If your children are little and they don’t go to school yet, they may not know the story of the first Thanksgiving. You can tell them about it. Then, help them write their own stories, imagining what it might be like to be a pilgrim man, woman, boy, or girl, or one of these members of a Native-American family.
Telling Stories
Have your children give each family member a name, age, birth date, and then describe the physical characteristics of each person. Have them tell you or write down what they think each person’s chores may have included, and how each person may have participated in the first Thanksgiving feast.
As your kids compose their stories, have them illustrate several pages to go with it. You can use one of the examples for making your own books using patterns for other types of books (linked below). Your kids may want to continue adding to the original story each year or create a new ones.
Acting Out
If you prefer, you and your kids can write a little play, and make fun costumes so you can act it out.
Pilgrim hats and bonnets and headdresses are simple to make, as are vests that make easy costumes for pilgrims or natives. Turn a brown paper grocery bag upside down. Slit it up the front from bottom to top. Cut out a space in the bottom (now the top) of the bag for the neck. Cut holes in each side for arms and decorate.
Costumes
Pilgrim hats are as simple as two circles and a wide strip of paper. One large circle makes a brim. Attach the ends of the strip of paper. Set it on the brim, trace it, and cut out that section, staying inside the lines. Secure the body of the hat to the rim and add a smaller circle to the top.
Bonnets can be made from smaller paper bags. Remove one side completely (this will be the bottom. Roll the bag several times to make the frame of the bonnet. Add ribbon to the bottom corners to tie the bonnet in place. *You can also add trim or lace to frame the face if desired.
A headdress is made from a simple strip of fabric or paper. Tie the fabric around the head or tape the paper to secure it. Add real feathers found in any craft store or make feathers from colored construction paper. Add beads and other embellishments if desired.
Related:
Make a School Days Keepsake Book