Mile High Mamas, Thanksgiving is about more than just turkey and football. Here are 10 fun and easy Thanksgiving gratitude crafts for kids that help teach the spirit of thankfulness:
1. Thankful Tree
- Materials: Construction paper, markers, scissors, glue, a small branch, or a paper tree template.
- Instructions: Cut out leaf shapes from colored paper. Have kids write or draw something they are thankful for on each leaf. Glue or tie the leaves onto a paper or real tree branch to create a Thankful Tree.
2. Gratitude Jar
- Materials: Jar, colored paper or index cards, markers, stickers for decoration.
- Instructions: Let kids write something they are thankful for on slips of paper throughout the week. Add them to the jar, and read them together on Thanksgiving Day.
3. Thankful Handprint Turkey
- Materials: Construction paper, markers, googly eyes, glue.
- Instructions: Trace the child’s hand on construction paper to make a turkey shape. On each finger (feathers), have them write what they are thankful for.
4. Gratitude Placemats
- Materials: Construction paper, markers, stickers, or stamps.
- Instructions**: Kids can decorate placemats by drawing pictures or writing down things they are thankful for. Laminate the placemats for reuse during Thanksgiving dinner.
5. Thankful Pumpkin
- Materials: Paper strips (orange), glue, marker.
- Instructions: On each strip of paper, kids can write something they are thankful for. Loop and glue the strips together to form a pumpkin shape, and display it as a centerpiece.
6. Gratitude Wreath
- Materials: Paper plate, fall-colored construction paper, scissors, glue.
- Instructions: Cut out leaf shapes from colored paper. Kids write what they are thankful for on the leaves, then glue them around the edges of a paper plate to form a wreath.
7. Thankful Rocks
- Materials: Smooth stones, paint, markers.
- Instructions: Paint the rocks in fall colors, and once they dry, kids can write a word or phrase expressing their gratitude on each rock. These make great decorations for the Thanksgiving table.
8. Gratitude Chain
- Materials: Strips of colored paper, markers, tape or glue.
- Instructions: Each strip of paper has something the child is thankful for written on it. Connect the strips to form a paper chain and hang it as a festive decoration.
9. Thankful Sun Craft
- Materials: Paper plate, yellow/orange construction paper, markers, glue.
- Instructions: Cut out “rays” from yellow and orange paper and have the kids write something they are grateful for on each ray. Attach the rays to the edge of a paper plate to create a bright, thankful sun.
10. Thankfulness Cards
- Materials: Blank cards or cardstock, markers, stickers.
- Instructions: Kids can make thankfulness cards by decorating blank cards with drawings, stickers, and messages expressing their gratitude for family and friends.
What ideas do you have to inspire your kids to express gratitude for Thanksgiving?
Author: Mile High Mamas
