What are your children thankful for?

My favorite Thanksgiving activity is going around the room and talking about what each person is thankful for. The younger kids usually enjoy it as well but have a harder time coming up with things to say so I came up with a more kid-friendly activity.

First, we read a book about thankfulness such as: Thanks for Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks, or Thank You, World. While we are reading, we discuss if they also like or are thankful for the situations illustrated in the story.

Next, we each create a turkey out of construction paper and write, draw, or paste a picture on his feathers that show what we are each thankful for. You can do as many or as few feathers as you like. This project is very easy and a lot of fun.

When it's all finished, have the kids share their turkeys with the adults. It usually inspires a wonderful conversation that truly captures the spirit of Thanksgiving.

How to make a Grateful Gobbler:

You will need:
-approximately 3 different pieces of construction paper (depending on how colorful you want your turkey)
-crayons or markers
-glue (liquid or stick)
-magazines to cut out pictures (optional)
-photographs to cut (optional)


Directions:
-Cut out 1 pear shape approximately 5 inches in height for the turkey body
-Cut out 5 feathers approximately 5 inches long
-Glue the feathers to the back of the pear shape
-Glue the turkey onto a full sheet of construction paper
-After everything is glued down, make a face on the turkey
-Help your child draw or write about what they are thankful for.
-An optional idea would be to cut out photos or pictures from magazines
to show what they are thankful.

What your child is learning:
-Fine Motor Skills - strengthening of the small muscles in their hand
-Creative Expression
-Colors
-How to follow directions
-Family / Holiday Tradition
-Thankfulness

Here is a sample of what your child's turkey may look like:

What's on our bookshelf....

Thanks for Thanksgiving - Written by Julie Markes and Illustrated by Doris Barrette



Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks - Written by Margaret Sutherland and Illustrated by Sonja Lamut

As Thanksgiving is upon us, I would like to suggest 2 books to read over the holiday weekend with your children. The first is called Thanks for Thanksgiving. It is a lovely book with one sentence per page and easy rhymes that the kids will love to try and guess. The brightly colored pictures fill the pages and are a lot of fun to look at. Each page starts with "Thank you for" and then names something that kids would be thankful for. At the end of the book is a place for the child or entire family to write about what they are thankful for.

The second book is called Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks. This book also has about one sentence per page but does not contain any rhyming. The sentences state what they are thankful for and sometimes adds why they are thankful for that item. These sweet illustrations show culturally diverse children enjoying the things they are thankful for.

Both of these books are good choices when talking to your child about thankfulness. Please let us know which book you liked and why - we'd love to hear from you!

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

What's on our bookshelf....

Thank You, World written by Alice B. McGinty and illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin


This quick but soothing read is wonderful for beginning to talk to your child about thankfulness. Here is a description from the book jacket:

"The joys of childhood are the same the whole world over. In this compelling book of celebratory rhyme and glowing pictures, eight very different kids, from eight different countries, all go about their day and experience the same moments of happiness: greeting the sun in the morning, swinging on a swing, flying a kite, being tucked in by Mommy at bedtime. Uplifting and visually rich, this book reminds us that the world isn't as large as it seems, and that life's greatest pleasures are the simple ones."

The amazing crayon-drawn pictures are sure to transport you to the different countries and experience their days along with them. Enjoy!