Our church did this really cool activity with the kids one season for Lent, where each child put a certain number of pennies (or nickles, for us Canadians after the penny was discontinued) into a little cardboard box each day. At the end of the 40 days, on Easter, they donated the money to charity.
The really cool thing is that, for this activity, each day the kids were given something to count in their homes or their lives: put in one coin for each lightbulb that you have in your house, or one coin for each meal that you ate today.
You can make your own Lenten gratefulness jar by getting an empty mason jar and printing out our list of things to count for each of the 40 days leading up to Easter. Put a coin into your jar for each thing that you have in your home or your life, on the appropriate day.
(You can also easily adapt this, change up the criteria, and make it your own.)
How to Make a Lenten Thankfulness Jar
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Every day, put in 1 coin for…
(Ash Wednesday) Day 1 – each lightbulb in your house (or apartment)
Day 2 – each room in your house
Day 3 – each vehicle that your family owns
Day 4 – each bed in your house
Day 5 – Pray today, thanking God that you have a warm and safe place to live, and that you are able to travel freely. Pray for those for whom this isn’t the case. Day 6 – each member of your household
Day 7 – each sport or extracurricular you’re involved in
Day 8 – each family vacation you went on in the last year
Day 9 – each friend who you can count on like family
Day 10 – each game (board game or video game) in your house
Day 11 – each brother, sister, and cousin that you have
Day 12 – Pray today, thanking for for time spent with your family. Pray for those who have lost family members, for family members who live far away, and for those who don’t have time to spend with loved ones. Day 13 – each bottle of vitamins in your house
Day 14 – each box of band aids in your house
Day 15 – each doctor or dentist visit you’re had in recent memory
Day 16 – each thermometer in your house
Day 17 – each prescription medication in your house
Day 18 – each vegetable or piece of fruit in your fridge
Day 19 – Pray today, thanking God for your health. Pray for those that are sick. Day 20 – each pair of shoes that you own
Day 21 – each hat that you own
Day 22 – each pair of pants that you own
Day 23 – each coat or jacket that you own
Day 24 – each shirt that you own
Day 25 – each sweater that you own
Day 26 – Pray today, thanking God that you are well clothed and protected from the elements. Pray for those who don’t have enough clothes to keep them dry and warm. Day 27 – each book that you own
Day 28 – each stuffed animal that you own
Day 29 – each puzzle (or puzzle book) in your house
Day 30 – each hobby that you have
Day 31 – each picture that you coloured or craft you made this week
Day 32 – each television and computer (including tablets) in your house
Day 33 – Pray today, thanking God that you are well fed and have plenty of entertainment. Pray for those who would be grateful for just one of these things on this week’s list. Day 34- each birthday party you’ve been to this year
Day 35 – each friend that you have
Day 36- each person you can call when you need help
Day 37 – each game that you play today
Day 38 – each friend you played with this week
Day 39 – each time you’ve eaten together with family and/or friends
Day 40 – Pray today, thanking God for the community that you are a part of. Pray for those who are lonely and for those who don’t have people to rely on. Day 41 – each prayer you say today
Day 42 – each story about Jesus that you know
Day 43 – each time you’ve been to church this month
Day 44 – each cross in your home
Day 45 – each Bible in your house
Day 46 – each friend you’ve made at church
Day 47 – Pray today, thanking God for Jesus, for his death and resurrection, and for the fact that we are now adopted in God’s family. Pray also for the church family that loves you.