“Thankful Tree Placemat” Thanksgiving Craft “Thankful Tree Placemat” Thanksgiving Craft

We have a thousand zillion things to be thankful for. But sometimes it’s hard to think of many at all! The “Thankful Tree Placemat” craft is a fun activity that allows children to show their gratitude in a creative way!  Children fill in leaves with things that they are thankful for, creating a placemat that they can then use to reflect on their feelings of gratitude each and every day.

Materials:

- One extra large piece of construction paper, the size of a placemat – your choice of color
- Brown, Yellow, Orange, Red and Green Construction Paper
- Marker
- Glue
- Access to a Laminating Machine (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Make a tree with empty branches out of brown construction paper, and glue it onto the extra large piece of construction paper
  2. Write “I am thankful for...” on the trunk of the tree.
  3. Create several leaves out of different colors of construction paper.  You want to make at least 10 for each placemat you are creating.
  4. Have the child fill in the leaves with all of the things that they are thankful for.  Each leaf should have one thing written on it.  They can write the names of their family members or any other things that they want to recognize.
  5. Glue the leaves onto the branches of the tree.
  6. Laminate the placemat to protect it from moisture, if you have access to a laminating machine.

Closing

The Bible says: “Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name!” (1 Chronicles 29:13)

Copyright 2013 Mary Kate Warner