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Thanksgiving Activities for Preschoolers
It’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving activities for preschoolers. Whether you want turkey crafts or sensory bins we’ve got a whole ton of ideas for you and your kiddos here today!
We’ve even got some gross motor activities to help them get their wriggles out and some yummy Thanksgiving treats that are perfect for snack time.
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Thanksgiving Preschool Craft
Crafts are a great way to develop fine motor skills and creativity and at the end of the session your child will have created something they can show to daddy or their grandparents.
In fact I may have gone a little overboard on crafts this week because Thanksgiving is a great time for crafts to be given as gifts, and for crafts to be used in decorating the home and dinner table.
These are some of my favourite preschool Thanksgiving crafts that you might want to try. And of course with a little support these crafts work just as well with toddlers and even babies too!
T is for Turkey Craft Chocolate Bar Wrapper
Hereβs a turkey craft with a difference, heβs a chocolate bar wrapper! (via The Educators’ Spin On It)
Turkey Activities for Toddlers Paper Plate Craft
Oh my, is this our first paper plate craft for the week? (via I Heart Crafty Things)
Thanksgiving Crafts for Infants Turkey Handprints
Iβve been searching high and low for a Thanksgiving handprint craft and I finally found one. This will make the perfect gift for Grandma. (via The Chirping Moms)
Washi Tape Turkey Craft
Do you love your children enough to let them play with your washi tape? (via I Heart Crafty Things?)
Thanksgiving Wreath Activity for Preschoolers Handprints
Hereβs a wonderful way to use those handprints to make a wreath. (via Artsy Momma)
Thanksgiving Preschool Craft Pinecone Turkeys
This turkeys are super cute and you can get in some extra fine motor practice having your little on pole those feathers into the pinecone! (via A Pumpkin and a Princess)
Thanksgiving Crafts for Toddlers Table Runner
Here’s a practical craft that your kiddos will be proud to show off to guests at Thanksgiving dinner. (via B-Inspired Mama)
Turkey Windsocks for Preschoolers to Make
These windsocks are adorable! And the perfect way to recycle some empty tin cans! (via Happiness is Homemade)
Thankful Activities for Preschoolers Handprint Tree
What a brilliant idea to use handprints from all the family to create your very own thankful tree! (via Our Goodwin Journey)
Preschool Thanksgiving Crafts Turkey Puppetss
Aww here’s some more cute turkeys this time using old cereal boxes! This is one you’ll want to prep ahead of time, and you might want to use one of these to make perfect circles without fiddling about with scissors! (via My Plum Pudding.)
Thanksgiving Books
Studies show that a child who reads for enjoyment every day develops a broad vocabulary and general knowledge and should do better at school than those who don’t.
Here are some Thanksgiving themed books for you to read together:
- Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon
- What is Thanksgiving? by Michelle Medlock Adams
- The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing
- Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
- T is for Turkey: A True Thanksgiving Story
- 10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnstone
- The First Thanksgiving by Kathryn Lynn Davis
- The Story of the Pilgrims by Katherine Ross
- I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson
- One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B.G. Hennessey
Thanksgiving Activities – Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are an important part of your tot’s development, because without them they won’t be able to write, grasp small objects or fasten zips on their clothing.
Here are some wonderful Thanksgiving activities to help develop those fine motor skills through play:
- Five Little Turkeys Craft – These little paper cake case turkeys are a great way to practice fine motor skills with all that glueing and sticking.
- Leaf Lanterns – Now here’s a little something completely different. How amazing would these look all lit up in the window for Thanksgiving?
- Cranberry Fine Motor Games – Who knew you could have so much fun and fine motor practice with a bag of cranberries!
- Paper Punch Color Match Turkey – How about some colour matching practice which you can do against the window for a change of scenery.
Thanksgiving Activities – Gross Motor Skills
We must not forget about helping develop the larger muscles needed for gross motor skills and encouraging climbing, running, crawling and jumping.
Here are a couple of wonderful Thanksgiving gross motor activities to get your little one up and moving:
- Turkey Scramble – Think musical chairs, but with turkey feet!
- Turkey Feather Hunt – Oh wow I love this idea and cannot wait to play it with the kiddos. Hide and seek but with turkey feathers.
Thanksgiving printables
To help develop numeracy and literacy skills you can use one of the many free printable packs that are shared by other mums.
Here are some fabulous Thanksgiving printables:
- Lady who Swallowed a Fly Printable
- Thanksgiving Preschool FREE Printables
- Thanksgiving Preschool Pack
- 25 FREE Preschool Thanksgiving Printables
Thanksgiving Sensory Bins
Sensory tubs are a brilliant way to encourage learning through invitation to play. Little ones can explore their senses as well as practicing pouring and measuring, counting and patterning.
There is also an opportunity for small world play too as they explore and comprehend the world around them.
Here are some brilliant ideas for Thanksgiving sensory bins and small world play:
- Thanksgiving Sensory Bin – I love that this sensory bin contains items that can be turned into an imaginary Thanksgiving dinner.
- Thanksgiving Sensory Bin Activity – Brown and orange are good colours to learn about this week, and feathers and nuts are great for texture. I love that this bin includes a cornucopia and a pilgrim couple.
- A Sensory Bin to Sit In – I love that this sensory bin idea uses an underbid storage box so it’s big enough to sit in to enjoy the experience!
- Another Thanksgiving Sensory Tub – oh I love that this one includes confetti!
- Scented sensory bin – Sensory bins often focus on sight and touch, but don’t forget about smell!
Thanksgiving Treats
All this learning through play is enough to make anyone hungry, so why not fix one of these tasty Thanksgiving themed snacks to enjoy together:
- A Turkey Snack – When is an apple not an apple? When it’s a turkey of course!
- No Bake Thanksgiving Cookies – Here’s a great idea for a Thanksgiving snack that your little one can make as well as eat.
- Turkey Rice Krispie Treats – These turkey rice krispie treats are almost too cute to eat!
- Gratitude Turkey Treat Jar – Here’s a snack that’s also a craft to teach your little one about gratitude.
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