I'm Thankful

"I'm Thankful!" is a comedic and insightful play exploring the theme of gratitude across different life stages. Through three scenes, it humorously portrays how people—whether toddlers, children, or adults—often take things for granted.

1. Scene One: A family breakfast turns chaotic as toddlers Jeffy and Maggie throw tantrums, demand more, and refuse to share. Their father, Bob, tries to explain thankfulness logically but gets frustrated, while their mother, June, coddles them in baby talk.
2. Scene Two: A group of six-year-olds play with toys but quickly become envious of each other's possessions. Gus, the grumpy child, complains about the quality of modern toys, showing how dissatisfaction starts young.
3. Scene Three: Two businessmen, Fred and George, continue the pattern, proving that ingratitude doesn’t stop in childhood—it just changes form.

The play cleverly illustrates how thankfulness (or the lack of it) carries through all stages of life, challenging the audience to reflect on their own attitudes.

3 scene drama

Cast: 11 m or f

• Scene One:
  • Bob, the father, dressed to show he’s older.
  • June, the mother, in a dress, with an apron, talks baby talk.
  • Maggie and Jeffy are dressed to appear as toddlers.
• Scene Two:
  • Cindy, is a very perky, upbeat 6 year old, playing with Barbies.
  • David, is a very playful 6 year old, playing with trucks.
  • Andrew, is a very playful 6 year old, playing with airplane.
  • Gus, is a very grumpy, sullen 6 year old, pencil in his pocket.
    • (All above actors dressed as 6 year old children)
  • Mrs. Clark, dressed like a teacher.
• Scene Three:
  • Fred, a business man, in a suit.
  • George, a business man, in a suit.

Bible Reference: 1Thesalonians 5:18

Set: bare

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX: none

Props: see Special Instructions

Costumes: standard

Special Instructions:

• Scene 1:
• Older children or adults playing the toddlers, over-dress the children with big diapers, big toys, big baby bottles, big soothers, anything to make the children look smaller and younger.
• Children talk baby talk
• Note: additional actors playing additional children act and react to what other children say

Time: 35

Sample of script:

Scene One
(Scene opens as lights come up on Bob, June, Jeffy, and Maggie at center stage. Children should be seated at a table, and Bob and June standing on either side of children.)

June, gushy: Good morning my baby-waabies! And how is Mommy-wummies baby-waabies this beautiful morning, huh, how are my precious littles?

Bob, incredulous: Is that you, June? My wife? Graduated with great distinction from Harvard? Baby-waabies?

June: Just love my babies soooooo much, don’t I honeys, huh, oh sure Mommy-wummy sure do love her baby-waabies!

Jeffy: Jeffy hungry! Jeffy want juice.

Maggie: Mummy not get juice for Jeffy. Mommy get crackers for Maggie. Mommy love Maggie. Mommy not love Jeffy.

Jeffy: Mommy do so love Jeffy! Mommy love Jeffy much more than Mommy love Maggie!

Maggie: Does not!

Jeffy: Does too!

Maggie: Does not!

Jeffy: Does too!

Maggie: Does not!

Jeffy: Does too!

Maggie: Does not!

Jeffy: Does too!

June, hands juice to Jeffy and crackers to Maggie: There we go children, isn’t that nice, just Mommy-wummy and Daddy-waddy along with our sweet, gorgeous baby-waabies!

Bob: Daddy-waddy? I don’t think so!

June, trying to talk without babies understanding: Not-ay in front of babies-ay!

Jeffy: Jeffy don’t like this juice!

(Jeffy throws juice on floor.)

Maggie: See what Jeffy did, throw juice on floor! Bad Jeffy! Maggie good baby, not throw things on floor. Maggie throw things on Jeffy!

(Maggie throws her crackers at Jeffy.)

Maggie, laughing: Maggie very funny baby, very sweet and cute. Jeffy not funny baby, not sweet, not cute! Jeffy looks silly, crackers all over Jeffy! Jeffy dumb baby!

Jeffy: Amnot!

Maggie: Are too!

Jeffy: Amnot!

Maggie: Are too!

Jeffy: Amnot!

Maggie: Are too!

Bob: Are you simply going to stand by and allow this . . .this . .

June: Oh, Bob! They are babies, simply expressing themselves in the only way they know how.

Jeffy: Jeffy want to ‘spress by push Maggie over. (claps hands) Push Maggie is fun for Jeffy!

Maggie: Maggie ‘spress by bite hole in Jeffy soother.

Jeffy, crying: Waaaaahhhhh! Maggie bite hole in Jeffy favorite soother! Maggie make Jeffy unhappy, Jeffy cry! Waaaaahhhhh! Bad, mean Maggie! Don’t like Maggie, she mean baby!

Maggie: Not mean!

Jeffy: Are too!

Maggie: Amnot!

Jeffy: Are too!

Maggie: Amnot!

Jeffy: Are too!

Maggie: Amnot!

June: Oh, poor babies, Mummy’s babies need to go beddy-byes, need to get lots of nice rest.

Maggie: Maggie want Jeffy bed, it bigger than Maggie bed! Not fair! Waaaaahhhhh!

Jeffy: Maggie cry baby!

Bob: June, I am telling you that I simply cannot take this anymore! No more! These children are impossible!

Jeffy: Me want my crackers!

Maggie: Me want my juice!

June: Now, now my baby-wabey, just wait a minute for Mommy-wummy.

Bob: Ungrateful! These children are totally ungrateful!

June: They have needs, Bob.

Bob: Needs? June, you have to understand that there are basic needs and then there are wants.

Jeffy, crying: Jeffy want crackers!

Maggie, crying: Maggie want juice!

Bob, very adult attitude: Perhaps if I explain. Now, then children, what you have to appreciate and understand is the cognitive difference between needs and wants.

(Children pause, look at Bob in total disbelief, then react as spoiled children, cry.)

Jeffy: Then Jeffy need crackers! Waaaaahhhhh!

Maggie: And Maggie need juice! Waaaaahhhhh!

June: Oh, Bob! Aren’t they just so smart! Really, I think they take after my side of the family, don’t you think, Bob?

Bob: Your side of the family? Are you serious? Oh, wait a minute, it was your great aunt Gertrude that used to run around the neighborhood with that bright pink lamp shade on her head, yelling ‘the sky is falling, the sky is falling!’. Yes, come to think of it, perhaps the children do get their better judgment from your side. Yah, right, as if! (Laughs to himself.)