Preschool Thanksgiving Activities: 4 Steps Towards Inclusivity

Whether you love pumpkin pie and turkey, or you dread family get-togethers, one thing’s for sure, Thanksgiving is almost here! 

What does this mean for early childhood teachers like you and me?

Well simply… Thanksgiving activities and the dreaded extra work that comes with them.

Being a preschool teacher can be challenging on the best of days, but, during times like Christmas and Thanksgiving, the work can downright be impossible!

However, this year it’s going to be different.

Because, this year, I’ll be sharing with you four easy steps to help you keep things fun and developmentally appropriate in the classroom during these festive times.

Ready to learn?

Let’s dive in!

Thanksgiving in the Preschool Classroom

You and I both know that being an early childhood professional can feel like an impossible job sometimes. And when extra things like parties and celebrations are piled on our plates during the holidays, it can feel like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

So when Thanksgiving is just around the corner, it’s natural to ask yourself what Thanksgiving activities you can incorporate in the classroom. 

It can be stressful and overwhelming, but, I’m here to help!

There is a way you can feel less stressed and lighten your load this Thanksgiving by teaching smarter, not harder.

And I’m going to lay it out for you with just four easy steps to help you keep it real and simple in your classroom this Thanksgiving.

Use REEL for Great Thanksgiving Activities

First, I want to introduce you to the concept of REEL, which stands for:

• Remember the brain research.
• Embrace the position statement.
• Engage with meaning.
• Let go of the mindset that this is the way we’ve always done it.

Let’s break this down, shall we?

Remember the Brain Research

We already know that the research has proven that young children learn from the concrete to the abstract.

What this tells us is that the concept of teaching the first Thanksgiving story in the early childhood classroom is not developmentally appropriate because it’s too abstract.

If concepts of time, such as yesterday, today, tomorrow, last month, and last year are too abstract for young children to fully grasp, then historical events are even more meaningless to them.

Remember: You are not a “bad” American or “unpatriotic” if you don’t teach the first Thanksgiving story in your classroom. You’re simply demonstrating your knowledge of child development and putting your students first.

Embrace the Position Statement

The National Association of the Education of Young Children (aka NAEYC) has an entire position statement on Equity and Diversity. 

Their position statement clearly outlines what equity and diversity means and looks like in today’s classrooms.

I encourage you to not only read, but also share the NAEYC position statement on Equity and Diversity.

Engage With Meaning

Do you read books aloud in your classroom? Is it something your kids are familiar with at this point in the year?

If so, try reading aloud some books written by native american writers, like We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell or Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard.

Look at some Native American art with the children to inspire them at the art center.

These are ways to introduce your students to the Native American culture and acknowledge their important contributions to our society without being stereotypical.

You can also talk about your students’ favorite foods that they eat with their families during Thanksgiving.

I like to sneak in a little nutrition lesson or two to set them up for my friendship salad.

Let Go of the “This Is the Way We’ve Always Done It” Mindset

There are some things that we’ve always done in early childhood education because they’re good teaching practices, like fingerplays or open-ended art.

And then there are things that we’ve done for a long time, but new research has shown us it’s not how children learn. And we need to let go of those outdated methods.

The best teachers are lifelong learners, it’s part of being a professional educator. So we must embody that role to its fullest and let go of outdated thinking that holds us and our students back.

I discuss all of this in more depth in the episode above, so make sure to give it a listen when you can!

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Check out my Thanksgiving book list

Discover more Thanksgiving activities

Get the Thanksgiving Bundle

More about the Friendship Fruit Salad

Learn how to teach about Thanksgiving in a socially responsible way

Discover how to teach about Native Americans in preschool

Read the NAEYC Position Statement on Equity and Diversity