Decorate a printable thankful or gratitude tree for Thanksgiving, a fun gratitude activity for kids and adults.
Make a thankful tree with printable tree templates and paper gratitude leaves. Write or draw something you appreciate on each leaf, then fill the branches with little reminders of the people, places, and everyday moments that matter to you.
Create a tree together for Thanksgiving, add thankful leaves throughout the fall, or enjoy an everyday gratitude activity at another time of year. Children and adults can make individual trees or contribute to one shared family or classroom tree.
Choose the “Thankful” or “Grateful” tree design below. Each paid printable set includes one six-page PDF with instructions, a full-color tree, green and warm autumn colored leaves, and coloring pages for those who would rather color their own tree and leaves.
Table of Contents
Read through the post from beginning to end, or use the links below to jump directly to the printable options, craft supplies, step-by-step instructions, or ideas for your thankful leaves.
- What Is a Thankful Tree?
- Choose Your Thankful Tree Printable
- What’s Included in Each Download?
- Thankful Tree Craft Supplies
- How to Make a Thankful or Gratitude Tree
- What to Write on Your Thankful Leaves
- Ways to Enjoy Your Gratitude Tree
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Ways to Explore Gratitude
What is a Thankful Tree?
A thankful tree, also called a gratitude tree, is a tree decorated with leaves that represent things people appreciate. Each leaf holds a word, short phrase, or drawing.
You can fill the tree in one sitting or add leaves gradually. As the branches fill, the tree becomes a collection of thankful thoughts to enjoy and revisit.
This tutorial uses a printable paper tree. For branch arrangements, wall displays, and other ways to enjoy this grateful holiday tradition, explore these thankful tree ideas for Thanksgiving.
Choose Your Gratitude or Thankful Tree Printable:
Choose between a bare tree printable with “Thankful” or “Grateful” written at the base of the tree to make a thankful or a gratitude tree. Or purchase both crafts, plus several more, in this printable bundle of gratitude activities.
As shown in the photo below, both sets use the same leaf pages. The tree designs have different wording at their bases.
| Printable | Wording on the tree | Suggested use |
|---|---|---|
| Thankful Tree Printable with Gratitude Leaves | Thankful | Thanksgiving and seasonal thankfulness activities |
| Gratitude Tree Printable with Thankful Leaves | Grateful | Everyday gratitude, seasonal reflection, or Thanksgiving |
You can enjoy either tree year-round, but most people enjoy doing this gratitude craft in the fall. Choose the wording you prefer.
What’s Included in Each Download?
Each product includes one six-page PDF:
- An instruction page with printing guidance, craft steps, gratitude prompts, and usage terms.
- A full-color tree with the selected wording.
- Yellow, orange, and red autumn leaves.
- A sheet of green shades and yellow leaves.
- A tree coloring page with the selected wording.
- A leaf coloring page.
The printables use US Letter paper (8.5 × 11 inches) in portrait orientation. Print only the pages you want, and add extra leaf sheets as needed.
These are paid digital downloads; they do not include printed materials or craft supplies. If you would like both tree designs and additional activities, explore the Gratitude Activities and Crafts Bundle.
Thankful Tree Craft Supplies
- Your chosen thankful or gratitude tree printable.
- US Letter printer paper or cardstock.
- Scissors.
- Glue or tape. Use what you have or choose from the following options:
- Glue pen.
- Glue dots.
- Double-sided glue tape.
- A glue stick.
- Transparent tape.
- Or use push pins if you’re hanging the gratitude tree on a bulletin board.
- A pen or marker. Use one you have or choose one of the following:
- Permanent marker.
- Dual-tipped (brush and fine) blendable art markers.
- Paint pens.
- Optional coloring supplies for the outline pages. Use what you have or choose one:
- Crayons.
- Colored pencils.
- Watercolor paints.
- Or any of the markers listed above.
Regular printer paper works, while cardstock gives the tree and leaves a sturdier finish. Use regular paper for the instruction page if you want a printed copy to keep nearby.
How to Make a Thankful or Gratitude Tree Craft: Step-By-Step Instructions
Use the easy steps below to complete this Thanksgiving gratitude craft. Learn more about this modern Thanksgiving Tradition HERE–> Thankful Tree Tradition.
