by Trudy Brown

Created on: November 06, 2009

Celebrating Thanksgiving is a beloved tradition in American families. Like all holidays, Thanksgiving is honored in different ways by different families but the core values and symbols are the same for all. It is a time for being aware of our blessings instead of our wants. Your preschooler probably has only the vaguest notion what Thanksgiving is all about so use some of that holiday togetherness time to do crafts with your preschooler that will help illustrate what Thanksgiving is all about.

*Pilgrim hat

Once you've shared the basic story and characters with your preschooler, it's time to do some crafts to help him remember. Pilgrim hats are a great way to do that because they can be made many different ways depending on the amount of time and supplies you wish to invest. For example, a clay pot or paper cup turned upside down and painted black can serve for the main body of the hat. Black construction paper, craft foam, or felt can be trimmed into a circle and glued to the broad end of the hat to create the brim. A strip of brown construction paper, foam, or felt can be wrapped around like a hat band and the outline of a square cut from the same material in yellow can make a buckle. They make nice centerpieces and are easy to put together.

*Native American clay pots

When it comes to the Native American part of the story, don't overwhelm your preschooler with discussions about different tribes, on the other hand, don't fall back on stereotypical teepees and feathered headdresses either. The Wampanoag tribe whose members were present at that first Thanksgiving used neither. They did, however, have clay pots for cooking and carrying objects. Use self-hardening clay to make small pinch pots as silverware holders or candy dishes for your Thanksgiving table. The clay can be hard so wet it down some to make it more malleable. Make the base by pressing a smallish ball of clay into a flat circle. Roll the clay into several thick strands and then spiral them upwards to form the sides of the pot. Mold the base up around the sides of the basket. Wet the clay again and show your child how to pinch and knead the coils to smooth them together into a cohesive piece. Allow the pot to dry completely which will probably take about twenty-four hours then you and your child can decorate the pot with acrylic paints. Show your child pictures of Native American art and try to recreate the geometric shapes and bright colors on your pot.

*Thankfulness place mats

Let your child make a special place mat for his spot at the Thanksgiving table. Look through magazines, sales papers, and catalogs and let your child pick out pictures of things for which he is thankful. You may even want to let him take pictures of items around the house and special people in his life to add to the pile. Take a piece of construction paper and write in the middle, "I am thankful for...". Around those words help your preschooler make a collage of the pictures he chose. To finish the place mat, stick the construction paper to a large piece of clear contact paper and carefully lay another piece of contact paper over the top of the place mat sealing it in.

Teach your preschooler the origin and important lessons of Thanksgiving through hands-on activities that will serve as reminders for years to come. By doing these crafts with your child you are also teaching them another important lesson. You are showing your child that you are thankful for him.

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