Tiny Moments, Big Lessons: Reflecting and Creating Gratitude with Little Learners
This week, whether you're in the classroom or already on a much-needed break, I want to offer something gentle. Something real. We don’t always have the time or energy to pull off elaborate lessons the week of Thanksgiving, and we don’t need to. Some of the most meaningful SEL moments come in the quiet, unscripted spaces where reflection and gratitude naturally live.
For my preschool and TK friends still in session this week, here’s something I’ve found helpful. When we invite our kids to reflect, even just for a moment, they begin to notice themselves. Not in a pressured, performative way. But in a way that builds confidence, awareness, and connection. A way that whispers: I see you growing.
Here are a few of my favorite reflection ideas:
Proud Pebble Sharing: I pass a small pebble around and ask, "What’s something you did this month that made you proud?" The answers are often simple: "I helped clean up" or "I zipped my jacket." But the pride? Big. Always big.
Heart Filler Thank-Yous: We take a moment and think of someone in the class who made us feel happy or safe. Then we say, "Thank you for _____. It made me feel _____." This one always surprises me. Our little ones know exactly who lifted their heart.
Photo Tray Reflections: I print out a few pictures from this month, center time, recess, and snack time. The kids choose one and tell the story of that moment. The language and memory work that happens here is quiet but powerful.
And because crafts are a go-to this time of year, I love using ones that don’t just keep little hands busy, they build skills. Real ones. Emotional ones.
Here are three simple, gratitude-centered crafts that support SEL:
Thankful Hands Chain: Each child traces their hand and adds one thing they’re grateful for. We link our hands into a class chain and talk about how we’re connected.
Gratitude Windows: I ask, "What do you see every day that helps you?" Then they draw it inside a little paper frame. These are often filled with images of friends, centers, routines, and even the morning bell. I love that.
Kindness Seed Pockets: We write or draw tiny acts of kindness and tuck them into small paper pockets. We talk about planting kindness at school and at home. It sticks with them more than you’d expect.
These aren’t big productions. They’re simple and rooted in what we already do. But they offer our students a sense of who they are and how they show up in their classroom community.
And maybe that’s the best way to head into break with a little more clarity, a little more connection, and a whole lot of heart.
You’re doing enough. You’re offering more than you know.
Let’s keep leading with care.
Kidz Exec Excellence
Dr. Cynthia Skyers-Gordon