1. Choose and Print Your Pages
- Download your chosen printable set and begin with its instruction page. Select the full-color tree and leaves, the coloring pages, or a combination of both.
- Print one tree for everyone to decorate together, or a tree for each participant. Choose Actual Size / 100% in your printer settings. If an edge clips, try Fit to Printable Area.
- Keep the instruction page for reference; you don’t need to print it for every participant.
2. Color the Outline Pages, If You Wish
- Color the tree and leaves before cutting them out. Crayons, colored pencils, or markers work well.
- Choose autumn colors, green shades, or your own combinations. You can also use the full-color tree and color the leaves yourself.
- If you paint the pages, use suitable paper and let them dry before cutting.
3. Cut Out the Leaves
- Cut around the leaf shapes. Younger children may appreciate an adult preparing the leaves or helping with cutting.
- If you plan to add leaves over several days, keep the cutouts in a small basket or container near the tree, along with a pen or marker.
4. (Optional) Set Up a Gratitude Tree Station
- If you plan to add leaves over several days or weeks, place your thankful or gratitude tree somewhere easy to visit, such as a wall, bulletin board, refrigerator, picture frame, or tabletop.
- Keep the cutout leaves in one container and pens, markers, colored pencils, or crayons in another. Place glue or tape nearby so everything is ready when someone wants to contribute.
- Invite family members, friends, students, or co-workers to add a thankful leaf whenever they wish. You might begin around the fall equinox, in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, or at another time of year.
5. Write or Draw What You Appreciate
- Add one thankful thought to each leaf. A word, short phrase, or little drawing is enough.
- Children who aren’t writing yet can draw their answers or tell someone what they would like recorded. Adults can join in, too.
- Write on the front if you want the words to be visible. For a more private reflection, write on the back before attaching the leaf.
- Find prompts and examples in “What to Write on Your Thankful Leaves” below.
6. Attach the Leaves to Your Tree
- Use glue or tape to attach each leaf to a branch or the upper trunk. Add a little adhesive near the base of the leaf so the rest can lift slightly from the page.
- Arrange the leaves however you like. You might fill the branches from the bottom up, scatter colors throughout the tree, or add a few near its base like fallen leaves.
7. Display Your Tree
- Once you’ve attached the leaves, display your thankful or gratitude tree on a wall, bulletin board, fridge (with fingerprint magnets holding it up), or tabletop, or place it in a picture frame.
- Choose a spot where you can easily see and enjoy your creation. If you’ve already set up a gratitude tree station, leave your tree there.
8. Watch Your Gratitude Grow
- Make your tree together in one sitting, or add leaves whenever someone wants to share something they appreciate.
- For a Thanksgiving tradition, you might begin in October in Canada or in November in the United States.
- As you add each leaf, your tree fills with grateful thoughts. Make one for yourself or contribute to a shared tree with family, friends, or classmates.
- Enjoy filling the branches in one sitting, or watch your gratitude grow over several days or weeks.
- There’s no need to fill every branch or add a leaf on a fixed schedule.
9. Reflect on Your Thankfulness
- Pause to read some of the leaves and remember the people, experiences, and everyday moments they represent. You might share a thankful thought with someone or write a gratitude journal entry about what you discovered while making your tree.
- Reading the leaves together can invite conversation while waiting for Thanksgiving dinner or during a family meal at any time of year. Share whichever thoughts you feel comfortable sharing, and leave room for others to listen.
What to Write on Your Thankful Leaves
Small details can make a thankful leaf feel personal. Instead of writing only “family,” you might write “Grandma’s stories.” Instead of “friends,” try “Sam helping me.”
Here are a few possibilities:
| Think about… | Words or phrases for a leaf |
|---|---|
| Someone who helped you | A friend’s kindness; Dad fixing my bike |
| A moment you enjoyed | Laughing together; our walk after dinner |
| A place you appreciate | The library; our garden; my favorite park |
| An everyday comfort | A warm blanket; a favorite meal |
| Something in nature | Birdsong; shade from a tree; rain for the garden |
| Something you learned | Learning to swim; a new recipe |
| A memory from this year | Visiting cousins; our camping trip |
Gratitude Prompts to Get Started
- Who helped you today?
- What made you smile?
