Explore these 5 creative Thanksgiving book crafts for kids. Each book is paired with a fun craft to enhance the reading experience for kids.
Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and togetherness, making it the perfect opportunity to spend time with your kids, reading meaningful stories and creating art together.
We’ve gathered five lovely Thanksgiving picture books that celebrate the spirit of the holiday. To make the reading experience even more fun and memorable, each book is paired with a creative Thanksgiving book craft that families can enjoy creating together.
These activities are a great way to spark creativity while reinforcing the values of gratitude and thankfulness. Dive into the list and get ready for a fun-filled, cozy Thanksgiving season!
5 Thanksgiving Book Crafts for Kids
1. Giving Thanks by Jonathan London, illustrated by Gregory Manchess
A lovely book of gratitude in nature. Get Creative: Add a tradition of gratitude in your home! Find a few sticks that will fit in a vase or jar to create a gratitude tree. Work together to decorate the sticks with paint. Add wire, yarn, and beads if you’d like. Then take a moment each day to think of something you’re thankful for, write it on a paper leaf, and tie it to the branches of your tree.
2. Sharing the Bread: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Jill McElmurry
This story follows a family as they work together to prepare a delicious meal. Get Creative: How about some “cooking” sensory play? If you haven’t made your own playdough before, now’s a great time to try! (Try this no-cook recipe and get the kids involved!) Set out the playdough with real cooking tools like a rolling pin, mixing bowls, and muffin tins to inspire your little chef. Beads make great toppings!
3. Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet
This is the captivating true story of a puppeteer behind the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. Get Creative: Make your own parade balloons! Use balloons, scraps of paper, straws, tape, and other collage materials to make your family’s own Thanksgiving Day parade!
4. One Family by George Shannon, illustrated by Blanca Gomez
A beautifully illustrated counting book that celebrates the diversity of families, showing that love and togetherness come in many forms and sizes. Get Creative: If you’ve got a kids table at your Thanksgiving get together, set out craft sticks, markers and crayons and have each kid make their own family!
5. Giving Thanks: More Than 100 Ways to Say Thank You by Ellen Surrey
This book offers simple and fun ideas for kids and adults to show gratitude in everyday ways. Get Creative: Decorate a jar (we used squares of colorful tissue paper and Mod Podge) and create your own gratitude jar. Each day, add something that you are thankful for, all season long!
More Books and Crafts for Kids
- 5 Halloween Book Craft Ideas for Kids
- 5 Fall Book Craft Ideas for Kids
- 5 Holiday Children’s Books to Inspire Family Creativity
- 15 Thanksgiving Children’s Books
- How to Create a Seasonal Home Library for Children
- The Artful Parent’s Thanksgiving Creativity Pack
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