Inspiring Gratitude: Thanksgiving Tree (Printable Leaves)

I've learned the more hands-on a tradition is, the more it engages my little people, and the greater the anticipation and excitement. This month started off very full, and so as we entered November, I quickly printed a calendar of Thanksgiving verses and gratitude prompts to read and discuss at the dinner table. And it went just fine. 

However realizing that life was not going to slow down, I knew if I didn't want to miss the opportunity, I had to make time for one of the boys' favorite Thanksgiving traditions. 

So this past Sunday, I gathered the boys around and commissioned them on a stick hunt to build the perfect Thanksgiving Tree, and the excitement exploded. The energy toward "lets talk about what we're thankful for" exponentially grew. They want to put a leaf on the tree after every meal and can hardly wait to ask anyone who enters our home if they would like to hang a leaf on our Thanksgiving tree saying, "what are you thankful for?" 

Cultivating character and truth in a child through traditions that are both spoken and displayed draws on the nature of children, and traditions are practices that shape us. As we see, touch, hear, participate in something beautiful, I see the affections of little hearts stirred. 

"Our ultimate love/desire is shaped by practices, not ideas that are merely communicated to us."  ~ James K.A.Smith, Desiring the Kingdom

Gratitude on display. It captures little eyes first thing in the morning and throughout the day as a constant visual reminder of the abundance of God's grace in our lives. 

 Looking Back at some of our Thanksgiving Trees...

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Psalm 95:1-2 

_____________________________________________________

Many other families have a Thanksgiving Tree, and I wouldn't hold up my leaf drawings as a model! But if my sketch can be helpful to you, feel free to download!

Leaf Printable

Download simple leaf design and then copy on orange, red, yellow, brown, etc. card stock for a brightly colored fall Thanksgiving Tree.