In this article, we are going to show you a step-by-step tutorial to make your very own Gratitude Jar. It’s an easy and meaningful craft that is not only fun to do but also gets you and your family in the mindset of gratitude and thankfulness. This is an especially great activity right before Thanksgiving and the Christmas Holiday season.
Mom-and-Me Craft
This tutorial was created as a mom-and-me craft where you and your kids could craft along together! You can each make your own Gratitude Jar or just create one family Gratitude Jar. It’s completely up to you!
This craft can be done at any time of the year. Special times that you may want to do this project is during the holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas or truthfully anytime.
Benefits of Gratitude
This project was so beneficial to my daughter and me. It’s been crazy and challenging for all of us and it really helped refocus our attention on the things that we have in our lives that we should be grateful for instead of focusing our attention on negative things or what we are missing.
It was a total gamechanger to uplift our mood and change our focus to a more positive one.
Give it a try and tell us what you think!
There are so many benefits of gratitude from physical benefits, psychological benefits. Here’s a great article from Forbes that talks about the benefits of this very subject:
Download Our FREE Gratitude Jar Printable
Download our FREE printable pictured below! There is a more ornate design (intended for the adults) and a simpler design (for the kids). Plus, lots of paper slips that you can cut out, color, and write down what you are grateful for.
Click Here To Sign Up for the Newsletter and Get The Free Printable!
Feel free to do the project with the design that you prefer that we provide or create your own. This printable can be colored using crayons, coloring papers, or markers or can be colored digitally (see more on this below).
Needed Supplies for Gratitude Jar
Here is the list of supplies that are needed for this project:
- Jar (can use a mason jar or just a large, empty jar from your house)
- Printable (can download ours here) or Create Your Own Design
- Scissors
- Something to adhere to the label (mod podge, double-sided tape, or washi tape)
- Something to color with (crayons, markers, or coloring pencils)
- Pigment App (optional if you choose to color your printable digitally and then print)
Gratitude Jar Step-by-Step Instructions
1, Find a Jar for Your Gratitude Jar
The first step is to buy or use an empty jar from your house. We used two jam jars that I had saved. The jar that we used is a larger one than 6 ½ inches tall. The label that is on our printable is about 3 ½ inches tall and wide FYI). Just make sure that it’s a food jar that has been washed out thoroughly. You will also want to peel off any labels that are adhered to the jar.
2. Print Printable
Print out our provided Gratitude Jar Printable. Download our Gratitude Jar printable. Color Printable – Our printable has been left black and white on purpose so that you can color the design yourself and make it your very own!
3. Color Your Designs and Paper Slips
There Are Two Options to Color
- Color the design by hand using crayons, markers, or coloring pencils
- Or, use an app to digitally color the Gratitude Jar Printable and then print. I’ve used the app, Pigment, to do this and it worked great!
4. Cut out Design and Paper Slips from Printable
After you’ve colored and printed your printable now cut out each element (the Gratitude Jar label) and the paper slips to write down the various things that you’re grateful for.
5. Glue or stick on label.
The next step is to adhere your Thankful/Grateful label to your jar. You can use mod podge, double-sided tape, or washi tape.
We chose to use mod podge.
6. Paint lid of jar
The next step is to paint the lid of the jar. You can paint it any color you wish or even put a fun design on it if you wish. I chose gold for my jar and my daughter chose pink for hers. This is an optional step but gives your jar a finished polish and can also play off of whatever colors you chose to color your printable.
7. Tie ribbon or twine around top of jar:
Another optional step is to tie a piece of ribbon or twine around the top of the jar. I think this adds a nice touch and finishing element to your Gratitude Jar
8. Fill out the paper slips
Now is the best part…fill out the paper slips with all the things that you are grateful for.
Fill out these slips of paper with whatever it is in your heart that you are grateful for – no matter how big or small. Some examples could be
- necessities (like food on the table, a roof over your head, etc.)
- family
- friends
- things that make you happy
- god-given gifts and talents
- a fun hobby you enjoy
- a wonderful trip you took
- a beautiful memory you had
Feel free to add more over time as you think of more things you are grateful for!
So there you go! You made your very own Gratitude Jar!
Wishing you a safe and healthy Thanksgiving and holiday season.
Live creatively. Live intentionally.
With Love,
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