- What is a favorite memory from this year?
- What do you enjoy doing together?
- What is something you appreciate about this season?
For more possibilities, explore these gratitude journal prompts.
Keep the words short enough to fit comfortably on a leaf. If you want to tell a longer story, write it in a journal and choose a short phrase to represent it on the tree. Alternatively, you can doodle your answers on a Thankful Turkey Placemat, or the I Am Grateful Gratitude Journal Page.
Ways to Enjoy Your Gratitude Tree
Make your gratitude tree part of a family tradition, a classroom gathering, or a quiet moment of reflection. Fill the branches together in one sitting, or keep leaves nearby for anyone who wants to share something they appreciate. Try one of the ideas below for Thanksgiving, throughout the fall, or at any time of year.
Make a Family Thanksgiving Tree
Keep a shared tree near the dinner table or another gathering place. Invite family members or guests to add a leaf when they wish.
Easy Thanksgiving crafts like this invite children and adults to express their appreciation in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Even toddlers and preschoolers can help decorate a thankful tree. Ask what they’re thankful for, write their words on the leaves, and help them attach each one.
You might read a few leaves together before or after your Thanksgiving meal. Anyone who prefers can keep their words private or simply enjoy listening.
Create a Classroom Gratitude Tree
Make a shared display or give each student their own tree. Offer drawing, writing, and dictation options so children can participate in different ways.
Invite personal responses without requiring students to explain their leaves to the group.
Enjoy a Tree in Any Season
Use green leaves, autumn colors, or the coloring pages to suit your activity. Begin a tree at the start of a season, during a family gathering, or whenever you want a place to collect moments of appreciation.
The “Grateful” design offers an evergreen option, while the “Thankful” design works well for Thanksgiving. Either wording can be used at any time.
Try a Reusable Version
If you would like to reuse the activity, laminate the tree and leaves before writing on them. Use a marker suitable for the laminated surface and removable adhesive to attach the leaves.
Test your marker and adhesive first to make sure they remove as intended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to a few FAQs about these gratitude tree printables.
Is the thankful tree printable free?
The Thankful Tree and Gratitude Tree sets are paid downloads in the Rhythms of Play Learning Center. You can read and use the craft instructions in this post without purchasing a printable.
Does one download include both tree designs?
No. The Thankful Tree product includes the tree labeled “Thankful.” The Gratitude Tree product includes the tree labeled “Grateful.” Each includes colored and coloring-page options.
Both tree products are included in the Gratitude Activities and Crafts Bundle.
Can I print just the leaves?
Yes. Select the autumn leaves, green leaves, or leaf coloring page in your PDF’s print settings. Print additional copies as needed for your household or the students you personally teach.
Can younger children make a thankful tree?
Yes, with suitable help. Children can color, draw their answers, dictate thankful thoughts, and attach prepared leaves. An adult can assist with scissors and writing.
Do I need a color printer?
No. Use the tree and leaf coloring pages to print outlines and add your own colors. You only need a color printer if you want to print the pages in color.
Can I make a tree without buying a template?
Yes. Draw a bare tree on paper and cut leaf shapes from colored paper, then follow the same steps to write or draw thankful thoughts and attach the leaves.
Can I use the printables with my class?
Yes. Personal and classroom use includes copies for your household and all students you personally teach, including future classes. Please do not redistribute the PDF or download links. Other teachers should obtain their own copy.
Printable Gratitude Crafts for Kids and Adults
Use these printable gratitude crafts to bring thankfulness and joy to your home, classroom, or workplace this autumn, or any time of year.
Begin with one thing you appreciate, add a leaf, and see where your thankful thoughts take you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
More Ways to Explore Gratitude
Continue with thankful tree ideas, gratitude journal prompts, or these gratitude activities and crafts for kids and adults.
Learn more about Rhythms of Play on our About page, or meet the creator and author, Nell Regan Kartychok.
More Thanksgiving Crafts and Ideas:
- Thanksgiving Gratitude Crafts and Activities
- Turkey Leaf Lantern Craft
- Thanksgiving Traditions
- Thankful Turkey Printable Placemats To Color
- Best Thankful Trees for Thanksgiving
- Thankful Turkey Printable Coloring Page
- DIY Gratitude Mobile
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