Gratitude Leaf Mobile Thanksgiving Craft

A gratitude leaf mobile is a gorgeous DIY fall decoration for the home or patio, the whole family can make together!

Thanksgiving gratitude crafts, such as this thankful gratitude mobile, are fun to make at home with the family or in the classroom as a class project. Creating a grateful mobile that features thankful thoughts and words of gratitude written on hanging marbled clay fall leaves is a great activity to increase feelings of joy and appreciation for all that life has to offer throughout the holiday season.

The gratitude leaves hanging from this Thanksgiving craft can also be used to make a DIY thankful tree. Click on the link for the step-by-step instructions. Or, scroll down to learn how to make the gratitude mobile pictured here with the clay leaves hanging from it. First published on November 17, 2020, this post is regularly updated to enhance its content. You might also enjoy this list of Thanksgiving gratitude activities.

Thankful DIY Fall Decor:

My family loves to make Thankful trees. Just after the autumn equinox one fall, we decided to make a homemade thankful mobile instead. Look how well it turned out!

Thanksgiving gratitude crafts and decorations, such as this DIY gratitude mobile, can help children and adults focus on the blessings in their lives instead of worrying about what they do not have. Gratitude brings abundance. When we focus on being thankful, even when we feel like we are at the end of our rope, gratitude brings us more of what we are thankful for in life.

Thankfulness and a grateful mindset are closely linked to positive thinking and improved overall health. This is why my family likes to spend time in gratitude during the dark months of the year, not just on Thanksgiving Day. For more thankful fall decor ideas, look at this list of Thankful Tree Ideas.

Gratitude Leaf Mobile Craft Supplies:

Read through the step-by-step instructions below before gathering supplies to make this Thanksgiving gratitude craft from the recommendations below, so you understand the steps involved and what to expect:

• Polymer clay and leaf cookie cutters to make gratitude leaves
• Bare branch, stick, or wooden embroidery hoop (We used a branch from an alder tree we found on a nature walk.)
• Stamps or paint pens
• Monofilament string (fishing line), twine, yarn, or ribbon
• Scissors
• Ceiling hook, Command ceiling hook, or S-hook

How to Make a Gratitude Leaf Mobile: Step-by-Step Instructions:

Use these step-by-step instructions to make a gratitude mobile. Or, click on the link to learn how to make a thankful tree with clay gratitude leaves. Please read through the step-by-step instructions before making either of the thankful crafts. You might also like our printable thankful tree with gratitude leaves.

1. Make Marbled Clay Fall Leaves:

• Two gratitude leaf craft tutorials on Rhythms of Play share how to make leaves to hang on a gratitude mobile or a thankful tree.
• First, learn how to make the marbled polymer clay leaves HERE.
• Alternatively, you can use a leaf template to cut paper leaves to make gratitude ornaments, purchase paper leaf ornaments, or use real preserved fall leaves.

2. Write Words of Gratitude on Each Marbled Clay Leaf:

• Next, transform clay autumn leaves into gratitude leaves.
• If you would like your words of gratitude imprinted into each clay leaf, use alphabet stamps to write words or short phrases that symbolize what you are most thankful for on each clay fall leaf before baking them.
• Alternatively, use a paint pen to write what you are grateful for on each clay leaf after it has baked and cooled.
• Or, write words of thanks on paper or real preserved fall leaves.

3. Collect a Bare Branch or use an Embroidery Hoop:

• Head out on a nature scavenger hunt in search of a beautiful bare branch, a stick, or a piece of driftwood to make a gratitude mobile or wall hanging.
• Alternatively, hang thankful leaves from a wooden embroidery hoop.
• My daughter and I used a branch from an alder tree that we scavenged while walking through the park on our daily adventures in nature.

4. Hang Gratitude Leaves onto the Bare Branch or Embroidery Hoop:

• Use monofilament string (fishing line), twine, yarn, or ribbon to hang gratitude ornaments on the bare branch or wooden embroidery hoop.
• Thread it through the hole at the base or tip of the leaf ornaments and tie a loop to hang each gratitude leaf.
• The gratitude mobile pictured is a bare branch with gratitude leaves strung with a fishing line to give them the appearance of falling gently down from the sky.

Words of Gratitude Mobile for Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful not only for the gifts we receive, but also for the lessons contained within the mistakes we make and the challenges we face in life. In other words, it is a great time to be thankful, allowing us to continue reaping the blessings, rewards, and lessons that teach us how to be a better person every day.

Create an attitude of gratitude in your home, classroom, or workplace for Thanksgiving with this gorgeous gratitude craft idea for kids and adults–or look at this list of Thanksgiving gratitude crafts and activities. Create thankful arts and crafts as a fun way to boost feelings of gratitude with your students, coworkers, or family.

You might also enjoy this list of gratitude crafts and activities you can enjoy year-round. Or, scroll down to see a list with a few more crafts and activities fun to make and do for Thanksgiving.

Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author, photographer, and creator of this original gratitude craft HERE, and Rhythms of Play HERE!

More Gratitude Crafts and Thankful Activities

• Printable Thankful Turkey Placemats to Color
• Thanksgiving Thankful Tree Ideas
• How to Make a Thankful Tree with Real Fall Leaves
• Thanksgiving Gratitude Crafts and Activities
• Thankful Turkey Printable Coloring Page
• “I Am Grateful” Gratitude Journal Printable Worksheet
• Gratitude Journal Printable Prompts

More Thanksgiving Crafts and Ideas

• Fun Thanksgiving Traditions
• Turkey Leaf Lanterns
• Thanksgiving Turkey Leaf Crafts
• Thankful Tree Printable with Gratitude Leaves