Are you looking for some fun Thanksgiving activities to keep your students busy and engaged as Thanksgiving break gets closer? I have some ideas you might like to try!
THanksgiving activities for first and second grade
The Thanksgiving holiday sometimes seems to get lost in the build-up to Christmas. But the meaning behind this holiday, of family, friends, and gratitude is one that we should take time to celebrate. I’ve pulled together some ideas for activities you can do with your students in the days before the Thanksgiving break. If you’re looking for more “crafty” ideas, make sure to check out this blog post.
- Have your kids think ahead … WAY ahead … to Thanksgiving of the future. Pick a year that’s at least 50 years ahead and ask your students to think about what this holiday might look like in that year. Ask a couple of guiding questions. For example, “How do you think we’ll cook our turkeys? What will our homes look like?” Then have them write some stories and/or draw some pictures about what they think it will be like in the future.
- If your students are too young to write, have them make a gratitude box. You’ll need some inexpensive paper boxes like they sell in a Dollar Store. Shoe boxes will work as well. Let them decorate their boxes with some markers, paint, stickers, or any other craft materials you might have. Then they can draw pictures of things that they’re thankful for and put them in the box. Another option is to cut pictures out of magazines to represent their ideas.
- As a class, brainstorm a list of gratitude words. Input the words into a word cloud generator. Print out the cloud and then display it in the classroom. You could also have the students plug the words into the computer themselves, so they can each have their own “cloud.”
- Print out some inspirational quotes to discuss with your students. There are some great ones for kids here. Have each student pick out one that they really like, and make a frame for it. They can use popsicle sticks, twigs, paint, or glitter. Glue a piece of twine to the back of it for hanging.
thanksgiving puzzles
Puzzles are always fun for kids. And they make great activities for early finishers. If you’d like a series of puzzles and activities all in one place, my Thanksgiving Puzzles and Activities resource is one you might like.
This pack is chock full of fun Thanksgiving puzzles and activities using Thanksgiving vocabulary! There are word searches, mazes, word challenges, color by code and more! I’ve also included blacklines to save on ink. These puzzles make great morning work, station activities, or work to keep early finishers engaged. Perfect to use right before Thanksgiving vacation!
If you like this product and are looking for more puzzle packs, you might also like my No Prep Christmas Activities or Thanksgiving Puzzle Strips. My store has products for all seasons!
Do you have a fun way to celebrate Thanksgiving with your students? Please share below!
