Current Outcomes:
How the Playing with Gratitude Project has Influenced Staff
The most significant points of change for staff thus far:
- A more connected attitude and confidence to the purpose of their workplace.
- A strong shift towards innovative thinking while part of the project.
- An increased sense of value at work and a positive shift in terms of being a valued and supported team member.
- An improved collective communication across teams and organisational levels; this became particularly important during difficult times in the workplace. Participants reported the expression of gratitude actually supported and held them in safety as a group during these difficult times.
- An inspired sense freedom to truly flourish in all aspects of their work as they felt listened to and heard.
- The experience of whole team cohesion with a common focus. This was noted to have had a remarkable impact on building stronger relationships with all stakeholders.
- The language and practice of gratitude in staff’s wider lives also resulted in many relationships flourishing, including personal and professional.
How the Playing with Gratitude Project has Influenced Children
The most significant points of change observed in children thus far:
- Increased number of spontaneous, child-led connections with peers during play. For example, an observable increase in explicit reciprocity during sharing of ideas and objects and an increase in inclusive behaviours across all ages.
- Increased number of spontaneous reciprocated thankfulness among peers influencing how children related to peers, teachers and families.
- Children’s friendships strengthened and widened with peers and teacher’s due to the connectedness fostered by gratitude. This was observed in how children cared for each other during play and how they responded to children in need.
- A heightened level of awareness of the value of people and things. For example, children spoke about how grateful they are for their mums, dads, cuddles, kisses, animals, toys and love and why these things mattered to them.
- Children were observed verbally and physically responding to gratitude elements, such as physical touch, acts of kindness, throughout the day and demonstrating why and how these matter to them.
How the Playing with Gratitude Project has Influenced Families
The most significant points of change for families thus far:
- The study revealed that thankfulness in family units has decreased over time. The influence of the gratitude project, however, saw a renewed appreciation and value of this concept as children brought gratitude to the forefront once again.
- It was also noted by parents that expressing gratitude has become a lost art in adult to adult relationships and that participating in the project reminded families that this was an important value to restore within their family life.
- Parents recorded surprise at their child’s capacity to reflect upon gratitude and then to influence and inspire them to reconnect with a spirit of gratefulness.
- The project has helped parents see the capacity of their children.
- Throughout the project, various gratitude habits were formed within the home to establish appreciation and thankfulness. For example, children are asking parents to spend time being grateful together before sleep.
- Families recorded a deepening of the warm relationships within their family unit and the pride in their children for bringing families back together again by inviting gratitude back into the home.
- Parents noted the changes in their children’s behaviour as a result of the project; it was observed that children exhibited a higher value in their toys, home life and family members.
- Parents noted surprise as their children created stronger more purpose-filled connections through play and the connection this seemed to have had to the work of gratitude in their child’s life.