Thanksgiving Archives - JDaniel4s Mom

Turkey Line Tracing Pages

November 10, 2023 By Deirdre

These Turkey Line Tracing pages will be fun to explore. It features turkeys that need to move across a line and do a backbend. What fun it will be to use a pencil, crayon or marker to trace the turkey’s path! Actually the line could be traced with a feather or chopsticks.

Getting the Turkey Line Tracing Pages

First, you will need to download the set.

Turkey Line Tracing Pages for Kids Download

Second, if you don’t have Acrobat Reader you will need to download it. The set is an Acrobat Reader PDF file.

Third, you will need to go to your download file and open the page. You may be asked if you want the file to open right after you download it. If you are, you won’t have to hunt for it in your download file.

Finally, when you open the calendar you will find hyperlinked activities. When you click on them, you will be taken to each of the activity’s locations on the web.

Making the Line Tracing Pages Reusable

If you plan on using the cards over and over again, you may want to laminate them. Below I have suggested products that you may want to use to cover them.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. My Amazon Picks

Scotch Brand PRO Thermal Laminator, Never Jam…$54.68~~$128.93~~ (11154)

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 100 Count-P…$15.98~~$24.68~~ (63556)

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 200- Count-…$27.99~~$42.99~~ (23612)

Hammermill Printer Paper, Great White 100% Recy…$17.00 (4917)

Tracing Tools

Tools That Leave Marks

Pencils
Color Pencils
Washable Markers
Crayons
Paint Brushes with Watercolors

Tool That Don’t Leave Marks

Chopsticks with Pumpkin Seed
Feathers
Closed Pens
Dry Paintbrush

More Thanksgiving Activities

Thanksgiving STEM Challenge Building Mats (Available on my TPT site.)

Thanksgiving Tangrams

Color By Code Turkey Pictures (Available on my TP site.)

Tracing Lines on a Turkey

November 9, 2023 By Deirdre

These fine motor pages invite children to trace lines on a turkey’s feathers. Some of the lines will be easy to trace and others will be more challenging. Each line begins with a black dot. That should make it easy for children to know where to start. The tracing lines pages are full sized. That will make the line big enough younger children to trace.

Once children have traced all the lines on each turkey’s feathers, they can color the turkey. If you want your children to color the various parts of the turkey a specific color, you can have them place a dot of that color in the specific area.

Getting the Turkey Pages

First, you will need to download the set.

Tracing Lines on Turkeys Pages for Kids Download

Second, if you don’t have Acrobat Reader you will need to download it. The Second, if you don’t have Acrobat Reader you will need to download it. The set is an Acrobat Reader PDF file.

Third, you must go to your download file and open the page. You won’t have to hunt for it in your download file if you are.

Reusable or One Time Use

The pages can be laminated so that they can be reused. If you want to use them like a worksheet, just print them out and give them to your children to use.

Making the Turkey Pages Reusable

If you plan on using the pages over and over again, you may want to laminate them. Below I have suggested products that you may want to use to cover them.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. My Amazon Picks

Scotch Brand PRO Thermal Laminator, Never Jam…$54.68~~$128.93~~ (11154)

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 100 Count-P…$15.98~~$24.68~~ (63556)

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 200- Count-…$27.99~~$42.99~~ (23612)

Hammermill Printer Paper, Great White 100% Recy…$17.00 (4917)AllAds by Amazon

Exploring the Tracing Lines on a Turkey Pages

While the pages can be placed in a center to explore, you may want to have your children work with a group to each trace a line.
The page can be turned until one lines horizontal. Children can trace each line horiztonally rather than vertically.

More Turkey Activities

Turkey Cup Stacking Challenge Cards

Thankfulness Turkey

Preschool Tracing Activities

November 5, 2023 By Deirdre

This series focuses on preschool tracing activities. Although the series features the word preschool, any of the activities could be used by older children. Tracing is a great way for children of all ages to work on their fine motor skills. Holding a pencil or any other writing tool can be challenging. Focusing on the lines you are trying to stay on is also challenging.

