Growing up, my parents were never big on the holidays. They never made any big events out of them in our house. Thanksgiving was always a day to spend time with our family and enjoy a nice meal. But when I started working in education, I realized how much kids love the classroom parties. So I wanted to share some ideas to help you throw a fun, exciting, and memorable Thanksgiving party in your classroom.
Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving night is often spent watching the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special, playing football in the backyard, and indulging in enormous amounts of turkey and mashed potatoes. Children and adults are often spending time with their families, playing games, talking, and eating. Why not use this jovial Charlie Brown Thanksgiving theme to bring the custom into the classroom? Snoopy’s hastily assembled Thanksgiving supper of jelly beans, pretzels, and popcorn is a wonderful treat for this theme. It’s a great opportunity to bring the custom into the classroom and to teach students about the Thanksgiving holiday.
Props for a Thanksgiving Photo Booth
A festively decorated photo booth will be a hit at your party because kids adore dressing up and having fun, so a photo booth is the perfect photo opportunity at your Thanksgiving celebration. Print on card stock paper and attach these amusing Thanksgiving accessories from Amazon on sticks. A “gobble gobble gobble” sign, a pilgrim hat, a bonnet, a Native American headdress, a turkey leg, a turkey wattle, and other props are also available.
Purchase a background for a photo booth, such as these cheery autumn backdrops from Amazon, or just hang a sheet, tablecloth, or colorful wrapping paper. Don’t forget to request that a volunteer bring an iPad or camera, and print out and attach these Thanksgiving photo booth cards from Amazon on card stock paper. A “gobble gobble gobble” card, a pilgrim hat, a bonnet, a Native American headdress, a turkey leg, a turkey wattle, and other props are also available. Don’t forget to print out and attach these Thanksgiving photo booth cards from Amazon on card stock paper.
Simple Pinecone Garland
This is a cheap, easy way to introduce fall to the classroom. To do this, gather pinecones, then use a hot glue gun to adhere them to jute rope. To add a splash of color, you can also knot ribbon in cheery fall colors in between each pinecone. Add some red berries and scarlet sprigs to make this appropriate for the winter holidays.
Thanksgiving Tree
Purchase a pre-made tree for your school, like this one from Party City, or ask the children to construct one beforehand or as a party activity. Simply gather a couple substantial branches and put them together. Acorns or floral foam can be used to anchor the vase. Kids can either seal real leaves with Mod Podge or trace leaves onto construction paper and cut them out to make “thankful leaves.” Once each leaf has dried, poke a hole at the top and thread twine through to form a loop. Each child then uses a Sharpie to write his name and something for which he is grateful on a leaf before hanging it on the tree.
Purchase a pre-made tree for your school, like this one from Party City, or ask the children to construct one beforehand or as a party activity. Simply gather a couple substantial branches and put them together. Acorns or floral foam can be used to anchor the vase. Kids can either seal real leaves with Mod Podge or trace leaves onto construction paper and cut them out to make “thankful leaves.” Once each leaf has dried, poke a hole at the top and thread twine through to form a loop. Each child then uses a Sharpie to write their name and something for which they are grateful on a leaf, and then they hang the leaf on the tree.
Festive Mason Jars with Feathers
Anything looks excellent in a mason jar, and chances are that at least one of the class party activities will require crayons or markers, which fit very well inside. Simply fill each jar with markers, crayons, pencils, and other supplies after tying a feather or two to them using twine or jute.
10 Thanksgiving Activities for School
Table Cloths
With a few simple tablecloths in traditional Thanksgiving hues like brown, orange, and gold, you can’t go wrong. To draw attention to the materials required for your activities or your “feast,” add a runner in a complementary color through the center. Your workstations and tables will look more festive if you use a tablecloth with a Thanksgiving theme. To draw attention to the materials required for your activities or your “feast,” add a runner in a complementary color through the center. Your workstations and tables will look more festive if you use a tablecloth with a Thanksgiving theme.
Tableware
A suitable set of plates and napkins will give your classroom feast an extra special touch! And non-toxic, biodegradable lunch trays are a convenient way for students to balance their plates at school, and they provide a safe and healthy way to dispose of food. Besides, thank-you messages are printed on these hand-stamped wooden cutlery pieces. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy the harvest in the fall than with these sweet and homey pieces of wood.
What’s more, with straws and treat bags included, this set of 8 plastic cups from makes a sweet addition to a classroom celebration and makes a great take-home item for the kids on a tight budget. A tight budget? With a few sheets of felt and a hot glue gun, you can create your own turkeys to place on dollar shop glasses. Simply use markers to draw a face on the turkey, and then use markers to draw feathers as well. Just make sure to hairspray the felt first to prevent bleeding. Turkey toothpicks are an easy way to spice up otherwise plain finger food, and they’re also very convenient and cute.
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