“My mommy and daddy,” “chicken dino nuggets” and “my kitty cat” are some of the things today’s youngest children are most thankful for, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 parents of kids ages 0-6 asked parents to ask their child what he or she is most grateful for and record their unfiltered responses.
On the heartwarming side, many children said they were most thankful for their siblings and family, with one child adding “Spider-Man” to the list behind their parents.
On the quirkier side, some children highlighted more specific things such as “folding laundry,” “potato chips and M&Ms,” “wrestling” and even “Cheetos.”
One child came up with an exhaustive list, ranging from parents, extended family and a tablet, to their “dead fish” as well as “everything in the entire world, except mosquitos.”
Parents Instill Gratitude During Holidays & Beyond
Commissioned by Kiddie Academy and conducted by Talker Research, the survey explored how parents are working to instill gratitude and thankfulness in their children during the holiday season and beyond.
According to the results, almost all parents polled (95%) believe that it’s important their child is thankful for what they have.
And parents are ingraining this early. Those polled believe that children should start to learn to say “thank you” with an understanding of what it means at an average age of 2, yet a little more than a third (34%) started teaching their child by their first birthday.
Almost four in five (79%) have even found it to be easy to instill a sense of gratitude in their child and another 60% believe it’s even easier to do so during the holiday season.
Parents highlighted that many of their children have created cards or homemade gifts (53%), donated their toys or belongings to someone in need (50%) or have even helped a neighbor or family member with tasks such as carrying groceries or providing companionship (47%).
With this in mind, 92% of parents are proud of their child for the level of awareness they demonstrate and how they treat others around them.
“It is encouraging that almost every single parent polled (95%) acknowledges that that everyone, including themselves, need to be reminded to be thankful now and then,” said Ocie Watson-Thompson, Ph. D., Life Essentials Curriculum Advisory Council member for Kiddie Academy. “The holiday season is a perfect time for the family to become actively engaged in supporting the community through service to others, which is invaluable in fostering the development of gratitude and gratefulness.”
Today, most parents prioritize experiences, such as learning or traveling (73%) over physical things like games or toys.
This is a shift from when they were growing up, as 38% said their parents focused more on physical items than experiences.
Parents Model Gratitude by Paying It Forward
In order to model gratitude, parents “pay it forward” (62%), return the favor whenever possible (60%) or even send someone a thank you text (58%) or make a phone call (49%) when needed.
A little more than two in five of those polled (42%) even believe that the internet has made it easier for them to teach their child to be altruistic.
“Today’s parent realizes that we must be intentional in fostering emotional and social development of young children. We’re seeing a new generation of parents taking the reins, and they’re changing the game,” said Watson-Thompson. “Instilling a sense of gratitude or thankfulness (42%) ranked above values like patience (36%) and courage (29%), underscoring that altruism is important every single day of the year, even beyond the holidays.”
WHAT ARE TODAY’S KIDS MOST THANKFUL FOR?
- “You, and my tablet. And my dead fish. And one more thing my cousins, and my food, and my family, and everything in the entire world. Except mosquitoes”
- “Basketball”
- “Grandmom”
- “Dinosaurs”
- “I’m thankful for you and my daddy and Spider-Man”
- “Folding laundry”
- “My dog”
- “Potato chips and M&Ms”
- “My family and toys and my bubby sometimes (Bubby means brother)”
- “Princess tea cup”
- “Chicken Dino nuggets”
- “Wrestling”
- “Cheetos”
- “Turkeys, Aunt Rinny, Toys, Jesus, Squishmallows, Food”
- “I’m thankful for Elsa’s yellow hair”
- “Chicken nuggets and soccer balls”
- “My kitty cat, Boost”
- “My child says he is grateful to me because I feed him bananas every day”
Research methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 parents of kids ages 0-6 who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Kiddie Academy and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Oct. 22 and Oct. 28, 2025. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.
To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.