Thanksgiving is the time of year where we enjoy bountiful meals with family and friends and reflect on all the things we’re grateful for. Studies have shown that expressing gratitude can improve emotional and physical well-being and boost self-esteem, which can lead to healthy, happier kids.

As you prepare to celebrate the holiday with loved ones, use these four tips to help instill gratitude in your child this Thanksgiving.

Create a Tree of Thanks
This is a fun activity the whole family can participate in. All you need is a jar, dried branches, construction paper, scissors, sharpies or crayons and clothes pins.

Cut the construction paper into leaf shapes. Have everyone sit around the table and write down on the leaves what they are thankful for. For young children, ask them to tell you what they’re thankful for and write that down on the leaves. Then attach each multicolored leaf to the branches with a clothespin. Gratitude trees are wonderful reminders of the many blessings in our lives.

Read Books on Thankfulness

There’s nothing like reading together with your child. According to studies, reading helps your child develop early literacy skills, learn to value stories and strengthens her ability to focus.

Five Little Thank-Yous by Cindy Jin and Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks! by Margaret Sutherland are excellent books you can read with your child to illustrate the meaning of gratitude.

Model Gratitude

Children may not follow your instructions to the letter, but they definitely observe everything you do. If you consistently model gratitude, your child will learn the importance of giving thanks.

If you are inviting friends and family over for Thanksgiving, send out handwritten invitations or evites, which your child can help you design. For each RSVP you receive, write out a thank you note that you can create out of card stock or construction paper. You and your child can write your personal thanks in each card. This practice not only models good manners, but demonstrates for your child how happy it makes the recipient feel to know they are loved and appreciated.

Gratitude Placemats

Placemats are a festive addition to every Thanksgiving table. Your placemats can do double duty this holiday season by serving as a way to express gratitude and appreciation for every person seated at the table.

Using a piece of orange construction paper, you and your child can write down the name of each guest. Then have your child write down or tell you three or four words that describe that person: Funny. Loving. Smart. Kind.

On Thanksgiving Day, as each person sits in front of their personalized placemat, your child will be able to observe their enjoyment and thankfulness at receiving such a wonderful token of appreciation. This activity will help instill in your child a desire to be more loving as well as look for creative ways to show gratitude to others.