Books
“Thanksgiving” by Miriam Nerlove
“Thanks for Thanksgiving” by Julie Markes
“Thanksgiving is Here” by Diane Goode
One of the buzzers we use during Young Adult trivia games sounds like a doorbell, I let each child ring the bell once while we read “Thanksgiving is Here.”
Families
Some families are large (arms out wide)
Some families are small (hands close together)
But I love my family best of all (hug self)
We Eat Turkey (Tune: Frere Jacques)
We talked about all the yummy food we like to eat on Thanksgiving. I told them it was a repeat after me song, that I would sing and then they would repeat it. This is the first time I’ve ever done that with them and it went better than expected, they all got really into the song.
We eat turkey/we eat turkey
Oh so good/oh so good
Always on Thanksgiving/always on Thanksgiving
Yum, yum, yum/yum, yum yum (rub belly)
(repeat with mashed potatoes, corn, squash, pie)
Dinner’s over/dinner’s over
We are stuffed/we are stuffed (hold belly)
What a great Thanksgiving/what a great Thanksgiving
Yum, yum, yum/yum, yum, yum
Source: Story Time Secrets
The Turkey Hop by Carole Peterson
Silly Turkey (flannel board)
Each child received one feather and put it on Mr. Turkey (I got a few giggles when I called him that) when their color was called.
I’m a silly turkey, I’m so much fun
But I need some silly feathers
Do you have (color) ones?
Source: Read, Rhyme & Sing
Walk Like a Turkey
Walk like a turkey
Waddle, waddle, waddle
Talk like a turkey
Gobble, gobble, gobble
Run like a turkey
Round and round
But when it’s Thanksgiving
Shhhh don’t make a sound
If You’re Thankful and You Know It
If you’re thankful and you know it clap your hands…
(stomp your feet, jump up and down, turn around, touch your toes, shout I AM)
Craft
How it Went: I was so happy with how this story time went. The kids really enjoyed all of the stories and songs, even the parents were getting into it. We had to do the Turkey Hop several times because it was such a big hit.