1. Without the kids seeing, wrap up a few small items from around the house. Bags and tissue paper work well for this because you can reuse the same wrappings over and over.
2. Invite the kids to practice opening gifts with things they already have and saying thank you in a sincere manner.
3. Wrap up one of their favorite toys, and watch their reaction when it’s opened. Do the same thing with something that wouldn’t be *quite* as well-received, and note the difference in reactions.
This can be a great opportunity to talk to your kids about gratitude, gift-giving, thoughtfulness, and good manners in a safe and fun environment… all through the act of simple pretend play!
Emily loved going through the motions of gift-receiving!!! Here’s a very short video of her best, most gracious behavior — even in the most silly of circumstances.
** Special thanks to Faye Rogaski from SocialSklz.com for inspiring today’s post!
I added this post to:
A Mom with a Lesson Plan’s Blogiversary Link Up Party to add a “little playtime to our learning”. More playtime learning ideas here:
