Storytime: Thanksgiving

Age: 2-5 years
Time: 25 minutes + play

This was our last Storytime of the fall session. Since we're closed on a couple Wednesdays in December and I've already been doing this for 12 weeks, the day before Thanksgiving was a good stopping point. We'll pick back up again when school starts, the first week of January.


1) I use the same opening and closing songs each week. Click here to see what I do.

2) Thanksgiving Rules - Laurie Friedman

A fun what-to-expect-at-Thanksgiving book. I didn't read the "extra" sentences and list of rules on the pages, just the basic story.

3) Hello Mr. Turkey
Tune: If You're Happy and You Know It

Hello Mr. Turkey, how are you? (clap clap)
Hello Mr. Turkey, how are you? (clap clap)
With a gobble gobble gobble (hand under chin, wiggle fingers)
And a wobble wobble wobble (shake body)
Hello Mr. Turkey, how are you? (clap clap)

4) I'm a Little Turkey

Tune: I'm a Little Teapot

I'm a little turkey, my name is Ted
Here are my feathers, here is my head
Gobble gobble gobble is what I say
Quick! Run! It's Thanksgiving Day!

5) Turkey Pokey
Tune: Hokey Pokey

You put your wings in, you put your wings out
You put your wings in and you shake them all about
You do the turkey pokey and you gobble all around
That's what it's all about!

... drumsticks
... tail feathers
... whole turkey


6) Thanksgiving - Miriam Nerlove (non-fiction)

I wanted to include a book that told the story of Thanksgiving, since the majority of the kids weren't in school yet and had probably never heard of the Pilgrims and Native Americans. This was the best one I could come up with, it was published in 1990 so some of the pictures were a bit dated. If anyone else knows of a better non-fiction Thanksgiving book for preschoolers let me know!!


7) Five Little Pilgrims fingerplay

Five little pilgrims fish in the morn (hold up right hand, wiggle fingers)
Five little Indians help them plant corn (hold up left hand, wiggles fingers)
Pilgrims bring bread (bring right hand closer to middle)
Indians bring meat (bring left hand closer to middle)
Ten new friends sit down to eat! (fold hands together)

8) (10) Little Turkeys

I had a handful of stick puppet turkeys that I handed out to the kids. They stood in a line while we said the rhyme. I'd point at one kid during "one little turkey flew far away" and they would bring fly their turkey up for me to take. I have "ten" in parentheses because it doesn't really matter how many turkeys you start with!

(Ten) little turkeys sat in their pen
"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen
One little turkey flew far away
But the other ones decided to stay
...
One little turkey sat in his pen
"Hide, turkey, hide!" said the little red hen
The last little turkey flew off toward the sun
And when he was gone, there were... none!

9) Thanksgiving Mice - Bethany Roberts

A simple re-telling of the Thanksgiving story. I don't think my kids really got the concept of the mice doing a play to tell the story though.


10) I use the same opening and closing songs each week. Click here to see what I do.

11) Playtime/Craft

I brought out the blocks and instruments again. For the table craft I had cardstock with this little poem printed on the bottom:

This isn't just a turkey, as anyone can see
I made it with my hand, which is a part of me.
It comes with lots of love especially to say
I hope that you have a very
HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!!!

The kids traced their hands (or had their grown-up help) then colored their turkeys, and chose someone to give it to the next day at Thanksgiving.

Other Thanksgiving ideas:

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie - Jackson
This First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Story - Melmed
Thank You Thanksgiving - Milgrim
Thanks for Thanksgiving - Markes
I'm a Turkey - Arnosky
This is Thanksgiving - Ziefert
We eat turkey flannel
5 silly turkeys
any other turkey crafts, paper plates, bags, etc.