My kids and I made a “Thankful Tree” for a table centerpiece this weekend - we made a little tree and hung paper leaves with our names on the front and something we were thankful for on the back. it is a really cute activity to do with your kids.
Here are the materials we used:
one small plant pot
a handful of marbles
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a small branch from a bush in our yard
string
construction paper
We took the pot and put the marbles in - ours came up about half way but we could have used a few more. Then we stuck our branch in the pot and cut out a bunch of “leaves” out of different colored construction paper. Then each of us wrote our name on the front of a few leaves and something we were thankful for on the back. Then I made a hole in the top of each leaf (I used a skewer but it would have been helpful to have hole punch), pulled a short piece of string through each leaf, knotted it, and hung the leaves on the tree.
It would also be fun to put a leaf or two at each person’s place on Thanksgiving to let everyone add to the thankful tree. Yes, our tree turned out a little Charlie Brownish - but it looks really cute on our table and it’s a great way for kids to think about what they are thankful for. My four year old son actually asked what being thankful meant so a lesson was learned:-).
11.19.08 @ 9:55 am
We do something similar to this. Only we put our tree on the wall and each day write something we are thankful for. It turns out to be a really big tree and very colorful. This is a good learning experense and also a fun activity to do with little ones.
11.19.08 @ 12:50 pm
i always dice up my left over turkey soak in chicken for a day & freeze tell christmas then on x-mas we always have mexican x-mas eve so i make turkey enchalitas . just wanted 2 give my option for left over turkey . plus after we open presents we have migas & i make it with turkey also , then for dinner we have traditional turkey meal with all the trimmings .
11.20.08 @ 10:24 am
sounds like a great idea , my son is two , so i don’t think that this is the project for him this year but maybe next!!!
11.20.08 @ 11:37 am
My kids love Thanksgiving because they get together with all our extended family.Each family is responsible for bring a dish to share and so there is always plenty of food. After the meal, we all go around and tell what we are thankful for and what we have been doing since that last time we were all together. What a great way to get re-connected!
In addtion to everything thing else that goes on at Thanksgiving, the kids look forward to after Thanksgiving when their elves come to visit. After Thanksgiving is over, they leave out crackers and water so that their elves will come from the North Pole! We have had many wonderful memories with our elves and are so thankful when they come to visit!
Please visit http://www.elf-magic.com if you would like to start a great after Thanksgiving tradition!
Happy Thanksgiving!
11.21.08 @ 12:26 pm
My Mother(in-law)started a tradition years ago. She found a plain colored table cloth and uses it only for Thanksgiving. Each year we have to sign and date it and write what we are thankful for. It is awesome to read, now especially since the children have grown.
11.21.08 @ 4:43 pm
We like to make Turkey hands with construction paper and send them out as Thanksgiving “cards” from our family. I also like to save a few extra and tape them to the walls and windows for everyone to see. It’s nice to compare my kids turkey hands to the ones they made the previous year. It’s neat to see how much bigger their hands have gotten
11.21.08 @ 5:06 pm
This is a great idea. We do something similar but instead of a tree we always put every family members name on a piece of paper, and put it in a hat. Then when we were ready to sit down for thanksgiving dinner we each pulled a name out and told that person something we were thankful for something they did or who they were. It always brings our family together every year. Now my kids are joining in and it’s fun to hear what everyone has to say about everyone.