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November is here, and Thanksgiving is near! This month is a great time to sit down with your preschooler and chat about the history of Thanksgiving and what it means to us hundreds of years after the original Thanksgiving feast. Teaching your preschooler about Thanksgiving will be a piece of…pie!
Brush up on your history
Have a sit-down with your preschooler to chat about the chronological history of the first Thanksgiving, being sure to be respectful of the interpretation of the differing cultures that sat down for that original event. Explain that the Pilgrims, a group of around 100 men, women and children, arrived in America aboard the Mayflower in December of 1620 in search of religious freedom from the King of England. Their first winter in the New World was tough, and many people got sick or died. However, with help from the local Native Americans, the Pilgrims were able to plant indigenous crops and learn new techniques to survive in this strange new place.
After a bountiful harvest in 1621, Captain Miles Standish invited the Native Americans that had helped them to join in a three-day feast of Thanksgiving—side by side with the Pilgrims—which eventually became our national holiday.
Reflect
Take a moment with your child to reflect on the things, people, and memories that make them thankful this year. Cultivating gratitude is an important part in your child’s development, so be sure to echo key themes in telling the story and history of Thanksgiving, such as the importance of setting aside differences and respecting one another.
Craft time
Put your child’s newfound gratitude and thankfulness to the test by doing some arts and crafts that reflect the history of Thanksgiving. Make a classic “hand turkey” by tracing and cutting out a silhouette of their hand on construction paper and writing down something they’re thankful for on it. For a unique gift to give to your loved ones at Thanksgiving dinner, encourage your child to draw pictures of the first Thanksgiving on construction paper or legal paper placemats that you can then laminate. As an added bonus, have your child write something they’re thankful for about each person who corresponds to each placemat!
Want to learn more about Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Oakbrook located in Norcross, Georgia? Our mission is to provide secure, nurturing, and educational environments for children ages 6 weeks – 12 years. We help children to bloom into responsible, considerate, and contributing members of society. For more information, give us a call or stop by for a tour! We’d love to get to know you and your family.