Kids will tell it to you straight.

When asked what they are thankful for, kids won’t pull their answers from a duffel bag full of generic responses. They get specific. Below is a list of real examples from actual  kiddos of what they are thankful for this year.

One common theme:  family.

Enjoy.

Hana, age 6: “I’m thankful for everything. For my great days. For going to school and seeing my friends. Learning the world. I’m thankful for you helping me!” (Said to her mo)

Kamden, age 4: “I’m thankful for my sister, apple juice, apple cider, Paul Menard (NASCAR driver), mommy, daddy, grandma, grandpa.”

Lucy, almost 5: “I’m thankful for you and daddy and all my family!” (Said to her mom)

Violeta, age 16 months: “Water water water! (*she blows a harmonica*)

Sloane, age 6: “I’m thankful for my family, my friends, my pet dog, my house, and food.

Adhrit, age 4: “I am thankful that I can talk to my family (extended) using Skype and FaceTime.”

Sophia, age 5: “My whole family, dolphins, pandas & snow.”

Stella, age 8: “My family and my cats!”

Sadie Pepper, age 4:  She is thankful for her rocking pony lovingly named Blumpis. (Says her mom) I will admit after that answer I asked her if she had anything else to be thankful for…I was fishing for a “thank you for all you do mom” but instead I got—” yeah and all my jellycats.”

Ellis, age 3: “Mommy, apples, and pears.”

Freya, age 2:  (With a little grin, she said, to her mama:) “Mama.”

Quinn, age 2: “Strawberries.”

Evelyn, age 3 “I’m thankful for my mommy and daddy.”

Bodhi, age 3, “I’m grateful for trumpets! I’m grateful for ‘Oliver’s’. (Mommy asked, What are ‘Oliver’s?’ Bodhi said he didn’t know.) I’m grateful for numbers. I’m grateful that I am eating. I’m grateful for playing horns! I’m grateful for Water! I’m grateful for cups! And for pouring down the faucet!”

Adel, age 4: “I’m thankful that I am able to create art with my paints.”

Kaplan, age 3.5: Thankful “to wear a thing on my hat, and my tummy, and my back so I can be a dinosaur.” (he’s referring to his hoodie that has dinosaurs on it, and a ridge on the hood like dinosaur scales.)  “blocks, Rita and Kaian. Toy Stories, magnet tiles and stickers. I’m thankful for that stuff.” And then later, he added, “I am thankful for bad guys.”  (Says his mom:  “So Zen.”)

Makoa, age 7: “Family.”

Tasiana, age 3:  “Mom and dad and a sparkly leaf.”

Beckett’s, age 5:  (Says his mom) His kindergarten class made turkeys out of paper plates and had to list four things they were thankful for on the feathers. His list: candy, toys, stuffed animals, TV.  Hmmm….

Leah, age 8: “I’m thankful for my family and friends. My cozy bed so I don’t have to sleep on the floor.”

Harry, age 6: “I’m thankful for my family and my bike.”

Annika, age 7: “I am thankful for my friends, family, a nice house and a good school.”

Sloane, age 6: “I’m thankful for my family, my friends, my pet dog, my house, and food.”

Ethan, age 2: “FIRE TRUCK!!!”

My dear friend, Norah, is a teacher. She asked her entire class what they were thankful for, and here is what she came up with (followed by their first initial and age):

Air because it keeps us alive. L, age 6
Rainbows because they have lots of color.  S, age 5
My mommy who takes care of me when I’m sick and my daddy who is really smart. A, age 5
My pet cats because I feel lonely without them and I’ve known them all my life. B, age 8
Sunshine because it makes me smile and makes things grow. A, age 6
All the mommies who care for their children. A, age 7
Animals because they’re so cute. P, age 6
The sight of my mom and dad. E, age 6
The maple tree in my backyard and my pet fish because he makes me comfortable. N, age 5
The smell of soup in the kitchen, the earth because we don’t have to wear spacesuits to walk on it.  C, age 7
The smell of lavender in my garden. A, age 7
Animals because it they give us their bodies to eat. T, 7
My doll who’s named Kristen because she is so special to me, moms and Dads because if we didn’t have them we wouldn’t be alive. A, age 7
My dog just because I love her. F, age 4
The world because I like living on it. J, age 5
The sight of my brothers. A, age 5
All the colors because they help us paint and draw. P, age 6
My family because I really like them. J, age 5
Flowers that are pink and purple and even green. T, age 5
The smell of my grandma’s chicken soup, the sun because it makes things grow, the touch of my mom. C, age 7
Slimy slugs that make food for other animals, the sound of a song. A, age 6
Baba Yagas house because I love to imagine it spinning around on chicken feet. J, age 5
My blanket that keeps me warm. L, age 6
All the toys. S, age 5
Water because it helps us survive. A, age 8

Opal, 4: “Elvis (the dog, not the king of rock and roll), rainbows, leaves (at first, I thought she said ‘cheese’), trees,  nature.  And popsicles, because they’re juicy!”

Sabine, 4, “Everything. And Dora and Diego. I’m a hundred thankful for my bunny. And a million thankful to get a baby sister!”

Jules, 4: “Play, the ability to be a boy one day and any animal another day, rock-out parties, dance-night Friday night, story time, books, puzzles, animals.”

Zane, 4, “That I love you.” (Said to his mom.)

Happy Thanksgiving.

(Photos were all taken by David Laferriere. To read more about this incredible, graphic designer dad who drew pictures on his kid’s sandwich bags almost every day since 2008, click here and here. I am thankful for crazy-delightful people like him.)

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Editor: Bryonie Wise