Now that our kids are older I wanted to make them more aware of Thanksgiving and why we should be thankful for what we have going into the Christmas season. So for the entire month of November as a family we are doing a 30-day give thanks family activity. Each day we will write down what we are thankful for on a paper leaf and attach it to a board. And these are going to be displayed so they are easy to see. I am calling it our Thankful Project. My hope is that this becomes a fun family activity that can become a tradition.
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30 Day Give Thanks Family Activity
To start I wanted to make the board that all of our leaves would be displayed on each day.
Materials Needed
- Thrift store frame
- Lace Doily-from my Grandma
- Kraft cardstock for the leaves
- Beaded Garland
- Clothespins
- Staple Gun
- Spray Adhesive
Step 1:
I found a professionally framed picture (23″x26″) at Goodwill for $7.99 (a steal!). I removed the paper backing, staples, mat and picture and was left with the frame which was the whole reason I bought it. I was lucky enough to find a frame that I liked and wouldn’t have to re-paint.
Step 2:
I used my beaded garland from Joann’s that had no intended use but now came in handy for this project as my hanging line for the leaves. I used a staple gun to attach the garland to the frame.
I then realized I didn’t like the way the frame looked with no backing to it. So I re-used the original backing that came with the picture but it was too stark white.
And then I remembered that when we had cleaned out my Grandma’s house I found a rectangular lace doily. So I decided to upcycle this as the background. It covered the backing perfectly so I took some spray adhesive and applied it to the backing.
I love it, it breaks up the background and adds texture but is not too distracting.
Step 3:
Each of the leaves is held by small clothespins and ready for us to write what we are thankful for each day. Every day of November we will be doing the grateful/thankful challenge. I will write down what each person is thankful for and display them on the board and then collect these at the end of the month and save them for years to come. My plan is to make different leaf shape cut-outs each year so that we can have a new set of leaves every year to look back on.
I would love to know if you do a similar activity in your own house for the season. Drop a comment below and let me know!
Other Posts you may like:
- 50 Things I am Grateful for-FREE Printable
- Thankful Handprint Pumpkin Craft
- Simple Thanksgiving Table Decor Idea