Thanksgiving is a time for eating, sharing, visiting family and giving thanks for everything in your life. That makes it a perfect time to make arts and craft projects with the ones you love! Whether your guests are five years old or fifty, crafts can bring out expressions of love, joy, fun, and creativity that will make this year one you will never forget.
Hand turkeys: Make these just like the ones you made in elementary school! Trace your hand over a piece of construction paper or acid free craft paper. Scrapbook paper or card stock works best if you plan to keep them as mementos for years to come. (Construction paper fades easily and does not hold up to certain types of glue) Cut out the hand and decorate the thumb as the turkey head and the fingers as “feathers.” Little hands look adorable when they are attached together with big hands to give the turkey different layers of feathers. Children love seeing their hands and feet on paper because they can see “firsthand” how fast they grow.
Gratitude book: Making a mini scrapbook called “What we are thankful for” can illustrate gratitude and the true spirit of thanksgiving. Have each family member write a paragraph on each page saying what they are thankful for. Help the little ones by writing their thoughts for them. Make sure to include answers like “popsicles, “my dog” or answers that might seem silly to an adult but show the pure joy of a child. Have older adults write and share the wisdom from times gone by. These thoughts are priceless when you look back later and relive those precious moments again. Write the year, the name and age of each person and place it on a table for others to see and appreciate.
What I'm thankful for collage: If your child may not know how to express what they are thankful for, find some old magazines and have them cut out pictures of what they like, what food they want to eat or a favorite TV show. Pictures give people the opportunity to say things words can not. The pictures your family chooses may surprise you!
Count your blessings page: Start with a 12x12 paper base that uses solid colors in order to feature the words as the art. Autumn colors work well but are not necessary. Title your page: “Count your blessings” and have guests write small phrases on little pieces of white paper. You can write phrases that focus on things like: “a warm bed,” “food to eat,” "good health," “a roof over our head,” “a steady job,” ”Mom and Dad," or “people who support me.”
Glue each phrase on the colored page and include other thoughts and mementos from the day's events. You can write which team won the football game, who ate the most food or who fell asleep first. You can also add the wish bone from the turkey. This can put things into perspective for children by seeing life from a different point of view. Some people or families do not have these small blessings so this craft can show gratitude in a compassionate and positive way. Hang this page on the wall for a display to remind everyone how important it is to be grateful. Not just on Thanksgiving but every day of the year.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/thanksgiving/
http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-craft-decorations/
http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/issues/November_December_2011
Craft Goddess
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