As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday season, it is important to reflect on the history of this special day and find ways to celebrate with our little ones. Thanksgiving is a time to come together with family and friends to give thanks for our blessings and enjoy a delicious feast. Let’s look into Thanksgiving crafts for kids. We will also look into Thanksgiving dinner, books, and crafts for toddlers and preschoolers. However, do our toddlers and preschoolers understand the significance of this holiday?
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Table of contents
History of Thanksgiving Day
The history of Thanksgiving dates back to the 17th century when the Pilgrims and Native Americans came together to celebrate a successful harvest. The Pilgrims faced many challenges when they first arrived in the new world, but with the help of the Native Americans, they could plant and harvest crops to sustain themselves. This first Thanksgiving was a time of gratitude and unity between two groups.
As parents, it is important to teach our children the history of Thanksgiving and help them understand the importance of giving thanks. Even though toddlers and preschoolers may not fully grasp the concept of history, we can still find ways to celebrate and create meaningful traditions with them.
Thanksgiving Dinner
A wonderful way to celebrate Thanksgiving with young children is by including them in meal preparation. Although they may not be able to assist with complex recipes, toddlers and preschoolers can have a great time learning and helping with simple tasks like washing vegetables, stirring ingredients, or setting the table. This makes them feel like part of the celebration, teaches them important life skills, and is incredibly enjoyable.
Fun Thanksgiving Books
Reading Thanksgiving-themed books with your young kids can help them understand the meaning of the holiday and learn about traditions like gratitude and giving thanks. Many wonderful books are available for them that share heartwarming stories and beautiful illustrations about the Thanksgiving season. These books can also spark conversations with your child about what they are thankful for and create special bonding moments as you read together. Consider adding some of the following Thanksgiving books to your reading routine this season, and watch as your child’s understanding and appreciation for the holiday grow.
Fun and Easy Thanksgiving Crafts
Another way to celebrate Thanksgiving with young children is by incorporating fun activities and crafts into the day. You can create handprint turkeys, make pilgrim hats, or even have a mini parade around the house. These activities engage children in the holiday spirit and provide opportunities for bonding and creating lasting memories.
Open-ended Crafts:
Craft supplies for easy paper plate turkey crafts should be open-ended or child-created. It’s great to get hand-printed heirloom turkeys like the one listed above, but these are parent crafts for child development. The supplies should be available for open-ended child crafts, and instructions should be demonstrated. It is critical to let children create their craft without adult intervention. They should be allowed to complete the craft differently and make something completely different. This helps build imagination. Parents can help if the child is frustrated, but they should ask the child how to help. This is what a genuinely open-ended project entails.
Craft Safety Hazards
- Googly Eyes! They are a severe choking hazard to infants and toddlers. Try these eye stickers instead:
2. Pom Poms! These are also a severe choking hazard to infants and toddlers. Use with supervision, or better yet, find a replacement like stickers.
Open-Ended Craft Items
These craft items are open-ended and fun for toddlers and preschoolers. Pintrest has lots of fun ideas for using these for turkey crafts!
![Crayola Washable Kids Paint Set (12ct), Classic and Glitter Paint for Kids, Arts & Crafts Supplies, Toddler Painting Kit, 3+ [Amazon Exclusive]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51KPJWkf12L._SL160_.jpg)
Fun ideas for little hands and young crafters are fat turkeys, cute turkeys, paper plate turkey wreaths, and silly turkeys. Don’t forget to make pretend food, such as pumpkin pie crafts. This is a great way to practice simple fractions such as whole and half. It would be even better if you could practice color and shape recognition.
Conversations of Gratitude
Furthermore, it is important to talk to your children about the concept of gratitude and why it is important to give thanks. You can ask them what they are thankful for and encourage them to express their gratitude to others. This helps to instill a sense of appreciation and empathy in young kids, which are important qualities to develop as they grow older.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Thanksgiving for toddlers and preschoolers is a special holiday that allows families to come together and give thanks for their blessings. As parents of toddlers and preschoolers, we must teach our children the history of Thanksgiving and find ways to celebrate meaningfully and age-appropriately. Involving our little ones in the festivities can create lasting memories and instill important values that will carry them through life.
Happy Thanksgiving!
References:
- Toy Safety Guidance for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
- Developmentally Appropriate Toys: What and Why are they Important?
- Whole child Education: What is the Approach to Teaching?
- Consumer Product and Safety Commission
I value your input and comments tremendously! Please let me know if there is anything else I should include in this blog post! Until my next post, Keep Everything Simple. Talk with you soon!
SONIA SEIVWRIGHT
Wednesday 15th of January 2025
Thanksgiving is such a special time to be with loved ones and your ideas make it even more special for kids. These are fun and help kids understand thankfulness in a way they can enjoy and remember. I’m going to have to add some of these to our celebrations to make them more fun for the whole family!
Fun and Unique Thanksgiving Craft Ideas - Blessed By Motherhood
Saturday 23rd of November 2024
[…] Find the free printable here. […]
laurie griggs
Monday 18th of November 2024
I loved these ideas especially for keeping kids busy on turkey day itself. :)
Danwil Reyes
Monday 18th of November 2024
I enjoyed reading this post and looking at the pictures.
Jaishree
Monday 18th of November 2024
This is such a creative way to celebrate Thanksgiving with kids! I love how these toys and activities encourage gratitude and family bonding.