When planning a Thanksgiving party for your daycare, using stations is a great way to keep all the children in a room occupied!
Let’s take a look at four Thanksgiving party ideas with tips for each to ensure your little ones have a fun turkey-day celebration.
1. Turkey Craft Corner
Activity: Set up a craft station in which children can create their own turkey decorations using colorful paper, feathers and googly eyes.
Safety Tip: Use non-toxic glue and safety scissors for all crafting activities.
And check out these five gobbly-good craft ideas to celebrate Thanksgiving while keeping those little minds working!
2. Pumpkin Patch Storytime
Activity: Create a cozy reading nook with blankets and cushions where a teacher can read Thanksgiving-themed stories.
Organizing Tip: Invite families to bring their favorite Thanksgiving storybooks to share with the group.
Inclusivity Tip: Select books that reflect diverse cultural traditions related to gratitude and harvest. Choose interactive tales that encourage participation! Here are some books to consider:
“Bear Says Thanks” by Karma Wilson
Join Bear and his friends as they come together to celebrate friendship and gratitude. This heartwarming tale, paired with charming illustrations, teaches young readers about the joy of sharing and giving thanks.
“The Thankful Book” by Todd Parr
This book encourages children to reflect on the things they are thankful for. With its bold colors and joyful messages, it’s perfect for sparking conversations about gratitude and appreciation in a simple, accessible way.
“Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks” by Margaret Sutherland
This book focuses on the essence of Thanksgiving by highlighting everyday things to be thankful for. Its straightforward narrative makes it easy for young children to understand and relate to the concept of gratitude.
“Turkey Trouble” by Wendi Silvano
Follow the hilarious escapades of Turkey as he tries to avoid becoming the main course at Thanksgiving dinner. With its playful plot and engaging illustrations, this story is sure to entertain and delight preschoolers.
“A Plump and Perky Turkey” by Teresa Bateman
A fun and rhyming story about a clever turkey who outsmarts a town’s residents, this book’s rhythmic text and humorous storyline make it a delightful read that captures the festive spirit of Thanksgiving.
“Over the River: A Turkey’s Tale” by Derek Anderson
Based on the classic song, this cheerful book follows a family on their way to Thanksgiving dinner. Its lively illustrations and familiar tune encourage participation and enjoyment from young readers.
“Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving” by Laurie Halse Anderson
Introduce preschoolers to a piece of history with this engaging tale about Sarah Hale, who played a crucial role in making Thanksgiving a national holiday. The narrative is wrapped in an easy-to-follow format for young minds.
“I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie” by Alison Jackson
A Thanksgiving twist on the classic rhyme, this book tells the story of an old lady with a big appetite. With its cumulative tale and amusing illustrations, it’s a fun read that kids will want to hear again and again.
3. Thanksgiving Snack Station
Activity: Offer a variety of healthy, themed snacks such as turkey-shaped sandwiches and fruit cornucopias. (Although the Procare Solutions mascot Tucker the penguin would suggest pumpkin pie!)
Safety Tip: Be mindful of food allergies and ensure that all snacks are age-appropriate.
Organizing Tip: Involve families by asking them to contribute snack ideas or ingredients, creating a potluck atmosphere.
4. Gratitude Tree
Activity: Encourage children to write or draw what they are thankful for on leaves cut from colored paper, which can then be attached to a “gratitude tree” display.
Inclusivity Tip: Offer alternative ways for children to express gratitude, like using stickers or stamps, for those who may not feel comfortable drawing or writing.
Organizing Tip: Display the tree prominently in the daycare as a reminder of the Thanksgiving spirit, and invite families to add to it during drop-off or pick-up.
Share Thanksgiving Fun With Families With a Child Care App!
Studies show that the average American checks their phone 262 times per day! That’s once every 5.5 minutes. And 88% of mobile time is spent on apps, according to Buildfire.
Having a child care mobile app streamlines administrative functions and makes life easier for administrators, teachers, and parents so you can focus on what matters most — better outcomes for the children in your care.
And families LOVE seeing what their children are doing in your child care center! Share photos and videos of them celebrating Thanksgiving to increase family engagement and show them how much fun their little one is having in your care.
Download our free “7 Reasons Why a Child Care Mobile App will Help Streamline Operations and Communication at Your Center or School” infographic to learn what this app can do for your child care business!
