We started our day of Thanksgiving fun by talking about what the word thankful means. I think children know what it means inherently but don't always have the vocabulary to explain it. After a discussion about being thankful and gratitude, they each told me something that they are thankful for. Mother Goose time provided this cute turkey guy in the bonus bag and I wrote down what each child said for and let them decorate the turkey.
Our thanksgiving bonus bag was full of fun activities for today! I love how complete MGT is and that I have so much to choose from.
Our next item of fun was making snack turkeys. When working with food I always make sure to clean our tables and give each child a squirt of hand sanitizer. I did a demonstration of how the snack turkeys were to be assembled and let them do the rest.
Each child was given a plastic glove and google eye to work with. Each table was given a bowl rainbow goldfish crackers and popcorn to share.
I was prepared for crumbs and a mess! No need to panic today. I just wanted them to have fun! And kids love to make mess while they are having fun!
Some our our finished Snack Turkeys!
Since there was just as much popcorn on the floor as in the bags, we all crawled on the ground a did a pickup! I like to teach them that we have respect for our classroom and that we have to work together to keep it looking nice.
We got everything all picked up just in time to make another fun mess! We played a game of stuff the turkey (another fun activity in our bonus bag)! I had scraps of paper that they had to grab an crumple up into a ball and toss it into the bag.
Our last activity was something different I hadn't done before. Usually on our Thanksgiving Fun Day, we make personal pizzas. MGT had a food activity earlier in the month that I saved until today. Banana Boats. I thought it would tie into our transportation theme as well as Thanksgiving. We talked about the pilgrims coming over on the Mayflower and so we made pilgrim banana boats. I love when we can use different activities to build on lessons we have learned! It's the best way to get information to stick! Like I've said before and I'll say a million time… Hear it, See it, then DO IT!
While my class was busy watching a short thanksgiving day cartoon, I set up our banana boats. Each plate had a banana, peanut butter, strawberry, marshmallow, and plastic knife. I did a demonstration and then let them each work on their own.
It was something new for all of them and a challenge too. They got to cut their own banana and strawberries and spread the PB on all by themselves.
They were a hit! And I was very prepared for the sticky fingers and we all lined up for a good hand washing before we packed up to go home.
I never know how much of these preschool days my class will remember. But I hope that if they don't remember details, they remember how they felt with me. I hope they feel loved when they are with me. I hope they know I am truly grateful to be a small part of their lives and that because of them I am a better person. I hope that because of this I have enriched their lives for the better.
Happy Thanksgiving Friends
xoxo- Miss Mandy
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