Thanksgiving Blessings

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To the tune of Twinkletwinkle little star Thank You, God Thank you God for all that grows, Thank you for the sky's rainbows, Thank you for the stars that shine, Thank you for these friends of mine, Thank you for the moon and sun, Thank you God for all you've done!

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To the tune of I'm a little teapot Thank Thee, Lord For all my many blessings, thank thee, Lord. For clothes, and health, room and board. I have friends and family. God takes such good care of me.

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The eyes of all look to you, Lord. You give us our food when we need it. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.  (Psalm 145:15-16)

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Father we thank Thee for this food, for health and strength and all things good. May others all these blessings share, and hearts be grateful everywhere.

Thanksgiving Card: On the cover of the card was their hand print (turkey)...the inside of the card says:

Indian Corn:

Turkeys in the Barnyard:

Textured Turkey's: Give kids an outline of a turkey, add feathers in several ways: thumbprints in water colors, glue real feathers on it, cut out feather shapes from colored construction paper and glue on, glue on crumbled fall leaves, even just paint it and sprinkle with glitter when paint is still wet.

What are we thankful for?

Cornicopias are fun and simple. Get some Bugle crackers and Trix cereal. For snacks, use a dab of frosting in the bugle, stick on some Trix fruit. For cards, glue the Trix in the Bugle and glue onto a folded half-sheet of light cardstock, then let them draw inside and sign their name.

Hand Turkey
Trace both the feet of dck and trace their hands. Cut out feet on brown paper- put the heel of the feet together with the toe pointing down and out -(heels are head of turkey - toe area are the 2 legs). Cut out 5 hands for each child in red/oranges/light brown - glue around the sides and top of feet to make feathers - add eyes and triangle nose and you have a turkey with the kids own feet and hands.


Spiced Turkey
Print a picture of a turkey. Then decorate the turkeys, with things like dill seed, celery seed, beans and hatever else the kids want to use. Then glue the stuff on. Can be colorful or brown colors like a real turkey. Let the imaginations run wild. Using the seeds and other food products will not be harmful to the child if eaten while doing this too.



Thankful Book
Have children do one or more pages each day. Adult can put book together witha cardboard or construction paper over.

I'm glad for hands that clap for fun
(child's handprints)
I'm glad for feet to jump and run
(draw around feet and color)
I'm glad for my mother who cooks for me
I'm glad for my father who is as tall as can be
(photo of them or magazine pictures)
I'm glad for this baby who sleeps all day
(Draw or cut out picture)
I'm glad for the children who laugh and play
(picture of same)
I'm glad for the trees that stand up tall
(sponge paint or paste on)
That shake their leaves and let them fall
(sponge paint or paste)
I'm glad for the birds that fly up high
Up in the trees and up in the sky
(use bird stickers)

The First Thanksgiving
Tack a long sheet of butcher paper to the wall. Tell the children the storyof the first Thanksgiving. Let the children tell you what they are thankfulfor. As each child shares why they are thankful write it on the paper. Tackthe list on your classroom door for everyone to read.

Thanksgiving Foods: Before And After
Find pictures in magazines of foods before and after they are prepared. For example: Fresh cranberries and cranberry sauce, raw carrots and cooked carrots, raw potatoes and mashed potatoes, raw yams and candied yams. Glue each picture to a piece of felt. Show the children all of the pictures. Place one of the "before" foods up on your flannel board. Have someone find the "after" food to match it. Continue matching up all of the foods.

Stained Glass Turkeys
Materials:
Brown paint
Paper plates
3 large sheets of brown construction paper
Orange construction paper
Red construction paper
Tissue paper
Glue

Directions:
To make the turkey you will need to cut five large feathers out of brown construction paper, then approximately 1 inch in from the edge of the feather, cut the center out. Cut feather shapes out of tissue paper; glue to one side of feather. Paint the paper plate brown. Cut turkey head out and attach to paper plate. Cut beak and feet from the orange paper. Red is for around the beak. These turkeys look very nice attached to a glass door so the sun can shine through.

Thanksgiving Centerpiece
Use multi-colored feathers or feather shapes with toothpicks or craft sticks attached to them. Make a turkey head and attach a stick. Insert the feathers and head into a large potato. Makes a cute centerpiece.

Multi-Colored Turkey Hand
Paint the child's palm brown and then paint each finger using one color for each finger: red, green, yellow, and orange. Have child press hand on piece of paper. After the paint dries you can add the eye, beak, and that little red dangly thing under the beak.

