DIY Chalkboard Gratitude Journals for November

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Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. I love how life seems to slow down a little, after the high energy of Halloween, but before the hustle and bustle of Christmas begins. As the days get shorter and the air gets just a bit cooler, there is no better time to teach children about some of the most important things in life. And at the top of that list is Gratitude. This DIY Chalkboard Gratitude Journal and Writing Prompts is the perfect way to teach kids exactly what gratitude means.

We all teach our kids to say “Thank You”. It is a mandatory phrase that even the littlest of voices can repeat. We practice at lunch time, we prompt them when a gift is received, and we lovingly remind when the words are forgotten. But do our children really understand what Gratitude is?

The activity we want to share with you today gives the opportunity to spend the whole month teaching your children about gratitude through one of the best methods of personal reflection we know… A journal.

But this is not just any journal. It is a chalkboard journal. A journal that can change with the season with a simple wipe, and can allow your child to express the way they are feeling on that certain day, or in that certain moment.

To create the chalkboard gratitude journal we purchased some Americana Chalkboard paint, a composition notebook, and some chalkboard markers. All of these can be found at your local Walmart or Hobby Lobby, or just pick them all up online from their pictures below. Using the chalkboard paint, apply 2-3 coats on top of the notebook cover. Allow to dry. We used a hairdryer to speed up this part. Once the painting is done the chalkboard is ready for your little artist to begin! Using the chalkboard markers (regular chalk works too) your child can decorate the cover of their journal however they would like!

This not only is fun to draw on the chalkboard gratitude journal, but it also gives an opportunity to talk each day about the things your child is thankful for. We have created a list of prompts that you are welcome to use, or come up with a few of your own! Your child can write or draw their thoughts inside on the blank pages of their Chalkboard Journal, so they can be remembered and reflected upon later, or they can use the front cover of their Grateful Chalkboard Journal to draw or write what they think and feel. Then just wipe it with a damp paper towel to start all over again.

We hope these Chalkboard Gratitude Journals and Writing Prompts help your Thanksgiving season be meaningful and memorable. And that these journals become a treasure for your children, not just during Thanksgiving time but all year round!

Classroom Connection:

The love for writing in a journal is one of my favorite things to teach my students. These Chalkboard Journals would be the perfect way to get your class excited and attached to their special book. I would paint the notebooks with the chalkboard paint myself, but allow my students to decorate their journal at the beginning of the school year. I would then allow them to change their cover once a month. Having the ability to personalize their journal made it uniquely theirs and motivated them to share little pieces of themselves through their writing.