Thanksgiving Theme Unit for Daycare & Preschool
November Holiday Activities Children Will Love
Aug 30, 2009
To coincide with this holiday, focus on curriculum activities that relate to the famous book, Over the River and Through the Wood by Lydia Maria Child [North-South Books, 1998], and the traditional song of the same name.
I'm Thankful Bulletin Board
Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks. In the past, Pilgrims and Native Americans worked together to host the first Thanksgiving. Today, this holiday is celebrated with family, relatives and friends. At circle time, discuss "Things I'm Thankful For." Together, look through magazines and cut pictures of these items. Have the children bring in pictures of their family, including grandparents. Create a cooperative bulletin board or poster.
In the Pumpkin Patch
The Thanksgiving season is a good time to do pumpkin activities. A pumpkin pie, flavorful with spices, is traditional in most American homes. Take a pumpkin and cut off the top. Invite the children to look at the pumpkin talking about its color and shape. Look inside at the strings and seeds. Ask," Does the outside and inside look the same? How does it smell?"
An adult can cut pieces of pumpkin into shapes. The children can take a paintbrush and paint a thin layer of tempera on the shape. Press this down onto paper to make a print. Printing is a fascinating activity for children because they love to keep repeating this process. Clean and roast the pumpkin seeds. Place a few into cups for the children. They can count the seeds and then eat them as a nutritious snack.
Another sensorial activity is to paint pumpkin pies. Cut paper into circle shapes and paint them orange. While the paint is still wet, sprinkle an assortment of spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice or ground cloves on the pie. Smell the aroma!
Off to the Grandparent's House
Glue five Popsicle (craft) sticks down on construction paper in the shape of a house. Fill in the details, like windows, doors, chimney, and such with crayons, markers or glued-on fabric.
Turkey Strut
Take an exercise break and let the children do the "turkey strut." Give verbal directions to waddle like a turkey as if it was: a fat turkey, a slow turkey, a happy turkey, a fast turkey, a sad turkey, and a tired turkey.
Turkey Decoration
Create these hanging turkeys to decorate the classroom. Bend a wire coat hanger into a circle with the hanging hook at the top. Pass a "leg" of pantyhose around the circle and knot at the top. Cut eyes, beak, wattle, feet and feathers from construction paper or felt. Glue these features onto the nylon turkey. Real feathers could be used as well. The turkey is ready to hang and is such a symbolic reminder of Thanksgiving.
Over the River Game
This is a game that is as traditional as the song itself. In order to get to Grandmother's house, the children must jump over the river. Make a "river" by laying two parallel strips of masking tape on the floor. Line the children up and have them take turns jumping over the river. If their feet touch the lines they will get wet. The "river boundaries" can be moved wider apart as the children master this skill.
Pull the Sled
"The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow!" Use a long jump rope placing several children inside with the rope around them. Choose a driver to hold the two ends of the jump rope. Instruct the children to walk slowly around the room, having the driver and the team of horses working together. This is also a fun game to do outside in the snow (Adult supervision is necessary to guide the children).
Assist children in partaking in projects included in this Thanksgiving theme unit for daycare and preschool, that teaches them about the symbolic parts of the Thanksgiving holiday and enhances this traditional literary story.
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