A Gratitude Practice for Kids

In this meditation, you are invited to bring your hands to your heart as a way to remember what you are so thankful for. You'll notice the movement of your breath and what this thankfulness feels like in your body as sensation. The practice ends by shining gratitude like a light through your whole body in a short body scan.

Image Credit: Anna Kolosyuk

Transcript

This adventure is all about gratitude.

Noticing what we are really thankful for.

For me,

I am so thankful for my family,

For my body,

And for my voice.

So I can share this adventure with you.

And what about you?

Let's explore what you are thankful for.

You could bring the palms of your hands together in front of your heart.

And then rub them together.

Feeling them get a little warmer.

And then bring both hands over your heart.

One hand resting on top of the other.

Feel your chest,

How it rises and falls as your body breathes.

And if you'd like to,

You could close your eyes for a moment and let your heart remind you what you are so thankful for.

What do you notice when you picture something or someone that you are so grateful for?

What does it feel like in your body?

Does it feel warm or bubbly?

Maybe it feels like a hug.

Do you feel it in your face,

Your smile,

Or somewhere else?

You might now stretch your arms and legs out long,

Resting back,

Letting your whole body be soft.

As we shine gratitude like a light through your body,

Kind of like shining a flashlight,

Sending this beam of light to your toes and your feet,

Thanking your legs and your hips.

Thank you arms and hands.

Sending gratitude to your belly and your chest,

Your back,

Shoulders,

And neck.

To your voice and your mouth.

Thanking your eyes,

Ears,

And nose,

Your cheeks,

And forehead.

Shining gratitude on your whole body from head to toes and toes to head.

Filling your entire body with this light of gratitude.

Breathing here,

Feeling your chest rise and fall as you breathe.

Breath flowing in,

Breath flowing out.

Feel for each breath,

Feeling the gratitude that is here,

Remembering what you are so thankful for.

And then we'll end this meditation with one round of breath together.

Breathing in and out.