Family Gratitude Placemat

A placemat made from paper, filled with drawings and dictated gratitudes, and laminated for durability becomes a Thanksgiving table accessory that gets used for meals through the whole harvest season. Each family member makes one featuring what they are grateful for, and the table becomes a display of collective thankfulness at every meal.

What You'll Need

• White cardstock or heavy paper — cut to 12x18 inches (standard placemat size)
• Markers and crayons — for illustrations
• Self-laminating sheets — the iron-free kind from office supply stores
• Optional: a border of hand-traced fall leaves — as a decorative frame
• Optional: family photos — printed small and glued on as part of the design

How to Do It

Step 1: Create the frame. Trace the child's hand around the border of the placemat, alternating colors (red, orange, yellow) for a leaf-like frame. These become both hands and autumn leaves simultaneously.

Step 2: Write the title. In the center area, write "I Am Thankful For..." in large letters with a marker — adults write, or children trace.

Step 3: Fill in the gratitudes. Children dictate what they are grateful for and illustrate each one. Aim for 5–8 items. Distribute them across the placemat with a drawing beside each one.

Step 4: Add photos. Glue small printed photos of people, pets, or places mentioned in the gratitudes alongside the corresponding drawings.

Step 5: Laminate. Slip the finished placemat into a self-laminating sheet and smooth out all bubbles. Press from center outward.

Step 6: Use at the Thanksgiving table. Place the placemat at the child's spot. Encourage other family members to read and comment on the contents.

Skills Your Child Will Develop

Reflective identification — Naming what one is grateful for requires internal reflection and positive attention.

Functional art — Creating something that will be used repeatedly connects art to daily life.

Layout and design — Distributing content across a defined rectangle develops visual planning.

Tips & Variations

• Make a set for the whole family: matching placemats from each person for a coordinated Thanksgiving table.
• Keep last year's placemat and compare what changed year over year.
• Write the year on the back of each placemat for a future keepsake record.

My Two Cents

Laminating makes this a genuine long-term keepsake — an unprotected paper placemat survives about one Thanksgiving meal. Self-laminating sheets require no machine, no heat, and about 60 seconds to apply correctly.