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With all the excitement surrounding Thanksgiving, it’s all too easy to forget what the holiday is really about: giving thanks for what we have. This year, help the kids learn the story behind Thanksgiving and encourage them to reflect on what they’re grateful for, while having fun in the process! From books to story windows, let these ideas inspire you to give your kids an enjoyable learning experience this Thanksgiving!
A cute and simple project, this Thankful Jar lets your kids focus on gratitude and the spirit of Thanksgiving by writing their messages on printable cardstock strips. Overstuffed Life has printable Thankful Jar strips that the kids can use for this craft!
This Thanksgiving craft from B-Inspired Mama is easy to make with the kids, especially pre-schoolers and grade schoolers. Using brown paper bags, construction paper, cardstock, scissors and glue, your kids can create their own Thankful Turkey Book. Let them decorate it however they want to cultivate their creativity, and then ask them to write what they are most grateful for on the days leading up to Thanksgiving. During the holiday itself, you can ask the kids to read from their books aloud, and even take a picture of the entire family that they can paste in the book as a keepsake.
These cute pinecone turkeys are perfect for gifting and as table toppers for the kids! This craft from Creating Couture Parties uses debugged pinecones (or store-bought pinecones) as the turkey’s body, a pompom as the head, a bit of cardstock for the beak, and googley eyes. The kids can create the turkey’s tail by tracing their hand on cardstock, and cutting three strips of paper to write the things they are thankful for. The more they have to be grateful for, the more turkeys they can make!
There are plenty of variations on this DIY project, but the basics stay the same: Make a tree out of branches and twigs, and hang your notes of gratitude on them. If you already have one for your home, make one for the kids to display in their playroom or bedrooms. On Thanksgiving Day, they can read their notes out loud after dinner, while everyone is winding down. Check out this how-to from Simply Vintage Girl.
This cute and simple project from The Moffatt Girls is a great gift from your kids to their teachers or friends! Cut strips out of orange construction paper, then encourage the kids to write what they’re thankful for on the strips, making sure to leave about an inch of space at the ends. Once all the strips have been filled, attach the strips of paper with a stapler in a circular fashion, then curve them upward (message on the outside) to form the pumpkin. Next, cut out a couple of strips of green construction paper, curl it using a pencil, and attach it to the pumpkin to act as vines. Finally, cut out a couple of leaves from the green construction paper, have the kids write their name and the year, and staple them onto the pumpkin as well. Within minutes, your kids can have an adorable pumpkin ready for Thanksgiving!
With this DIY from Landee See, Landee Do, your kids are going to need a bit of adult help. Start with a picture frame, take out the back and the glass, and attach jute strings across the back using duct tape to hold your notes. Then, display your gratitude board in a room where the family often congregates (like the kitchen, family room or living room), and ask the kids to write down what they are thankful for on paper leaves. You’ll find that even the smallest things and events become memorable once the kids start writing!
This adorable project helps enhance the kids’ creativity, while encouraging them to share their thoughts with others. Using this how-to from Buggy and Buddy, you can make and cut out the window for the kids, while they illustrate the things they are grateful for on white construction paper. Afterward, set some time aside during Thanksgiving for a presentation where the kids can share their drawings and the reasons why they are grateful for each item!
This Thanksgiving wreath is perfect for when you want to spend some quality time with your kids, and also makes a great display for your mantel or door. To make this Thankfulness wreath, purchase or use a foam wreath as the base. Cover the wreath with brown fabric strips, and then set aside. As you’re preparing the wreath, have the kids cut out leaves from fall-colored cardstock (such as red, brown and orange). This how-to from Bubbly Nature Creations makes use of a paint pen to cover the leaves’ tips with gold, but you can also use gold spray paint or let the kids dip the leaves in a small can of gold paint. Once dry, ask the kids to write what they’re grateful for. Afterward, attach the leaves onto the wreath using pins—you can even add some acorns to spruce up the wreath. Quick, easy and no hot glue involved—perfect for an afternoon of crafting with the kids!
Bring the spirit of the season closer to home with these fun and inspirational Thanksgiving crafts! With plenty of ideas to choose from, which one is your favorite?
Jennifer Lutz is a home décor expert who writes for christmastreemarket.com. Jennifer loves to share her home craft projects with her readers and more of her articles can be found on the Christmas Tree Market blog.
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