4 fun Thanksgiving activities for preschoolers

Seven colorful leaves hanging next to each other on a brown string.

The holiday season is in full swing, and you may be looking for some fun activities for the kids you’re caring for. Whether you are looking for a fun craft or an engaging activity, we have you covered! Here are 4 of our favorite Thanksgiving activities for preschoolers. 

Thankful turkey craft

This fun craft is a great opportunity to reflect on what we’re grateful for this season. 

To prepare:

  • Cut out a simple, turkey body and head (basically the shape of an 8) out of brown craft paper

  • Cut feather shapes out of several different fall-themed colors: red, brown, orange, yellow, green

Start crafting:

  • Let the kids add googly eyes or draw their own eyes and beaks on the turkey faces

  • Ask the kids list what they are grateful for, and write one thing on each feather - it can be mom and dad, school, their favorite activities - anything they like

  • Glue each feather slightly behind their turkey body so the feathers stick out and display the things the kids are grateful for

This craft is easily adaptable to the kids’ skill level - they can cut out the traced feathers themselves, write the words if they are able, and glue the feathers onto the turkey, or you can do it together! 

Paper plate turkey craft

A classic craft that really gets the kiddos’ creative juices flowing, it’s time to create a turkey! 

To prepare

  • Gather any crafting materials you have: feathers, googly eyes, colored paper, markers and crayons, pipe cleaners, even glitter confetti if you want - as well as regular paper plates and glue

Start crafting

  • Start by coloring in the paper plate a basic turkey brown. Talk about turkey parts that need to be added - eyes, feathers, maybe feet or a beak - and then let the kiddo get to work crafting the most wild, or funny, or accurate-looking turkey they can come up with

Pro tip: roll out and tape down paper or plastic wrap on the craft table for easy clean-up - no matter how much glitter confetti flew off the turkey. 

Group of kids running and playing outside.

Thanksgiving turkey tag

This activity gives you the chance to be outside and practice rules and turn-taking, while also letting off some of that famous excess preschooler energy!

To prepare

  • Get several clothespins and colorful ribbons

  • Attach a ribbon with a clothespin to the bottom of sweaters of jackets on every participant in the game so that they trail behind the kid, 1-2 per person, or more with older kids

Play the game:

  • In this game of tag, everyone is trying to catch the feathers off the other turkeys at once

  • After the person leading the game yells Ready, Set, Go!, all of the turkeys will chase each other and try to pull the feathers off

  • When all of your feathers are gone, you are out for that round, and the last turkey with feathers left wins! 

Knock over the turkeys 

This is another fun activity where kids get a chance to get out of their seats and practice coordination - plus the turkeys are very cute! 

To prepare

  • Get 6 or more plastic cups - brown if possible, or you can let the kiddos color them with marker

  • Glue googly eyes or draw eyes on the turkeys

  • Cut triangles of construction paper and glue on for beaks

Play the game:

  • Stack 6 plastic cups upside down into a pyramid on a table or other flat surface outside (or somewhere inside without fragile objects nearby)

  • Using a ball or rock (or something softer for inside), let the kids stand a few feet away and try to knock down the Turkey Tower

  • First one to knock them down wins!

This game is also easily adaptable depending on age - you can make higher pyramids and change how far away the contestants are standing from the turkey towers. 

Have fun with preschoolers this Thanksgiving

If you have other favorite Thanksgiving activities, crafts, or just fun holiday ideas for your preschoolers, let us know! Pop into our Facebook or Instagram and share what you’ve been doing (tag us @smartsitting so we can ooh and aah!). And remember, it’s not about how cute the turkey turns out, it’s how much glitter you spread along the way. 

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