30 Gratitude Prompts For Your Teenager

Sometimes we all need a little help seeing what’s right in front of us.

When my children were young, I would find creative ways to help teach them about gratitude. For several years, we brought in a small branch from the backyard, cut out some leaves from construction paper, and made ourselves a Thankful tree. We would each write something we were thankful for on a bright orange or yellow leaf, and then tape it to the tree. Another time, I printed out gratitude journals, and every night after dinner, we spent 5 minutes adding to our list of things we were thankful for.

Now that our kids are almost grown, we no longer make a Thankful tree, and the journals are packed away in a box somewhere with their handprint art and various school projects. Yet, the habit we began of intentional gratitude has never been more important than during the teen years.

The Benefits of Teaching Teens to be Thankful

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), multiple studies show that gratitude improves mood, increases social connection, reduces suicide risk, and improves sleep. Sometimes all we really need is a mindset shift!

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul reminds believers to, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Paul, of all people, knew this wasn’t easy—he himself experienced great hardship. And yet, whether shipwrecked or in chains, we see again and again that Paul continually found things to be thankful for. We may not be thankful for our circumstances, but we can look for where God is working and be thankful for how He provides.

Gratitude helps us look at our current circumstances and find something good, which has the power to change our perspective moving forward completely.

But learning to see the world through thankful eyes takes time and effort. Teenagers, by nature, tend to be driven by emotions. Their worlds are small and largely centered around themselves. In the moment, everything feels monumental to them, and they lack the maturity to take a step back and gain perspective.

This is why intentional gratitude is so important and why they need our help to cultivate it further.

Giving God the Credit

Not only that, but by teaching them to look for the good, we are actually teaching them to see God’s hand at work all around them. This practice of intentional gratitude helps shape their faith by reminding them that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows…” (James 1:17).

We must help them connect those dots as they discover things for which they are grateful. These are not simply random occurrences in their life; they have a loving Father who delights in giving good gifts to His children. Life is not always easy, but God is always good. He is present with us in our struggles and will provide everything we need.

Here are 30 gratitude prompts for your teenager. There are multiple ways to utilize these prompts. If your teen enjoys journaling, you can print out the list and encourage them to write about one prompt each day. If they are an artist, have them draw their response.

Perhaps you want to set aside a few minutes every day for each family member to share about that day’s prompt. This would be perfect to do around the dinner table!

You can talk through them on a long car ride or even text your teen a different prompt every day for a month. Maybe they want to create a group chat with a few friends and share their answers.

Be creative! You know your teen and what they are most likely to respond to. Sure, they will probably think it’s cheesy at first, but stick with it—they might even end up enjoying it!

30 Gratitude Prompts For Your Teenager

1. An activity that brings you joy.

2. Someone or something that made you smile this week.

3. An animal or pet you care about.

4. 3 everyday objects you are grateful for and why.

5. Something you love about your parent(s).

6. A talent or ability God gave you that you sometimes take for granted.

7. Something you like about your home.

8. A teacher or coach who has impacted your life.

9. A situation that was challenging at the time, but God used it to grow you.

10. Something you enjoy about school.

11. A possession that makes your life easier.

12. An adult whom you look up to.

13. A place that is meaningful to you.

14. A Bible verse that brings you hope.

15. A book or movie that has impacted you.

16. Something you appreciate about your health or body.

17. A life lesson you are grateful for.

18. Something you’re grateful to have today that you didn’t have a year ago.

19. A friend (or friends) you are grateful for and why.

20. Something about your family you are thankful for.

21. Something you look forward to every week.

22. A luxury you have that others around the world might not have.

23. Something in nature you appreciate or enjoy.

24. Something that makes your life meaningful right now.

25. A favorite memory you cherish.

26. Someone who makes you feel loved.

27. Something you love about where you live.

28. A family tradition that is special to you.

29. Something money can’t buy that you’re grateful for.

30. A freedom you are grateful for.

“Gratitude to God is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy”. — Mother Teresa