Fun Games for Families: Here's a Playful Game to Inspire Gratitude in Kids by Jocelyn Greene

There’s a classic improv game that’s been circulating in Child’s Play NY classrooms that I absolutely love. It’s called “I Have a Gift for You!” and it helps get the gratitude and the risk-taking sillies (as I sometimes call them) flowing at the same time. It is also totally on theme with the gift-giving season already upon us. 

Here’s one way it could go:

1. You (holding out your hands): I have a gift for you!
2. Your kid: Thank you! I’ve always wanted a [insert anything here, the wilder and more descriptive the better].
3. You: You’re welcome! 

This gets repeated around a circle or just played back at forth for as long as you like! Endow the gift with the exact physical qualities it has (heavy, sticky, perfumed) and really believe it. A human-sized ice cream cone, a magical stick of gum or an un-housebroken puppy are each funny – and different – to hand off!

Alternate ways to play:

1. The gift-giver says what they are giving, and the receiver adds on with “Thank you! I’ve always wanted a ______, now I can...” (do my hair so fancy, feed the pigeons, speak to my ancestors, etc.).
2. Propose one gift and take turns adding on special features, ways it makes you feel, alternate gadgets it comes with, product warnings, etc.

Commit to a big emotional reaction when given the product (joy, fear, disgust, etc.) while still expressing gratitude and building on.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community. Inspire ... and be inspired.