Practicing gratitude as part of life rhythms can have a significant effect on our world view—growing evidence suggests gratitude reinforces thinking pathways, which supports a growth mindset and releases hormones such as oxytocin, helping to increase the positive feedback loop in the body. It can help us understand and prepare for change and support the development of resilience and healthy coping strategies for when things become difficult.

The more often we practice gratitude, the deeper the impact is on the child’s life. As educators, you might like to invite families to practice gratitude with you at drop-off or pick-up times, and encourage families to form their own gratitude habits at home as they prepare and move through the school transition. Practicing gratitude may be a small action but it can create an incredible outcome. 

Rod Soper's webinar  Playing with Gratitude examines the science of gratitude and how combining it with the powerful influence of co-play enables positive change in the wellbeing of children from birth up to the age of five.