Use songs, crafts, and poems to engage children's senses as they learn about Thanksgiving Day. Make a Thanksgiving Tree to help children remember what matters.

Use the following poems, songs, and crafts to help children experience more fully the story of Thanksgiving.

Poetry

Read the following verse by Ivy O. Eastwick. Ask the children what they are thankful for. Write your own verses for the poem starting “Thank you for all my” fill in the verse with a sense and a list of items that you are thankful for that relate to that sense. Have children read out loud the verses that they created.

Thank You

for all my hands can hold-

apples red,

and melons gold,

yellow corn

both ripe and sweet,

peas and beans

so good to eat!

For the rest of the verses, read the poem Thanksgiving.

Poetry Fingerplay

Teach your children the following fingerplay and engage in some silliness.

A turkey is a funny bird (action A),

His head goes wobble, wobble (action B),

And he knows just one word (action C),

Gobble, gobble, gobble (action D).

Actions:

a) hook thumbs together and spreading fingers apart to make a turkey tail

b) shake hands from sided to side

c) hold up one finger

d) nod head and gobble like a turkey

How to Make a Handprint Turkey

Supplies

• a variety of brightly colored acrylic paints
• construction paper
• markers
• a willing little hand

Instructions

1. Paint the fingers of the child’s hand different colors. Paint the palm another color. Make a handprint on a piece of paper. Allow the handprint to dry.
2. Use the handprint to design a turkey. Hint: If you are working with small children, you might want to do this part for them.
3. Let the children color and design the turkey’s farm.

How to Make a Thanksgiving Tree

Supplies

• leaves (these can be commercial silks, plastic leaves, or (if the children are big enough) have the children trace and cut out their own leaves).
• a branch for a tree
• a container and rocks to support the tree
• magazines
• paper
• scissors
• markers
• needle
• thread
• low-tack tape

Instructions

1. Fill the container with rocks. Remove leaves and unnecessary branches from the tree. Put branch in container. Make sure that the branch is securely anchored by the rocks.
2. Use the needle and thread to make individual hangers for the leaves.
3. Have children cut out or draw images of things for which they are thankful or have them write a list of things they are thankful for and cut out the words.
4. Use the tape to stick the thanksgiving items to the leaves. Hint: Any adhesive would work but if you use a low tack adhesive you can use the leaves again next year.
5. Hang the leaves on the tree.

Links

Teach Your Children to Give: Transitioning from Thankfulness to Giving