Writing tools like pencils, crayons and markers designed for each of your children’s abilities are traditional tracing tools. Q-tips or paintbrushes dipped in watercolors and held like a writing tool would also work. A small object like a pumpkin seed held between chopsticks would also work.

Preschool Tracing Activities in This Series

There are 12 different animals featured on the Fine Motor Practice Animal Tracing Pages. This set will give children a lot of time to practice tracing. Young preschoolers may find it challenging to trace all the lines in one sitting. If you choose to use it with them, they could work on one section at a time.

Butterfly Letter Tracing Mats will be printed out on half sheets. Each page of the set displays two letter mats. This set of mats gives children the opportunity to work on uppercase letters, lowercase letters, and the features of a butterfly. Children could just work on the letters on this page if they like.

Star-Themed Alphabet Tracing Cards are available in three different layouts. The set includes uppercase and lowercase letter mats. There is also a layout that features uppercase and lowercase letters together. It will be up to you to decide which layouts to work with. While children can write the letter inside the outline, children could just trace the outline if they like.

Tracing the Lines on Thanksgiving Turkeys would be fun to do during November. Children can trace the lines on the turkey feathers and then color the turkeys.

These turkey line tracing pages invite children to lead a turkey across the lines and to the other side. This is probably the easiest tracing set in the series. It might be fun to trace the lines with a feather rather than a pencil.

More Tracing Activities

Ghost Tracing Pages

Letter and Number Literacy- Fine Motor Webs

Letter and Number Literacy Webs

Thanksgiving Table Coloring Page for Kids

November 7, 2022 By Deirdre

This Thanksgiving table coloring page invites children to color the elements on the table and add them to the picture. It will be fun to see what their tables look like when they are done.

Decorating the Table Legs and Chairs

Some children may decide to add simple legs and chairs with straight lines. However, others will add ornate legs and fancy chairs. Still, others will try to duplicate the table and chairs that they use when they are celebrating Thanksgiving.

You could show children pictures of various tables and chairs. The pictures may inspire children to add more details to their pictures.

Adding Food to the Thanksgiving Table Coloring Page

The Thanksgiving table coloring page invites children to add a turkey and vegetables to the table. It will be fun to see if they draw a whole turkey or turkey slices. It will probably depend on how it is served in their family.

What vegetables or vegetable they add to the bowl will also be interesting. Some families may serve vegetables that relate to their culture. Others may serve foods they know everyone will enjoy.

Things to Color on the Thanksgiving Table

Children can simply color the elements on the page or add designs to them. My grandmother loved plaid tablecloths. If I were the person coloring this page, I would have created a plaid design on the tablecloth. Before your children start coloring, you may want to discuss what their table usually looks like. It may inspire them to add more details to the page.

Getting the Thanksgiving Coloring Page

First, you will need to download the set.

Thanksgiving Table Coloring Page for Kids Download

Second, if you don’t have Acrobat Reader you will need to download it. The algorithm page is an Acrobat Reader PDF file.

Third, you must go to your download file and open the page. You may be asked if you want the file to open right after downloading it. You won’t have to hunt for it in your download file if you are.

More Thanksgiving Printables

Thanksgiving STEM Challenge Building Mats (Available on my TPT site.)

Color By Code Turkey Pictures (Available on my TP site.)

Turkey Cup Stacking STEM Challenge

November 2, 2022 By Deirdre

This Thanksgiving Turkey Cup Stacking STEM Challenge invites children to stack cups following the picture directions on the challenge cards. The turkey that are upside down represent a cup that is stacked upside down. However, the turkey pictures that are right side up represent cups that are right side up.

Whether you decide for your children to explore the Turkey Cup Stacking STEM Challenge at the kitchen table or in a learning center, they are sure to have fun. The set includes simple cup stacks and more complicated. You can decide which cards are best for your kids.

Getting the Turkey Cup Stacking STEM Challenge

First, you will need to download the set.

