Thanksgiving Activities

Thanksgiving Activities - Fall Craft Ideas For Kids

The first Thanksgiving Dinner in 1621 is portrayed below in "The First Thanksgiving" (1915), by American painter Jean Louis Gerome Ferris (1863-1930). Pilgrims and Indians shared the Pilgrim's first successful harvest in their new American settlement at Plymouth Rock. The meaning of Thanksgiving is derived from the Pilgrims being grateful that they would have enough food to last through the hard winter ahead. Today it means much more, symbolizing the Constitution's freedom of religion as sought by the Pilgrims when they made their journey; and the original tolerance between the Pilgrims and Native Americans.

The event is commemorated in Thanksgiving Day, one of the Federal holidays, which is now a popular occasion for families to gather for a Thanksgiving Dinner.

For families, Thanksgiving is also an opportunity to learn more about early American history, and about the Christian Thanksgiving aspects of the celebration. There is no better way to do this than to involve children in Thanksgiving crafts activities to help decorate your home for Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving crafts for kids are especially popular activities for kindergarten classes and preschoolers. Because there are so many natural resources available in the Fall, kids Thanksgiving crafts often center on Fall crafts using collected leaves, pine cones, apples, pumpkins and the like.

A turkey theme is a traditional part of Thanksgiving, and turkey crafts are popular in Thanksgiving decorations.

These days, low cost Thanksgiving costumes and decorations are readily available. Some families make a costume party out of the celebrations, with family and guests dressing as Pilgrims and Native American Indians, to recreate the first Thanksgiving atmosphere. There are many choices of costume available, for adults and children, or you might prefer to simply choose to wear Pilgrim hats and Indian bonnets and headbands to represent the participants at the First Thanksgiving Dinner.

Fun activities such as face painting little Native American warriors in war paint - always popular with kids - can be part of the dressing up.

Thanksgiving is a special family time, many people like to create a scrapbooking record of each year's event to remember gatherings and record the changes that are taking place.

One enduring aspect of Thanksgiving Dinner is the popularity of the traditional Fall harvest pumpkins. One of the most popular pumpkin dishes is, of course, the pumpkin pie, but there are other pumpkin variations too. A handy reference is this book of the most popular pumpkin pie and other pumpkin recipes.

Thanksgiving Arts and Crafts - Craft Ideas For Kids Activities

Thanksgiving Activities - Fall Craft Ideas For Kids