Thanksgiving Preschool Activities for Pre-K & Kindergarten

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year to teach little learners. There’s just something so sweet about the excitement kids have for turkeys, pumpkins, and all the yummy Thanksgiving fun. It makes the perfect season for hands-on learning that feels more like play than work.

If you’re planning a Thanksgiving theme week in your classroom, looking for fun November activities at home, or just want to keep your little learners busy with something meaningful, I’ve got you covered. Below are 20 Thanksgiving activities for preschool, pre-K, kindergarten and maybe even 1st graders that include literacy, math, fine motor, crafts, movement, and more.

Want all 20 at once? The activities in this post is part of my Thanksgiving Preschool Activities Bundle (Plus a couple FREEBIES). That’s 202 pages for $20, and buying them separately costs $115, so the bundle saves you 83%.

Thanksgiving Literacy Activities

1. Thanksgiving Turkey Name Craft

This one is always a favorite! Kids build a cute turkey with letter feathers that spell their name. Younger learners can use the printed feathers, and older kids can try writing the letters on their own. It makes such a sweet bulletin board display too!
👉 Get the Turkey Name Craft

2. Pumpkin Pie Flip and Cover

A fun letter recognition game! Kids flip a card, find the matching letter, and cover it with a small candy, counter, sticker or dot marker on their pumpkin pie mat.
👉 Get Pumpkin Pie Flip and Cover

3. 2-Piece Alphabet Puzzles

Children match uppercase and lowercase letters by fitting two puzzle pieces together.
👉 Get the Alphabet Puzzles

4. FREE Alphabet Leaf Matching

Children match uppercase and lowercase letters as well as beginning sounds pictures.
👉 Get the Leaf Matching Activity

Thanksgiving Math Activities

5. Turkey Feather Counting Clip Cards

Count the feathers and clip the correct number — easy, hands-on, and so helpful for number recognition! These cards go from 1 to 20, but you can absolutely use just 1–10 with younger learners. Plus, clipping the cards helps build those little hand muscles too.
👉 Get the Turkey Counting Clip Cards

6. Cornucopia Counting Activity

This one is such a fun way to practice counting. Kids fill the cornucopia and count the matching objects. Use the adding cards or the number 1 to 20 cards. I love activities like this because they feel seasonal and playful, but they’re still packed with learning.
👉 Get the Cornucopia Counting Activity

7. Turkey/Cornucopia Shape Matching Game

Shapes and Thanksgiving? Yes, please! Kids match the cards by shape while reviewing circles, squares, triangles, and more. It’s a nice hands-on way to sneak in early math practice.
👉 Get the Shape Matching Game

8. Thanksgiving Puzzles

Puzzle time is always a win in my book. Cut into strips and have little ones put back together. These Thanksgiving picture puzzles help build visual matching, problem-solving, and patience — and they’re great for early finishers too.
👉 Get the Thanksgiving Puzzles

9. Acorn Counting

Place number cards upside down. As you flip them over count that many acorns to give to the squirrel.
👉 Get the Acorn Counting Activity

Thanksgiving Fine Motor Activities

10. Turkey Cutting Practice Sheets

Scissor practice gets a festive makeover with these turkey cutting pages! Kids can cut along straight or curvy lines while building confidence and hand strength.
👉 Get the Turkey Cutting Practice Sheets

11. Thanksgiving Tracing Sheets

Tracing pages are such a gentle way to build pencil control and pre-writing skills. These Thanksgiving-themed sheets give little learners a chance to practice while still having fun with the holiday theme.
👉 Get the Thanksgiving Tracing Sheets

12. Pom Pom Activity Pages

Kids place matching color pom poms on the circles to complete each picture, and it’s always such a hit. If you want to make it a little more challenging, you can add tongs or tweezers too.
👉 Get the Pom Pom Activity Pages

13. Dot Marker or Dot Sticker Coloring Pages

These are perfect for kids who love coloring in a different way. Dot markers or dot stickers make the pages extra fun, and they also help with hand-eye coordination.
👉 Get the Dot Marker Pages

Thanksgiving Crafts & Keepsakes

14. Disguise a Turkey Craft

Oh, this one is just plain fun! The turkey doesn’t want to be Thanksgiving dinner, so kids get to disguise it as anything they want. It’s creative, silly, and such a cute take-home project for families.
👉 Get the Disguise a Turkey Craft

