Pick a Thankful Activity

I have posted several Thanksgiving singing time activities over the years.  I have listed below links to some "Thankful" posts for your convenience. Every year, the Sunday before Thanksgiving, I use my "Turkey" activity.  The children begin asking for it at the first of November.  I either have the children "pluck" the feathers or put them on the turkey.  The feathers all have song titles on the back of each. The children love either one. 

Thanksgiving Turkey
The Thankful Chain
The Thankful Tree
The Thankful Turkey
I Am Glad for Many Things
Gratitude

The Thankful Chain

We've all made paper chains for Christmas whether it be for decorations or a count-down chain.  How about a "Thankful" chain?!?

Cut 25 1" strips of fall colored paper 8 1/2" long.  Write the titles of the songs you would like to sing during singing time - 5 or 6 songs.  On the rest of the strips write "I am thankful for __________."  Mix the songs with the other strips and make a paper chain.

 Hang the chain on the chalkboard, podium, piano, several chairs, any place where the children can see and reach it.  Tell the children that on each chain there is a song or an "I am thankful for __________." sentence.  If the link has a song on it, the primary will sing it.  If it has "I am thankful for __________.", the child will tell something that he or she is thankful for.

Encourage the children to make their own "Thankful" chain at home with their family and see how long they can make it by writing things that they are thankful for.

The "Thankful" Tree

Whether your are reviewing or learning a new song, this activity will help children think of what they are thankful for.

• Cut out enough autumn leaves for everyone in your primary.  (all different colors)  Die cutting is fast and school supply stores have them already cut into packages of 25 or more.
• On a poster board, draw a tree with branches (no leaves)
• pencils

Every time  you sing a song (or phrase if it is a new song) have a child write something that they are thankful for on a leaf and tape it to the tree. 

If you are using this "Thankful" tree activity for the entire month, keep track of who has put up a leaf and
continue throughout the month.  By the end of November the tree should be covered with "thankful" leaves!

If you are doing this activity one or two weeks, ask several children to write on a leaf after each song so that the tree is covered by the end of singing time.

The Reverence Thermometer

Reverence has been and will continue to be a challenge forever.  When I feel that it's time to do something about it, I put my creative mind in gear.  There are many ideas out there to encourage reverence, which is "more than just quietly sitting."

The following is an oldie but goodie.
The Reverence Thermometer
You will need the following:

• one heavy piece of cardboard or foam core board
• two colors of ribbon (contrasting colors) about 24" long
• markers - 2 colors

1. Sew or safety pin one end of one color ribbon to the other color ribbon.  (Sewing is preferable so the ribbon will slide easier.)
2. Draw a thermometer - see picture below
3. Cut a slit at the bottom and top of the thermometer for the ribbon to slide in
4. Measure the ribbon so both colors are even and are both the length of the thermometer
5. I sewed a piece of velcro on the ends of each piece of ribbon so it can be fastened to each other on the back side of the thermometer (a safety pin will work, too)
6. Thread the ribbon in the slits and fasten in the back
7. Move the ribbon up and down to measure the children's reverence