Generosity Resources for Families
Help Develop Generosity Intentionally
Children are intrinsically grateful. They are profoundly aware as babies that they depend on others for the things they need. We often teach and remind children to say please and thank you, which start their gratitude practice.
Teaching generosity is also important because it lets kids know that they also have something to contribute to their family, community, and world. Generosity is a powerful experience for kids and we hope these resources help to grow grateful, generous kids and families.
Coming Soon: Gratitude-Based Share, Save, Spend Materials Resources for Families
Many of us are familiar with the concept of “share, save, spend” banks for kids, sometimes called “Moon Jars”. The idea is to help kids think about money they receive as a way to help others (share) and to teach the practice of saving for something big that they want. Our new materials for families have ideas for making your bank at home, ways to use it with both money and actions (talents), and ways to talk about financial strategies with kids to help them embrace financial literacy and generosity.
Our Daily Gifts: A Practice of Gratitude
“Our Daily Gifts is a contemplative prayer practice in the form of a story that offers a framework for children to observe the gifts they have received that day and to name them. The storyteller explores the many varieties of gifts, then models a practice of giving thanks for a gift they have received.”
Our Daily Gifts was created by Sally Thomas, a long-time Godly Play storyteller and trainer, whose experience and language of the gifts of God has been formed in Godly Play sanctuaries with generous children of all ages. She is grateful for all the gifts that the Godly Play community has given her.
The project was created by the Diocese of California and is shared here with permission.
Gratitude Paper Chains: Involving Kids in Parish Stewardship
Download a free gratitude-based stewardship lesson plan for congregations that helps kids recognize the variety of gifts shared in your congregation and notice their own gifts and ways they can share those gifts with others.