Spicey Turkeys
Trace each child's hand. Let them "paint" glue on palm and fingers with brush. Let them sprinkle on different Thanksgiving spices on fingers - nutmeg, salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, or the like. Let them smell the scents of a Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving Turkey
Cut out a turkey body from brown construction paper or tag board. Then let the students use fabric, wallpaper samples, construction paper, glitter, sequins, and other craft items to dress their turkey for Thanksgiving. After
their turkey is dressed, they can dictate a story about how Mr. Turkey convinced the family not to eat him for Thanksgiving dinner.

Family Turkeys
Send home a pattern of a turkey with the kids. Invite the child's family to decorate the turkey with glitter, macaroni, feathers, paint, sequins, etc. When you get them back, display them with pride! Give out an award to each
family such as most colorful, silliest turkey, yummiest turkey, etc.

Potato Turkey
Take an uncooked potato and have children insert feathers on one side being careful to choose the feathers with the firmest "stem". Glue on wiggly eyes. Use red felt for a "gobble". Fold yellow or orange diamond shape cutout to make a beak. Insert 4 toothpicks in bottom half to make him stand.

"In Step With Thanksgiving":
For wall mural or individual purposes. Draw outline of turkey, side view. Take old, used shoes, have paper plates and paint ready for dipping. After the kids have colored in their turkeys, have them take their shoes, dip in paint, and press paint for turkey feathers. This is adorable as a bulletin board and can be laminated and made into place mats for Thanksgiving. Add the above caption.

Easel Painting
The children should make a big brown "peanut" shape and peach bird legs. Then put on big google eyes and peach fun foam for the beak. For feathers, use wide paper ribbon in big loops stapled onto the back.

Sponge Painting Feathers
Cut feather shapes from sponges. Be sure to vary the size and include the small stem on the end. Use these to sponge paint with fall colors on large sheets of paper.

Paper Bag Turkeys
Give each child a brown paper grocery bag (any size) and several sheets of newspaper. Have the children crumple the sheets of newspaper and stuff them into their bags until the bags are half full. Twist the bags closed and tie them around the middle with pieces of yarn. To make tails for their paper bag turkeys, have the children make several cuts from the top edges of their bags down to the yarn ties. Let the children paint their turkey tails. Then give each child a precut turkey head shape to decorate. Attach the head shapes to the front of the bags to complete the turkeys.

Collage Turkeys
Cut turkey shapes out of construction paper. Give each child a turkey shape and scraps of colorful construction paper or fabric. Have them glue the pieces of construction paper or fabric on their turkey shapes to make colored feathers. Let them use crayons or markers to finish the turkey's features.

Big turkeys
Little turkeys
Tired turkeys
Happy turkeys
Scared turkeys
Scared turkeys
Etc.
Run Fast Little Turkey - Poem
Have the children act out the movements as they recite the following poem.

The brave little Pilgrim
Went out in the wood
Looking for meal
That would taste really good
First she/he picked cranberries
Out in the bog
Then she/he saw a turkey
Hiding in a log
Run fast little turkey
Run fast as you may
Or you will come to dinner
On Thanksgiving Day

My Turkey - Poem
Have the children act out the movements as they recite the following poem.

I have a turkey, big and fat
He spreads his wings
And walks like that
His daily corn he would not miss
And when he talks he sounds like this
Gobble, gobble, gobble

Turkey Talk:
Choose two children to be turkeys. Have them go to the center of the circle. Recite, with the other children, the poem below. When the poem is done, encourage the two "turkeys" to chat with each other in turkey talk.

Two turkeys went out to play
On one fine sunny day
When they go together
This is what they had to say

Turkey Strut
Use pieces of masking tape to make turkey footprints all over the floor. Start playing some music. Let the children pretend to be turkeys and strut around the room. When you stop the music, have the turkeys find footprints to
stand on (one turkey to a footprint). When you start the music again, have the turkeys continue strutting around the room.

The Turkey Dance - Done To The Chicken Dance
Find a recording of The Chicken Dance and have the children pretend to be turkeys. Teach the children the movements:

1. Make your hands like they are "talking" 4 times
2. Pretend to "flap" your wings 4 times
3. Wiggle your bottom 4 times
4. Clap 4 times
Continue until you are tired out or the music stops.

Thanksgiving Games

Pin The Feather On The Turkey:
Draw a picture of a featherless turkey on a large piece of poster board. Attach the picture to a wall. Put loops of masking tape on the backs of real or paper feathers and place the feathers on a table close to the turkey picture. Have the children take turns choosing a feather from the table and then closing their eyes while they try to "pin" the feather on the turkey.

Turkey Feather Game:
Cut five turkey body shapes and fifteen shapes out of felt. Number the turkey body shapes from 1 to 5 and put them on a flannelboard. Place the feather shapes in a pile. To play the game, have the children take turns selecting a turkey identifying the number on it and adding that many feathers to it.

Snacks