Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to teach preschoolers about gratitude, creativity, and togetherness. With a few simple materials, you can turn this holiday into a fun learning experience full of color and joy. These Thanksgiving crafts for preschool are easy, educational, and perfect for classrooms, daycare centers, or at-home family fun.
1. Paper Plate Turkeys
A Thanksgiving classic! Give each child a paper plate, colored paper, glue, and crayons. Let them cut out feather shapes and glue them around the plate. Add eyes, a beak, and a wattle for a cute turkey that’s full of personality.
2. Handprint Turkeys
This keepsake craft helps little ones express creativity while capturing a memory. Trace each child’s hand on construction paper, cut it out, and decorate it like a turkey using markers, googly eyes, and feathers.
3. Thankful Tree
Teach gratitude with a “Thankful Tree.” Preschoolers can cut out paper leaves and share something they’re thankful for—like family, pets, or friends—then hang them on a branch or poster board tree.
4. Corn Cob Painting
This sensory craft combines art and play. Dip a dried corn cob in paint and roll it on paper to create colorful prints that look like fall textures. It’s fun, a little messy, and perfect for exploring color patterns.
5. Pilgrim Hat Craft
Preschoolers can create simple Pilgrim hats using black and yellow paper. Cut out the shapes, glue them together, and wear them during circle time or a Thanksgiving play.
6. Leaf Collage
Take your preschoolers on a nature walk to collect leaves. Back in class, provide glue and construction paper so they can create leaf collages. It’s a great way to teach about fall colors and textures.
7. Turkey Headbands
Make festive headbands by cutting strips of paper to fit around each child’s head. Add colorful paper feathers and a turkey face. Preschoolers will love wearing their creations during Thanksgiving songs or story time.
Final Touch: Learning Through Thanksgiving Fun
Thanksgiving crafts help preschoolers develop motor skills, creativity, and an attitude of gratitude. From paper plate turkeys to thankful trees, these projects make learning fun while bringing the true spirit of Thanksgiving into the classroom or home.