Pass the mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie but why not make the holiday a learning feast, too? Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for young children to discover the joy of holidays and family traditions. For kindergartners, themed activities offer a fun way to celebrate while supporting their growth and development. These activities not only make learning enjoyable but also help build essential skills. Let's explore some engaging and educational Thanksgiving Day (or pre-Thanksgiving) activities.
Getting creative: a recipe for smiles
In the run-up to the big day, as well as lulls between feast and football, Thanksgiving-themed activities can be both entertaining and educational for young learners (and also provide a break from overstimulation). Here are some great ideas to get started:
- Crafting: Encourage children to create Thanksgiving crafts like paper turkeys or leaf collages. Crafting boosts fine motor skills, creativity, and self-expression. Learn more about how crafting supports child development from Citizen Times.
- Storytelling: Share Thanksgiving stories that highlight themes of gratitude and togetherness. This introduces children to new vocabulary and fosters a love for reading. Find a few prompts from The Family Dinner Project.
- Simple Games: Organize games like "Pin the Feather on the Turkey" or a Thanksgiving-themed scavenger hunt. These activities promote teamwork and problem-solving skills. Check out 42 Best Thanksgiving Games to Play Before the Big Feast posted to The Pioneer Woman.
Incorporating these activities into your classroom or home can make Thanksgiving a memorable and educational experience for kindergartners.
Create a Thanksgiving-themed classroom
Kindergarten centers or learning centers help promote independent learning and can free up teacher time to give special attention to groups or individual students who need it. Transform your classroom with Thanksgiving-themed centers that combine fun and learning. Here's how you can set them up with a seasonal or holiday theme:
- Art Center: Provide materials like colored paper, crayons, and glue sticks. Encourage kids to create handprint turkeys or paper plate pilgrims, enhancing creativity and motor skills. Or see KinderArt’s Thanksgiving Archives for more ideas.
- Sensory Center: Fill bins with dried corn, leaves, and small pumpkins to help children explore textures and develop sensory skills. For more ideas, see 10 Easy Thanksgiving Sensory Bin Ideas for Toddlers, many of which can work well for slightly older kids.
- Reading Center: Stock this area with fall books for kindergartners including Thanksgiving stories. (See book list further down.) Create a cozy nook for storytime to encourage a love for reading and improve literacy.
These centers play a crucial role in enhancing both learning and play, making them an essential part of the classroom during the Thanksgiving season.
Learning through Thanksgiving and food
Food-related activities offer delicious ways to incorporate learning into Thanksgiving celebrations. Use everyday items to teach essential math skills through play. Here are some ideas:
- Counting Corn Kernels: Use corn kernels to teach counting. Kids can count kernels into small cups, learning numbers hands-on. (Really, counting anything, from napkins to slices of pie, is valuable.)
- Sorting Leaves: Have children sort leaves by color, teaching sorting skills and basic categorization.
- Addition and Subtraction with Snacks: Use snacks like pretzels to demonstrate simple math problems, making addition and subtraction tangible. (Older siblings can multiply and divide.)
These activities show the educational benefits of play-based learning. Discover more about its importance from the Institute of Education Sciences.
Fall books for kindergarten: Thanksgiving edition
Reading is a wonderful way to introduce children to Thanksgiving traditions. Here are some delightful books perfect for kindergarteners:
- The Thankful Book by Todd Parr: Helps children understand gratitude with simple text and colorful illustrations.
- Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland and Sonja Lamut: A heartwarming story about the importance of being thankful.
- Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano: A funny story about a turkey trying to avoid being the main course.
- The First Thanksgiving by Linda Hayward: Introduces young readers to the history of the first Thanksgiving.
- The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing, described as “a warm, whimsical celebration of everyone's favorite fun-filled, family-filled, food-filled holiday! “
These books can spark discussions about Thanksgiving traditions and values, while also providing a great opportunity for children to practice their reading skills.
Thanksgiving crafts and DIY projects
Crafting is a fantastic way for kindergarteners to express creativity while learning new skills. Here are some simple DIY crafts:
- Pine Cone Turkeys: Use pine cones, colorful feathers, and googly eyes to create turkey decorations.
- Thankful Tree: Have children write or draw things they are thankful for on paper leaves and attach them to a tree branch.
- Paper Plate Pilgrim Hats: Create pilgrim hats with a paper plate and black construction paper for storytime or celebrations.
- Handprint Turkeys: Use paint to create turkeys from handprints, resulting in a keepsake for parents.
For more crafting ideas, see KinderArt’s Thanksgiving Archives and Good Housekeeping’s “65 Best Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids of All Ages” Crafting enhances creativity and supports fine motor skills and cognitive development.
Digital learning and interactive games for Thanksgiving
In today's digital age, technology can enhance learning experiences, especially for young children. Digital learning apps and interactive games make learning fun and engaging.
- Interactive Thanksgiving Games: Educational platforms offer themed games that teach children about Thanksgiving traditions while enhancing cognitive skills. Here are some virtual games from Team Building. Created for work groups, many can be fun for the whole family—including members near and far.
- Digital Storytelling: Apps that allow children to create their own Thanksgiving stories boost creativity and language skills. Search: Thanksgiving story apps for kids.
- Anywhere Teacher Online Learning Platform: Provides access to a wide range of activities and games designed to make learning enjoyable and effective. Explore more about it here.
Using digital tools can make learning more accessible and engaging for kids who are used to this medium, and combining them with more conventional print materials makes for a dynamic, well-rounded experience.
Set the table for success
Engaging kindergarteners in Thanksgiving-themed activities promotes cognitive and social development, making learning fun and educational. By incorporating crafting, storytelling, and food-related exercises, children can enjoy the festive spirit while enhancing important skills.
Parents and educators are encouraged to further explore educational resources from School Zone. Our website offers a variety of learning kits and digital apps that can further enrich your child's learning experience. Visit the School Zone website and discover how you can make learning both fun and effective for your little ones. Additionally, explore our Kindergarten Full Learning Program for comprehensive educational support. Developed by teachers, kindergartners get a full year of learning—everything they need for first grade readiness in one place.