Turkey Cup Stacking STEM Challenge Download

Second, if you don’t have Acrobat Reader you will need to download it. The algorithm page is an Acrobat Reader PDF file.

Third, you must go to your download file and open the page. You may be asked if you want the file to open right after downloading it. You won’t have to hunt for it in your download file if you are.

Exploring the Turkey Cup Stacking STEM Challenge

Explaining the Turkeys

While most children will look at the upside-down turkey and know it means the cup is upside down, others may be confused. The upside-down turkey’s head is narrow. Its base is wide. There may be children that think that means the narrow cup base goes on the bottom. Please take a moment to explain this to them.

If they end up building structures that are the opposite of the card, you can decide if you want to correct them. It may be important to you that you build it just like the card. It may be important that they just practice cup stacking.

Cup Stacking Challenge Card Cup Recommendations

While you can truly use any type of cup that you like, it would be best to use cups that have sturdy sides. It will help the tall structures stay up. The cups you choose to use do not need to be expensive though. The size of the cup doesn’t matter either. I think small cups like shot cups work can well as tall cups. Small cups are easier to store.

More STEM Challenges

Ski Lift Paper Plate Craft

Woodland Animals Pattern Blocks Mats

Hay Bale Kicker STEM Activity

Thanksgiving Bonus Activity for Kids -STEM-Brick-Challenge-Task-Cards-for-Thanksgiving Download

Thanksgiving Words on Algorithm Game Boards

October 20, 2020 By Deirdre

This set of algorithm game boards features Thanksgiving words. Your children will have fun connecting the letters on a gameboard with arrows to create the featured word. Some of the game boards will have only one possible algorithm while others will have multiple ways.

Getting Ready for the Thanksgiving Words Activity

Printing Out the Thanksgiving Word Game Boards

This set of Thanksgiving Words on Algorithm Game Boards has been saved in a PDF format. After downloading the set, you will need to have a PDF reader on your computer to open them.

Building Background

This set includes a flashcard for each of the featured Thanksgiving words. Before you start the activity you may want to review what each of the words means.

After that, you may want to read your children a book about Thanksgiving. The books below contain the featured words. By listening or reading a book that features them your children gain a better understanding of each word.

The links below are affiliate links.

Exploring the Thanksgiving Words on Game Boards

You will find that there are a number of ways that you can have your children complete the game boards.

First, you can work through a part of a game board with your children. It will help them understand how to place the arrows in the boxes. Remember the arrows should point in the direction they will need to go to move from the box they are in into the next box.
Second, you can give your students the answer key and see if they can replicate it on their own board.
Third. children can work with a partner to complete the gameboard. They can take turns placing the arrows in the squares.

More Algorithm Activities to Explore

A number of algorithm activities exist here on my blog and on my Teachers Pay Teacher shop. Below you will see a few of them.

Halloween Words on Algorithm Game Boards

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Algorithm Page

Offline Coding Academy -Muffin Tin Algorithm

How to Make Liquid Starch Slime Algorithm

Thanksgiving Coloring Pages and Algorithm Activity

November 1, 2018 By Deirdre

A computer uses an algorithm to complete each task you give it to do. That algorithm is a series of steps that the computer needs to do completely to finish a task. One way to teach your children about algorithms and coding offline is to have them create a drawing. This set of exploring algorithm Thanksgiving coloring pages features a Mayflower page, a cornucopia page, an I am Thankful for page and Thanksgiving table page.

Links below are affiliate links.

Before you start this activity with your children, you will want may want to read them a Thanksgiving-themed children’s book. Below you will find some of my favorite Thanksgiving books.

Getting Copies of the STEM Coding Drawing Activity

You can download a copy of the Thanksgiving Coloring Pages and Algorithm Activities. It can be opened with Acrobat Reader. Then you can select which of the drawing activities you want your children to work on. Finally, you can print it out.

