Give Thanks to the LORD Week 1: Because He is Good

We have a reason to teach our children to be thankful, because we have a good God!  Here are Bible verses, songs and teaching ideas to teach your children to give thanks to God. The leaf craft can be done in the Fall to decorate your home leading up to Thanksgiving.

Theme Verse: "Give thanks to the LORD because He is good" Psalm 136:1 NASB

With your child read this verse at least once a day throughout the week. See if you can memorize it as a family. Pick some of the related activities to help grow in giving thanks to God.

 Related Activities: 

Parent Preparation: Here are verses for you to read and consider. Psalm 136; Psalm 107; Psalm 106:1-2; Psalm 118:1,21, 28, 29; 1 Corinthians 15:57, Philippians 4:6-7
 
Songs: 

• "Give Thanks to the LORD" (Psalm 118:1) by Steve Green, from the CD "Hide 'em In Your Heart Volume 2", watch it here
•  "Thanksgiving, Psalm 100:4" from "Songs For Saplings, ABC" by Dana Dirksen, listen here
• "Thankful" from the CD "All Filled" by the Scriptural Study Groups 

See link below to print

Pray: When praying with your child, talk about how we can ask God for help and that we can thank God. Philippians 4:6

Leaf Craft: Print out this leaf and cut it out. Have your child decorate the leaf.  Options include: coloring, paint with watercolor, paint with Do-A-Dots, marble painting. Hang up the leaf in your home (on the window, on a string across a window or a mantle). Print out a blank leaf to write other Bible verses down or to write down things that God does that are good. (Check out Part 2 for another leaf and verse.)

Thankful List: Take a blank piece of paper. List with your child good things about God. You can write and draw these. Simple drawings can help young children connect with the activity. Examples: God is love (draw a heart), He hears our prayers (draw an ear). When you are done, pray with your child and give thanks to God for His goodness in prayer.

Read in the Bible: Read with your child records that show God's goodness. Examples: God making and creating the heavens and earth, someone being healed, raising Jesus Christ from the dead, parting the Red Sea, feeding the 5,000, hearing Hannah's prayer.

Act it Out: Use puppets, dolls, figurines, or stuffed animals. With your child have the 2 characters in an everyday situation (playing, cooking, etc) and one character tells the other about God's goodness.

Coloring Page: Color this coloring page from Ministry-to-chidren.com.

Related Posts:
Give Thanks to the LORD Part 2: In Everything
God is Big 

God is the Creator
God is Almighty
God is Love
God Cares About You 

© Brigette Hill, 2014