Thanksgiving Bible Activity & Gratitude Jar Craft (PSALM 136)
LESSON OVERVIEW
Theme: Thankfulness & Gratitude
Big Truth: Thanking God helps us remember His goodness every day.
Key Verse: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.” — Psalm 136:1
Bible Story: Psalm 136 and Colossians 3:15
Pillar Focus: Presence (Gratitude brings us into God’s presence)
1) Introduction:
Starting to notice all the blessings around us can make our hearts full of joy. Sometimes it’s easy to forget to say thank you—not just to people, but to God who gives us so much. Today, we’re going to explore how thankfulness can help us see God’s goodness every single day and bring us close to Him. We’ll hear from Psalm 136 and Colossians 3:15, and by the end, I hope you’ll feel your heart growing full of thanks!
2) Game: “Gratitude Race” (Memory Verse Game)
Instruction: Set up an exciting activity where words from the memory verse (“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever!”) are hidden in different stations or objects like balloons, boxes, or cards scattered around the room. Children will move quickly—hopping, skipping, or crawling—to find one word at a time. When they find a word, encourage them to say aloud something they are thankful for before collecting that word. After all words are found, kids work together to arrange the words in order, forming the whole verse. This activity helps children physically engage with the Scripture and reflect on their gratitude.
*For preschoolers, replace words with pictures—such as sun, food, family—and guide them to say a simple “Thank You, God” each time they find one. This tactile interaction deepens their connection to thankfulness.
Say this: Let’s have some fun with a game! Around the room, I’ve hidden words from our memory verse: ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever!’ When you find a word, come back and tell us one thing you’re thankful for. After we find all the words, we’ll put them together to say the verse as a team! For our younger friends, you’ll be hunting for pictures of things we can thank God for, like sunshine, food, or family, and we’ll say short thank-you prayers together.
3) Praise & Worship:
Say This: Now it’s time to praise God together! When we sing and clap, it’s like telling God how thankful our hearts are. Let’s sing ‘Give Thanks’ and ‘Thank You Lord’—you can add hand motions or clap along. And if you want, shout out something you feel really thankful for! Let’s make worship a joyful thanks party.”
Lead them in singing joyful songs like:
“Give Thanks” (simple choruses that everyone can sing)
“Thank You Lord” (a fun, repetitive song with hand motions)
“Our God Is So Good” (easy lyrics younger children can repeat)
Encounter Instructions: Encourage kids to clap, raise their hands, or shout out things they’re thankful for during the songs. This lively worship helps them express their thanks in spirit and truth.Invite a moment for quiet reflection afterward where children think silently about something beautiful God has done for them recently, and then ask if anyone wants to share. (Leaders, it’s best if you lead by example)
4) Bible Story Sermon
Introduction:
Say this: “Let’s gather close—pretend we’re sitting together under a big, starry sky, ready to hear a true story from the Bible.
Leader speaks:Today, we’re traveling far back in time to meet a man named David. David loved God with all his heart. He wasn’t just a king—he was someone who liked to sing songs and write poems to God. David had seen good times and hard times. There were days when he faced battles, felt lonely, and had big decisions to make. But through it all, David discovered a beautiful truth: God’s love never ends. Not ever!
One day, David sat down and wrote a song—a Psalm—to help all God’s people remember His never-ending love. He wanted everyone to join in and sing! The song starts like this:
‘Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.’ And then, over and over, David included this special line: ‘His love endures forever!’”
David didn’t just thank God for things that happen once in a while. He thanked God for EVERYTHING! Let’s listen to some of the things David celebrated in Psalm 136. I’ll read each part, and you echo with me: ‘His love endures forever.’
(Leader reads Psalm 136:1–9, pausing for kids to echo after each phrase:)
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
– His love endures forever.Give thanks to the God of gods.
– His love endures forever.Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
– His love endures forever.To him who alone does great wonders.
– His love endures forever.Who by his understanding made the heavens.
– His love endures forever.Who spread out the earth upon the waters.
– His love endures forever.Who made the great lights.
– His love endures forever.The sun to govern the day.
– His love endures forever.The moon and stars to govern the night.
– His love endures forever.
Leader continues: For David, every star, every sunrise, every victory, and even every hard moment was a reason to thank God! David remembered how God rescued His people from danger, helped them when they were afraid, and took care of those who loved Him.
Isn’t it wonderful? God’s love is there when we wake up, when we’re at school, and when we’re at home. His love never runs out. Even when things seem tough, we can hold onto God’s goodness.
Let’s think about our own lives. Can you remember a time God helped you or your family? Maybe He kept you safe, gave you a fun day with friends, or helped you feel better when you were sick or sad. If you want, share that story with us—we’ll all celebrate together how God’s love never ends.
I remember a day when I felt really worried about something. I prayed, and God helped me calm down, reminding me that His love would never leave me, no matter what. And when I see all of you today, I remember to thank God for good friends and our church family.
David’s song reminds us: we can thank God because He is good all the time, even when life feels hard.
But David isn’t the only one who talked about thankfulness! There’s something else I want to share—a message written much later by someone named Paul. Paul knew what it was like to face challenges, but he also knew God’s peace. He wrote in Colossians 3:15: ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts... and be thankful.’
Paul’s words tell us that thankfulness brings peace. When we choose to remember God’s goodness and say thank you, it helps our hearts rest and fills us with joy.
So today, just like David and Paul, let’s look for ways to thank God—for everything around us, for loving us forever, and for giving us deep peace and joy.”
5) Holy Spirit Activation (Creating a Gratitude Jar - Perfect for Families!)
Instructions: Invite children to a special table with a big jar, paper slips, and colorful pens or crayons. Explain that they will write or draw things they are thankful for and place these blessings into the jar. Tell them this jar will hold prayers of thanks all week long, creating a treasure of happy moments and kindness.
Say: I would love for you to share the things you’re thankful for with God right now. Here’s a special Gratitude Jar. On these slips of paper, you can write or draw what makes you thankful. Then put it in the jar. This jar will hold our prayers and thanks all week long, and every time we look at it, we can remember how good God is. Let’s take a quiet moment to pray, asking the Holy Spirit to help us always see God’s kindness in our lives.
7) Small Group Questions:
Gather kids in small groups or pairs and ask gentle questions to deepen their understanding:
“What are three things you feel really thankful for today?”
“How do you feel in your heart when you say thank you to God?”
“Why do you think thankfulness helps us feel peaceful and happy?”
“How can you share this thankfulness with your family, friends, or classroom?”
Listen and encourage kids to express their thoughts openly. These conversations help them make faith personal.
8) Prayer:
Lead the children to pray together, either repeating after you or sharing thoughts in their own words:
“God, thank You for Your never-ending love. Thank You for all the good things You give us every day. Help us remember to say thank You in our hearts and with our words. Fill us with joy and peace as we live by Your goodness. Help us share Your love with others, so they can be thankful too. Amen.”
Encourage each child to whisper or say something they are thankful for before closing.
9) Final Thought for Parents and Leaders:
Thankfulness is a daily choice that transforms children’s hearts. By walking with them through Scripture, worship, and hands-on activities, you are nurturing their ability to recognize God’s gifts and grow closer to Him. Encourage families to keep the Gratitude Jar at home as a tool for practicing thankfulness throughout the week!
This lesson invites children and adults alike into a meaningful journey of gratitude, grounding their faith in God’s everlasting love and presence. It is designed to touch hearts, inspire worship, and cultivate a lifelong habit of thankfulness.