Exploring the STEM Coding Worksheet

You will want to have your children work their way through the algorithm. They will add what each block tells them to. They will start with the first block and work their way through the algorithm.

When they have added the key elements of the picture, they can decorate the background of the picture.

Once they have finished drawing their picture, you can have them go through the algorithm and double check they have included everything they needed to. If they have forgotten an area, they can go back and add it.

If you like this coding activity, here are some more you will love:

Little Miss Muffet Coding Activity and Printable

Coding Activity- Going on a Bear Hunt

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Algorithm Activity

Gruffalo Coding Sheet

Coding the Planets in Order

Life Cycle of a Spider Coding Printable

Thanksgiving Tangram Puzzles for Kids

October 30, 2018 By Deirdre

Tangram Puzzles are a great way for kids to explore shapes. Children will need to slide, rotate or flip shapes for them to fit into a tangram puzzle. This set of Thanksgiving-themed tangram puzzles features a Native American or Indian, a turkey, and a boat. Your children will have fun using homemade, printed or store-bought tangrams with these mats.

Links below are affiliate links.

Before your children explore the tangram puzzle mats, you may want to teach them a Thanksgiving-themed children’s book. Below you will find some of my favorite books with a Thanksgiving theme.

Getting Your Set of Tangram Puzzles

You can download the set of Thanksgiving Tangram Puzzle Workspaces and open them up with Acrobat Reader. The set was designed to be printed out on a color printer. If you prefer to print them out on a black and white printer, they will have feature a lot of grays.

You will also find a tangram pattern in the set. You can print the set onto Thanksgiving-themed scrapbooking paper or fall themed copy paper if you don’t want to make a set or use a store-bought set.

Exploring the Tangram Puzzles

There are a number of ways you could share these puzzles with your children. Below you will find a list of ways that I came up with. You may come up with other great ideas. If you do please take a moment and share them on my Facebook page or in a comment below.

You could place them in a center or put them out on the kitchen table for your children to explore one at a time.
You could have them explore all of the puzzles at the same time. Then they can decide which was the easiest and which was the hardest to do.
You could put them out on Thanksgiving Day. Your children could work on them while you are working on the Thanksgiving feast.
You could put them out a school Thanksgiving celebration for children to work on with their parents.

If you like this tangram activity, here are some more you will want to explore:

Halloween Puzzles for Tangrams

Fall Themed Puzzle Mats for Tangrams

Fox in Socks Puzzles for Tangrams

Challenge Cards for Tangrams

{Five Little Turkeys} Stick Puppets and Rhyme

November 18, 2013 By Deirdre

Five Little Turkeys Stick Puppets and Song

Have you ever sung the song the Five Little Turkeys with hand print turkey puppets? If you haven’t you, really should. It really is a lot of fun. We did it recently at our house. We put this activity together, because JDaniel loves the Halloween book Five Little Pumpkins .When I clear out the stuffed animals on his bed, I usually find the Five Little Pumpkins under one of them. Finding a Thanksgiving song that was similar and making puppets became a mission of me.

On a pretty day last week, JDaniel and I made turkey hand prints on our deck. I had to be careful not to tickle him as I applied the paint. After a few JDaniel sized turkey had been created, it was mine turn to make a couple. I think he did a better job of pressing his hand down to make a print then I did. I made a few extra turkeys so we could decide which of mine were the best five little turkeys.

We were so fortunate to have warm day. The turkey dried quickly. I think the fact we used washable paint on white drawing paper helped too. Construction paper and acrylic paint seems to take longer to dry. When they hand prints were dry, we added beaks and feet.

Then they were ready to cut out. We also cut out twelve by eight pieces of cardboard from cardboard boxes in our recycling box. The cardboard would be used to make the turkeys a little bit stiffer. A colored popsicle stick was threaded through two horizontal slits I made in the cardboard.(I didn’t think the popsicle stick glued between the hand print turkey and the cardboard would stay in place.

The hand print turkeys were glued onto the cardboard pieces and then cut out. It was a little tricky cutting through the cardboard even though it wasn’t that thick.

