Thanksgiving Story

Books: Anything that tells the story of the Pilgrims and the First Thanksgiving

Song: I Am Glad for Many Things, For Health & Strength
Craft: Pilgrim hat, Indian headdress, Apple Turkey
Outside: if weather is good, act out the Thanksgiving Story outside
Food: Thanksgiving foods--squash, berries, pumpkin, etc.
           Apple Turkeys

Prepare in advance:

• Apple Turkeys
• apple
• toothpicks
• things to put on toothpicks as feathers--marshmallows, raisins, stick pretzels, popcorn
• 1 large marshmallow
• 1 piece of candy corn
• For play: 
• paper for Indian headdress
• paper for Pilgrim hat
• something to represent the Mayflower--a picture, or a toy boat, etc.
• kernals of corn 
• For feast:
• turkey lunchmeat sandwiches
• popcorn
• craisins/berries
• nuts
• squash

Begin with song, then books.

Today we'll learn about THANKSGIVING (have them repeat).

Craft time:

• make pilgrim hat & Indian headdress

Thanksgiving Play (do this outside if you can):

• Pilgrims (put on pilgrim hat) lived far away across the big ocean.  
• People told them they couldn't pray or go to church like they wanted to, so they decided to leave
• They got on a boat called the Mayflower (pull out the boat) and sailed to a new land--Here!
• have them pretend to be in a boat and travel from one spot to another
• When they got to the new land, they didn't have enough to eat.
• pretend to be hungry, look for food to eat
• Then they met some Indians (put in Indian headdress) who lived here already.
• The Indians showed the pilgrims how to plant corn
• pretend to plant kernals of corn
• The Indians showed the pilgrims how to hunt for turkeys
• pretend to hunt turkeys
• The pilgrims (put hat back on) weren't hungry anymore--they were happy!
• pretend to be full of food, happy
• They wanted to thank the Indians for helping them, so they decided to have a feast
• explain what a 'feast' is, have them pretend to cook lots of food
• Everyone brought lots of yummy food, like turkey, corn, squash & berries
• pretend to eat the food
• The feast lasted for THREE DAYS
• have them hold up three fingers
• The pilgrims called it 'Thanksgiving' because they were THANKFUL for the Indian's help
• We celebrate Thanksgiving to remember all the good things we have.
• tell some things you're grateful for, have them tell you some things
• End with your very own Thanksgiving feast!
• turkey lunch meat sandwiches, popcorn, craisins, nuts & squash

Craft time/dessert--Apple Turkeys:

• use toothpicks or stick pretzels as the turkey's feathers
• put craisins, popcorn, marshmallows on the toothpicks
• put a toothpick for the neck, put the large marshmallow on the toothpick
• stick a piece of candy corn into the marshmallow for the beak
• enjoy!