The Gratitude Experiments
Three simple projects that turn thankfulness into something you can wear, share, and pass along
Welcome, Prelove Scientists!
This month, we’re mixing creativity with kindness to explore one of our favorite topics: gratitude. These three easy experiments help kids express what they’re thankful for, while giving old pieces a brand-new purpose. Because when gratitude gets creative, confidence grows, and clothes get another chance to shine.
Spoiler alert:
Spoiler: being grateful makes the clothes feel great.
The Gratitude tee
Wear your heart (and thanks) on your sleeve.
Ingredients:
- A preloved T-shirt
- Fabric markers or a pen
- Cardboard insert (to prevent bleed-through)
- Optional: iron-on patches
Method:
Slide cardboard inside the tee to keep the surface flat.
Invite your child to decorate the shirt with drawings or words about what they’re thankful for—people, pets, pizza, you name it.
Add patches or fabric cutouts for texture.
Save in a binder or scrapbook as a “style through the years” album.
Parent Lab Report:
“My daughter drew her whole family on her old camp shirt. Now she wears it to bed every night—she calls it her ‘happy dreams tee.”
— Jennifer, Parent Scientist
The gratitude jar
A simple ritual that grows good feelings all season long.
Ingredients:
Empty jar, can, or recycled container
Small slips of paper
Markers or crayons
Stickers, ribbon, or fabric scraps for decoration
Method:
- Have your child decorate the jar with drawings or words that make them smile.
- Cut paper into small notes and invite them to write (or draw) one thing they’re thankful for each day.
- Drop each note in the jar—by the end of the month, they’ll have a whole collection of happy memories.
Revisit on New Year’s Eve for a family gratitude read-through.
Parent Lab Report:
“We open our Gratitude Jar every January 1st. My son’s favorite note said, ‘I’m thankful for pancakes and hugs.’ Same, kid.”
— Tom, Parent Scientist
Kindness patches
A creative twist on mending that celebrates what’s already loved.
Ingredients:
- Old jeans, jackets, or backpacks
- Fabric scraps or felt
- Needle and thread (or fabric glue)
- Scissors & imagination
Method:
- Cut fabric into shapes that symbolize something your child is thankful for—a heart for family, a star for a friend, a smiley for fun times.
- Sew or glue onto worn spots or blank areas.
Each patch becomes a tiny reminder of something good.
Parent Lab Report:
“We covered my son’s backpack tear with a heart patch. He said it feels like his kindness badge.”
— Patrick, Parent Scientist
Reminder!
Gratitude grows when it’s shared. Once your child has created their tees, jars, or patches, send their outgrown pieces into Prelove You to give them a second story—while their creations remind them that what they have (and who they are) is already enough. Share your projects @preloveyoukids and you might see your little Lab Scientist featured in our Stories!