When all five little hand print turkey puppets were done. We worked on the rhyme. It was easy to learn its words. Holding the turkey was a challenge. We found that JDaniel needed to hold some and I need to hold others or we needed a tool to help us. The tool we found that worked the best was a chip clip. Two or three turkey could be attached to chip clips and the clips’ handles could easily be held by two hands.

The side of the kitchen table with a white sheet over the back door was a wonderful stage for the five little turkeys to bob up and down and say their rhyme from. We also found the end of the end of a bed and the railing of the deck worked too.

After singing the son a few times, JDaniel took the Thanksgiving decorations of our living room mantle and create a play with the five little turkeys. It was truly amazing.

Here is the Five Little Turkeys rhyme we used:

Five little turkeys standing at the door,
One waddled off, and then there were four.

Four little turkeys sitting near a tree,
One waddled off, and then there were three.

Three little turkeys with nothing to do,
One waddled off, and then there were two.

Two little turkeys in the morning sun,
One waddled off, and then there was one.

One little turkey better run away,
For soon it will be Thanksgiving Day.

If you have the opportunity to make hand print turkey puppets, you may want to think about having them say a Thanksgiving rhyme. Five little turkeys on stick puppets and a Thanksgiving theme rhyme are just plain Thanksgiving fun!

Turkey Craft and a Thanksgiving Book

November 15, 2013 By Deirdre

We have a large supply of magazines at our house to look through and search for pictures in. Recently we searched through the food related magazines for pictures we could use to create a food full turkey. It was a little challenging to find large pictures of food. Why large pictures? I had created feather templates out of an old cereal box that was the size we were going to need to make the turkey’s feathers for our turkey craft and they were pretty large.

Putting Together Our Thanksgiving Craft

Turkey Craft and a Thanksgiving Book - Cutting Pictures

We flipped through a number of magazines to find large pictures. Thankfully I had picked up several cooking magazines from the laundry room in my mother in-law’s apartment complex last time we visited her. They are filled with pictures the size we needed. (I had fun just looking through them.)

Once a collection of pictures had been torn from the magazines, the cardboard feather template was placed on the pictures one at a time. JDaniel traced the outline of the cardboard feather onto the picture and then cut the food picture feather out.

Turkey Craft and a Thanksgiving Book - Feathers

With a pile of feathers ready to glue, the turkey body, and its elements were cut out. The eyes, beak, and waddle were glued down onto the turkey’s triangular body. Once JDaniel had finished getting the body together, he added the feathers. A little glue from a glue stick was placed on the bottom of the food side of each feather. Then it was placed on the back of the turkey’s body with most of the feather sticking up past the turkey’s body at an angle.

Turkey Craft and a Thanksgiving Book - Adding a Face

When all the feathers were in place, the turkey was glued onto a large piece of construction paper and declared done.

When people see the food filled turkey, they will probably notice how pretty he is. They won’t know how many wonderful skills JDaniel used to put it together. He had to search for large pictures, trace feathers and cut them out. He had to determine how much of the feather should be glued to the back of the turkey and how much to have displayed. Deciding how to arrange the feathers also needed to be done. A food full turkey craft provided the opportunity to work on a variety of skills.

What would be a good book to go with this craft?

The link below is an affiliate link.

Turkey Craft and a Thanksgiving Book - Silly Tilly's Thanksgiving Dinner

Silly Tilly’s Thanksgiving Dinner is a really wonderful Thanksgiving story. Silly Tilly passes out what she thinks are invitations to her Thanksgiving dinner. They really are her food recipes. Boy, is she thankful when she finds that her friends have all decided to bring food of their own to share?

We love books with happy endings at my house. This book had us a little worried as we read through it. A sigh of relief was almost audible when we discovered that the book had a happy ending.

I have decided to ask you to link your posts to the Read.Explore.Learn. Facebook page instead of running a link up. I hope you will stop by and share your children’s book related activities there

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