How To Celebrate Gratitude And Kindness At School During The Fall Holidays

10/8/2025

Isn’t it crazy how quickly things change as summer ends and fall begins? Just a few weeks ago, I was worrying about watering the garden, and now the sprinklers are packed away and the rain has happily taken over. Our summer garden gave us an incredible harvest of fruits and vegetables, and now comes the season of preserving, storing, and enjoying those blessings into the fall and winter months.

holiday activities and focus for the fall season

I enjoy this time of year at school because it's full of opportunities to weave in themes of gratitude, kindness, and sharing. In Canada, Thanksgiving comes early in October, making it the perfect springboard for lessons on thankfulness and generosity. From there, November provides us with time to reflect on veterans and the sacrifices they made for freedom, followed by American Thanksgiving later in the month, and then the anticipation of December celebrations.

Shifting My Planning

When I first started teaching, I used to plan for each holiday in isolation; one unit for Thanksgiving, another for Remembrance Day, and so on. Over time, though, I realized that looking at the season as a whole helped everything flow together. The holidays each had their special spotlight, but the larger themes of harvest, change, gratitude, remembrance, and kindness tied it all together.

I still remember the first time I tried this approach. Instead of separating my “pumpkin math” from my “gratitude writing,” I blended them into one theme that ran through the month. The kids were more engaged, and I felt less like I was racing from one unit to the next. Looking back, I can see how much more meaningful those activities were for my students.

Activities That Work Well In the Fall

This is the time of year when I love to pull in hands-on activities that connect to what’s happening outside the classroom. Here are a few simple, but powerful ways to help kids see the season as something to celebrate and learn from:

Gratitude Journals: Each student has a little space to jot or draw something they’re thankful for. I'm always amazed at how often kids notice the small things, like a friend sharing crayons or a sunny morning walk.
Kindness Chains: Kids write down acts of kindness on paper strips and link them together. They get so excited when the chain stretches across the room, and they can't wait to see how long it will grow by December. This makes a great decoration for the classroom at Christmas time.
Harvest Math: Pumpkins, turkeys, or even fall pictures become tools for sorting, graphing, or story problems. It never fails. Math is instantly more fun with a seasonal twist.
Acts of Service: Simple projects like making cards for veterans, collecting food for the food bank, or surprising the office staff with thank-you notes gives kids a sense that kindness goes beyond the classroom.
Nature Walk: A quick walk outside turns into a scavenger hunt for signs of fall, such as changing leaves, acorns, and birds preparing for winter. Back in the classroom, turn those discoveries into poems, art, or descriptive writing.

If you want to find some low prep ready made resources, check out the categories in my store. Here are a few that have been favorites for my students:

Turkey Glyphs
Data Collection And Analysis: Pumpkin Glyphs
Themed Place Value

Parts of Speech Activities Silly Sentences Holidays And Seasons Bundle
Parts of Speech Activities Silly Sentences Holidays And Seasons French Bundle
My Fall Gratitude Journal

Give Thanks Math And Language Activities
Remembrance Day/Veterans Day Activities

Remembering What Matters

As much as pumpkins and turkeys add fun, this season always brings me back to the deeper themes of gratitude, kindness, and remembrance. With all the unrest in the world, it’s important to acknowledge that many families are still affected by conflict today. Some students have parents in the military, while others have come from areas of war. Keeping that sensitivity in mind while focusing on gratitude and peace makes these lessons even more meaningful.

This season reminds me to slow down, notice the little things, and encourage students to do the same. And really, that’s what gratitude and kindness are all about.