seeing as they can help the younger kids with finding what they are looking for.
2. Floral Scavenger Hunt – If you are playing this game at a girl’s party, then this is the list for you. It’s decorated with adorable flowers.
3. Photo Scavenger Hunt – With this one, it asks you to take a photo of the things in order for you to check it off. I love this because then your gallery is full of the things you love. You can use it as a reminder.
4. Sweet Gratitude Hunt – Simple and sweet, just like the things we are grateful for.
5. Simple Gratitude Nature Hunt – This one is based on nature. Nature is something that we should all be grateful for, and this hunt will help us to really appreciate what’s around us.
6. Gratitude Hunt – This one would be perfect for Easter, it’s got grass decor on it!
7. Cute Pastel Hunt – These pastel colors are so cute on a list. I may have to use it on my day-to-day lists as well!
8. Nature Walk – If you want your kids to get a good feel for what is in nature, then take them on a nature walk with this list of things. Having them on the lookout for items will help them to pay attention.
9. Simple Scavenger Hunt – Sometimes the best hunts are the simplest.
Ideas to Include
If you are planning on making your own list, then here are some good ideas that you can include. I think these are so sweet, and the kids will be so comforted after finding each one. Isn’t it just so funny that by making a shift of focus we can have such a better experience as humans?
10. One Person You Love
11. One Place You Like
12. One Food You Like
13. Something You Use Everyday
14. Something that is there for you
15. Something that gives you comfort
16. Something that you enjoy doing
17. Something that eases your stress
Alright and there you have it! Some of the best gratitude scavenger hunts for kids will leave them with a newfound appreciation for the little things in life. I have found that by simply becoming more aware of the good things, the bad things tend to get smaller and smaller until they are non-existent. It is a muscle that you have to keep working on growing, especially nowadays, but it’s worth it.
Teaching this to your kids while they are still young is so important. They can use this as they grow and will have a better understanding of the world around them, as well as will know how to comfort themselves when things get hard. Games are a wonderful way to teach them things in a fun setting.
We have so many other games that do similar things that the kids love, so check them out!