Thanksgiving arts and crafts
Looking for some *on theme* seasonal centers for Thanksgiving? I've got you covered! Below are some favorites I've done with my kiddos over the years. The best part is that they're very simple to put together and can be modified to use whatever you have in your classroom.
I always try to do a little bit of both arts and crafts. While crafts are very cute for our classrooms, they're not the same as art! If you're curious about the difference between arts and crafts - you can check out this blog post: Arts vs. Crafts - and why we need them both. (The projects in this post do make great decorations though!)
Tissue Paper Icons
This was a regular activity in my preschool classroom, and the kids loved it! To do this, pick a seasonal template. It can be anything, but this time we made pumpkins. Then cut up little squares of tissue paper. Direct students to scrunch the pieces up and glue them onto the template. This activity is great for developing a pinch grasp - an important pre-writing skill.
Turkey Hand
Can't go wrong with a classic! There are very creative teachers out there that have made some absolutely adorable variations of this one. But we kept it simple. Cardstock and markers.
Gratitude Turkeys
God tells us in His Word to live in thankfulness, and practicing gratitude is actually really good for our well-being! I like to use the Thanksgiving season to teach my littles how to be thankful for the big and little blessings we have. This is another classic craft that comes in many forms. For ours, we used watercolors on the feathers. *Hot tip I learned from a seasoned teacher - tape over brown and black on the watercolor tray to avoid turning everything muddy!
Process Art
Yes, you can do this one! It's messy, wonderful things happen when we allow kids freedom in creativity. There are so many ways to put this together. The basic formula for process art is: paint + stamp. The stamp can truly be anything. We used acorn squash and apples - any firm fruit or veggie works. If you don't want to use food, you can scrounge through your craft supplies, recycle bin, or toys for inspiration. In the past we've used wrapping bows, Legos, toy cars, and toilet paper rolls. It's fun to let the kids play around and see what they come up with!
Another thing to remember with process art is that YOU are in control of the supplies. You get to choose what tools and colors are used. In a classroom setting, this allows for a level of uniformity. Here's the finished project!
No matter how you choose to celebrate Thanksgiving with your little learners - I wish you a great week, and happy teaching!