Thanksgiving is the perfect time to combine fun, family, and learning. For preschoolers, hands-on crafts and sensory play spark curiosity and creativity while also building important developmental skills. At Hyde Park Play School, we love to turn everyday materials into learning moments that encourage children to explore, create, and connect with the world around them.
If you’re looking for Thanksgiving crafts for preschoolers or fall preschool activities you can do at home, here are some simple, low-cost ideas that nurture both fine motor skills and imagination—all while keeping the holiday spirit alive.
🖐️ 1. Classic Handprint Turkeys
No Thanksgiving is complete without this timeless favorite! Trace your child’s hand on colored paper or cardstock to create the turkey’s body. The fingers become feathers, and your little one can decorate each one with crayons, markers, or paint.
Learning Benefits:
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Strengthens fine motor skills through tracing, cutting, and coloring
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Builds color recognition when children choose their feather shades
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Encourages storytelling and language development when you talk about what your “turkey” might do for Thanksgiving
Try adding a fun writing twist: help your child dictate or write one thing they’re thankful for on each feather. It’s a sweet keepsake and a meaningful gratitude exercise rolled into one.
🍁 2. Leaf Stamping Art
Turn an outdoor adventure into an art project! Go on a nature walk to collect fallen leaves, acorns, and pinecones. Once home, press the leaves into washable paint and stamp them onto white paper to create beautiful fall prints.
Learning Benefits:
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Introduces early science concepts like texture, shape, and patterns
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Builds observation skills as children notice differences between leaves
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Encourages self-expression through creative design
To make it more educational, talk about why leaves change color or count how many different types your child finds during your walk. You can even make a “Leaf Counting Book” by gluing one stamped leaf per page and writing the number underneath.
🥧 3. “Pumpkin Pie” Play Dough
Engage the senses with homemade pumpkin pie play dough! Combine 2 cups of flour, ½ cup of salt, 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar, 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1½ cups of boiling water. Mix and knead until smooth.
Add orange food coloring or a few drops of pumpkin extract for an extra sensory kick. Children can roll, cut, and mold the dough into pies, pumpkins, or leaves.
Learning Benefits:
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Builds fine motor strength and hand-eye coordination
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Promotes imaginative play and creativity
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Offers sensory exploration through texture, scent, and color
This is one of our favorite hands-on learning ideas for developing focus and patience while giving little hands something fun (and festive) to do.
🧮 4. Count, Sort, and Match with Fall Finds
Transform everyday fall items into playful math lessons. Collect small objects like mini pumpkins, pinecones, and acorns. Have your child count them, sort them by size or type, or make simple patterns (pumpkin, pinecone, pumpkin, pinecone).
Learning Benefits:
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Strengthens early math skills like counting and pattern recognition
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Encourages critical thinking and comparison
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Teaches classification and organization in a fun, tactile way
📖 5. Tell a Thanksgiving Story
Encourage your preschooler to use their crafts as characters in a Thanksgiving story. Maybe their handprint turkey wants to make new friends or share a meal with the leaf prints! Storytelling supports early literacy and emotional development.
You can also read picture books that celebrate gratitude and togetherness, such as:
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Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
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Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes
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One Is a Feast for Mouse by Judy Cox
These stories help children understand the meaning of the holiday while building listening and comprehension skills.
❤️ Bringing It All Together
Whether your family is baking pies, crafting turkeys, or reading by the fire, the goal of Thanksgiving activities is connection. These simple, affordable projects encourage creativity, curiosity, and gratitude—the very values we celebrate every day at Hyde Park Play School.
By turning ordinary materials into opportunities for learning, you’re helping your child grow not just in skill, but in spirit. So roll up those sleeves, spread out the craft paper, and make this Thanksgiving season one filled with color, laughter, and love.