5 Psalms to help your Kids Cultivate Gratitude

Thanksgiving is just around the corner—a wonderful time to gather, eat, and talk about gratitude.

This year, make gratitude an engaging activity for kids by reading one of these Psalms each day leading up to the holiday.

Psalm 100: The Classic Invitation to Thanks

• The Message: Shout with joy! Know that God made us, we belong to Him, and His love lasts forever.

• The Big Idea: This Psalm is a direct invitation to loud, cheerful gratitude. It reminds us that we owe thanks because we are His creation.

• Actionable Tip: Read the final verse: "Enter his gates with thanksgiving." Ask your child, "What 'gate' (door/start) of our day can we enter with a thankful heart?"

Psalm 136: The Power of His Faithful Love

• The Message: This Psalm repeats the phrase "His faithful love will last forever" 26 times! It lists so many of the awesome things God has done and follows each one with "His faithful love will last forever."

• The Big Idea: Thanks is rooted in God's reliability, not our circumstances. His steadfast love is the reason for constant praise.

• Actionable Tip: Write down three things you are thankful for, and after each one, your kids can shout, "His faithful love will last forever!"

Psalm 34: Giving Thanks in All Times

• The Message: The writer promises to praise God at all times and encourages others to "Give the LORD a chance to show you how good He is."

• The Big Idea: This Psalm is perfect for showing children that even when things aren't perfect, we can still find reasons to glorify God.

• Actionable Tip: Have your child pick two items from the Thanksgiving table—one they love, one they aren't fond of—and find a way to thank God for both.

Psalm 95: Praise for Creation

• The Message: A loud, joyful call to worship God as the Rock of our salvation, the one who made the sea, the land, and the mountains.

• The Big Idea: Let gratitude focus on God's immense power and His ownership of all things.

• Actionable Tip: Go outside (or look out the window) and name three things in creation you are thankful for. Let that remind you how big God is!

Psalm 107: Thanking God for Rescue

• The Message: God rescues people who are in trouble! It encourages us to praise the Lord, because he is good.

• The Big Idea: This Psalm reminds us to be thankful for things like healing, help, and rescue from difficult situations.

• Actionable Tip: Use a reflection question: "What is one time God has helped me that I get to thank Him for right now?"

Keep the Gratitude Going with Your Kids Bible Journal!

Ultimately, building a habit of thankfulness requires consistency. The Simple Bible Journal for Kids series is designed to be a consistent Bible study activity that help kids build biblical habits like thankfulness. It helps your kids learn that there are lessons in the Bible they can apply to their lives right now. AND it helps turn scripture reading into deep, personal reflection, the very kind that cultivates genuine gratitude and a lifelong habit of faith.

👉 Click here to explore the Simple Bible Journal series on Amazon and make gratitude a daily activity!

Looking for more, check out our other blog posts like this one: 5 Psalms that help Cultivate Joy