15. Cutest Little Pumpkin in the Patch Handprint Keepsake

This handprint pumpkin craft is one of those sweet keepsakes families treasure. It makes such a lovely Thanksgiving gift for parents or grandparents, and little ones love seeing their handprint turn into something adorable.
👉 Get the Pumpkin Handprint Keepsake

16. Build a Turkey

Kids will love putting this turkey together piece by piece. Mix and match any way they choose!
👉 Get Build a Turkey

17. “I’m Thankful For” Turkey Craft

This thankful turkey is such a beautiful way to talk about gratitude with little learners. Each feather gives kids a chance to share something they’re thankful for, and I just love the sweet conversations this craft can spark.
👉 Get the I’m Thankful For Turkey Craft

18. Thank You God For… Pumpkin Craft (Faith-Based)

This pumpkin gratitude craft is perfect for Sunday school, children’s church, or Christian homeschool families. Kids fill the pumpkin pocket with thankful seeds, each one showing a blessing they’re thankful to God for.
👉 Get the Thank You God For… Pumpkin Craft

Thanksgiving Movement & Play Activities

19. Turkey Feather Color Game

Sometimes kids just need to move! This color game gets them up, moving, and practicing color recognition at the same time. It’s a great choice for brain breaks, rainy days, or anytime your little ones need to wiggle a bit.
👉 Get the Turkey Feather Color Game

20. Thanksgiving Turkey Says

This Thanksgiving version of “Simon Says” is always a crowd-pleaser. Kids get to listen carefully, follow directions, and move their bodies while having a blast. It’s such a fun way to work in gross motor practice.
👉 Get Thanksgiving Turkey Says

21. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt Game

This one feels like play, but kids are learning as they go. They search for hidden Thanksgiving pictures and check them off a list. You can hide the pictures in your classroom, around the house, or even use it at a family gathering.
👉 Get the Thanksgiving Hide and Seek Game

22. Thanksgiving Dinner Dramatic Play

Turn your pretend play area into a Thanksgiving feast and let the fun begin! Kids can set the table, serve food, and act out family dinner roles. Dramatic play is such a wonderful way to build language, social skills, and imagination.
👉 Get the Thanksgiving Dinner Dramatic Play

How to Use These Thanksgiving Activities

In the classroom: Rotate these activities through literacy, math, and fine motor centers during Thanksgiving week. Use the movement games for brain breaks and enjoy the crafts for your Thanksgiving celebration.

At home or in homeschool: Try one or two activities a day throughout November, or save several for Thanksgiving week when you need a fun, low-stress way to keep little hands busy.

In Sunday school or children’s church: Pair the Thank You God For… pumpkin craft with the I’m Thankful For turkey craft for a sweet lesson on gratitude.

Prep Tips

Many of these activities are print-and-go, which is always a blessing during a busy holiday season.
Several need just simple cutting, so you can prep them ahead of time when you have a quiet moment.
A few use easy classroom supplies like clothespins, pom poms, dot markers, or stickers.
Laminate reusable cards and puzzles so you can pull them out again next Thanksgiving!

Grab the Whole Bundle and Save 83%

If you want all 20 Thanksgiving preschool activities in one place, the bundle is the best deal. You’ll get:

20 Thanksgiving activities
202 pages
Literacy, math, fine motor, gross motor, crafts, and dramatic play
Activities for preschool, pre-K, and kindergarten
$115 worth of activities for just $20

👉 Get the Thanksgiving Preschool Activities Bundle here!

Join The Playful Preschool Club

Looking for more fun, low-prep preschool themes each month? Join the Playful Preschool Club! For just $17 a month, members get two new themes every month with fresh activities ready to use. In November, members will receive the Thanksgiving theme plus Community Helpers, and in December they’ll get Gingerbread and Christmas themes. It’s a simple, affordable way to keep your preschool lessons fresh all year long!

👉 Click Here To Check Out The Playful Preschool Club

Happy Thanksgiving, and Happy Teaching! 🦃🍂

P.S. Looking ahead to Christmas?
If you’re planning ahead for the holiday season, be sure to check out my God’s Best Gift Coloring Book for a sweet, Jesus-centered Christmas activity for little ones.

Get your God’s Best Gift Christmas coloring book HERE!