Pattern Replication Game and Showing Gratitude

During this episode, we’re going to play a game that will challenge us to listen and pay close attention! It’s all about repeating patterns. We’re also discussing gratitude as we prepare for Thanksgiving next week! Hello everyone!! I’m JJ and I’m just thrilled to bring you another episode of the Along for the Ride Podcast! It’s our mission to help families have fun and make memories while riding in the car! I believe that there is always an opportunity to have fun and that things are more enjoyable when we look up and play together!  Kids Car Game - Pattern Replication I’ve got a brand new game for us that’s going to test your memory. Let’s see just how well you can repeat a given pattern. I’m calling this game Repeat After Me. We will play a few different rounds where I’ll give you a pattern and you’ll repeat it back. It might be words. It might be sounds. It might be numbers. It might be claps or stomps! You’ll have to pay close attention so you can get it right.  Also, try to do it exactly as I do. If I clap softly, you clap softly.  Here’s an example. If I say, “Apple Pie. Pumpkin Bread. Bonfire. Fried Turkey. Gobble Gobble” then you would say, “Apple Pie. Pumpkin Bread. Bonfire. Fried Turkey. Gobble Gobble” Easy, right? You can tell that I’ve got Thanksgiving on my mind!  I think this was one of my favorite games! Thank you so much for playing along! You can play this game anywhere. The next time you’re out and about and need an activity to pass the time, play this game with your friends and take turns making up the patterns!  Talking about Gratitude with Kids This episode is airing the week before Thanksgiving. This is one of the most special times of the year! You’ve got a break from school coming, you’re making your Christmas lists, maybe your family is like mine and you’ve already got your Christmas decorations out! With all the excitement of December coming, I want to encourage you to not miss out on the joy and the meaning of Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is all about gratitude. Gratitude is being thankful for the things that you have - a place to live, food on the table, clothes to wear. How can you show gratitude to the people you love? What are some things you can do or say? Can you think of something right now? Say it out loud!  Gratitude also comes out in our attitude. When you think about what you are grateful for, it is an instant mood lifter! The next time you feel angry or sad, think about the things you are most grateful for. List them out in your mind or on a piece of paper. Just see what happens!  You can even make a game out of it! Try to see how many things you can say that you are grateful for! And by the way, we can show gratitude all year, not just on Thanksgiving!  Hey Parents, I found an interesting article on VeryWellMind.Com on how to teach gratitude to kids. It gives easy ideas on how we can show and teach gratitude to our kids!