November is a time to focus on giving and gratitude, and there is no better time to teach children these important lessons than during the Thanksgiving season. By teaching children about the importance of giving back and appreciating what they have, we can help them develop into kind and compassionate adults.
In classrooms across the country, the Kiddie Academy Character Essentials® curriculum is bringing lessons in thankfulness to young learners, and there are so many creative ways to illustrate lessons in giving and gratitude for children.
Why it is important to teach children about giving and gratitude
Teaching children about giving and gratitude results delivers many benefits. For one, it helps them develop empathy and compassion for others. When children learn to be grateful for what they have, they are more likely to be mindful of the needs of others and to want to help those in need. Additionally, teaching children about giving and gratitude can help them develop a sense of civic responsibility and become more engaged members of their communities.
How to teach children about giving and gratitude
There are many ways to teach children about giving and gratitude. Here are a few ideas:
- Set a good example. Children learn by watching the adults in their lives. Show your children how to be generous and grateful by donating to charity, volunteering your time and being kind to others.
- Talk to your children about giving and gratitude. Explain to them why it is important to be grateful for what we have and to give back to others. Share stories about people who have made a difference in the world through their generosity.
- Get your children involved in giving and gratitude activities. There are many ways to get children involved in giving and gratitude activities. For example, you can volunteer together at a local soup kitchen, donate food to a food bank or write thank-you notes to essential workers.
Giving in action
We are proud to report that many of our franchised locations held successful food drives throughout November, totaling over 6,000 items collected to support families across the country. A few highlights include:
- Academies in Illinois, including Kiddie Academy of Algonquin, Kiddie Academy of Streamwood, Kiddie Academy of Park Ridge, and Kiddie Academy of New Lenox, collectively gathered over 700 food items for local pantries.
- Kiddie Academy of Reston engaged families in collecting non-perishable food items and personal hygiene items to support their community.
- Across the state of New York, Academies, including Kiddie Academy of Webster and Kiddie Academy of East Setauket collected over 500 items in support of the Webster Hope House and Harry Chapin Food Bank.
- Kiddie Academy of Fort Wayne and Kiddie Academy of Southwest Fort Wayne worked together to raise 300 items for the Harvest Food Bank.
- Academies in Pennsylvania, including Kiddie Academy of Silver Spring Township and Kiddie Academy of Feasterville, collected 1200 items for local organizations.
- Kiddie Academy of Westerville is supporting the Mid-Ohio Foodbank with over 100 items collected so far.
- Kiddie Academy of Paradise Hills collected over 100 items for the Storehouse New Mexico.
- Kiddie Academy of Bloomingdale collected 425 items for St. Andrew’s Food Pantry, an organization with which the Academy has built a close philanthropic relationship.
- New Jersey-based Academy, Kiddie Academy of Robbinsville, collected nearly 500 items for RISE of Hightstown.
- Kiddie Academy of Cibolo supported the San Antonio Food Bank through a donation of over 325 items, and team members volunteered their time at the bank, as well.
- Kiddie Academy of Kirkland and Kiddie Academy of Bellevue supported Hope Link with their respective collections of nonperishable food items.
- Maryland-based Kiddie Academy of Gaithersburg collected over 150 items, collaborating with caregivers and parents to make a local impact.
- Kiddie Academy of Morrisville continued their annual tradition and collected 500 items for the Interfaith Food Shuttle.
- In Texas, Kiddie Academy of Prosper, Kiddie Academy Cypresswood, Kiddie Academy of Magnolia, Kiddie Academy of Grand Harbor, and Kiddie Academy of Atascocita all held food drives that amounted to over 2,100 nonperishables benefiting local organizations.
We are grateful for our Franchisees and their team members for their commitment to giving back to their communities. Their actions exemplify our company values of impact, responsibility and relationships.
“Through age-appropriate discussions and activities, we highlighted the concept of community and how everyone plays a role in supporting those in need. The food drive served as a tangible way for our children to grasp the idea of making a positive impact, instilling in them a sense of responsibility toward their community,” shared Marissa Kebe, curriculum Coordinator at Kiddie Academy of Paradise Hills in New Mexico.
Teaching children about giving and gratitude is an important part of their development. By helping them understand the importance of giving back and appreciating what they have, we can help them grow into kind and compassionate adults. “The food drives ties into Life Essentials and Character Education while supporting the outcomes we promise to our families. It is our responsibility as educators to build character education by helping children know their responsibility as we are part of a greater community,” shares Kiddie Academy of Prosper Franchisee Fatima Sanai. We are grateful to our Franchisees for their commitment to giving back to their communities and for illustrating the importance of giving and gratitude for children.
