Have your children express their creativity with this craft from the Gryphon House book "GIANT Encyclopedia of Preschool Activities for 3-Year-Olds"!
Materials
- Construction paper in autumn colors
- Scissors
- Heavy cardboard
- Glue
- Pinecones
- Assortment of nuts
- Ribbon, optional
- Thin wire
Instructions
- Beforehand, cut out leaves in a variety of sizes and colors from construction paper.
- Cut out a large circle (about the size of a large salad bowl) from heavy cardboard.
- Cut out a smaller circle (about the size of a saucer) from the center of the large circle.
- Encourage the children to glue paper leaves, pinecones, and nuts to the cardboard to make a Thanksgiving wreath.
- If desired, add a ribbon.
- Make a hook using a thin piece of wire and attach it to the back of the wreath. Hang the wreath on a door or wall.
More to Do
Art: WIth the children, make great smelling "pumpkin pies." Give the children small paper plates and aks them to paint them orange. Then encourage them to sprinkle nutmeg and cinnamon onto the wet paint. This will make a nice centerpiece on Thanksgiving Day.
Related Books
- Albert's Thanksgiving by Leslie Tryon
- Thanksgiving by Miriam Nerlove
- Thanksgiving Day by Anne Rockwell
- 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey
--Cookie Zingarelli, Columbus, OH
Instructions
1. Read It's About Time, Jesse Bear by Nancy White Carlstrom to the children.2. Put a variety of blocks on the floor. Start lining up the blocks in a line in noparticular order.3. When a child comes to play, ask her if she can hand you all of the shortblocks (hold up a short block).4. Then ask her if she can hand you a long block (hold up a long block).5. Say, "When the little bear went for a walk, he used the short road. I'm goingto use these blocks to make a road for him. Let's build a road with all theshort blocks first."6. Then, let the child make the road. When she is finished, ask her to buildanother road using only the long blocks.7. "Look! You have built two roads one with short blocks and one with longblocks. Now the little bear can take a walk just like in the story. Let's help tearup the roads so he can get back home!" Then start putting the blocks backinto the bin.8. When finished, say:This little bear went to the market.This little bear went to (area).You may go now, too.More to doUse different-shaped or colored blocks.Math: Ask the children to arrange the blocks from shortest to longest.Outdoors: This is a good sandbox activity.
