Looking for a super fun small groups activity on the popular picture book There was an old lady who swallowed a pie activities? This thanksgiving paper plate craft printable free is perfect for the season!
This craft is a great way to work on fine motor skills with cutting and pasting things they are grateful for onto the plate! Picture books make great companions when you are targeting social skills.
The old lady swallows a pie book is a fascinating one and kids love it! Add this cute craft when you do the next read aloud.
See tons more social skills printables and ideas here!
Why use Thanksgiving gratitude crafts?
This picture book goes through the stages that the old lady has when she swallows Thanksgiving pie, a whole squash, and entire turkey, it includes expressive pictures that kids love.
This fun book makes a humorous contribution to holiday festivities.
Using Thanksgiving gratitude crafts serves several important purposes in educational and family settings. These crafts are not only fun and creative but also offer numerous benefits:
- Fosters Gratitude: Thanksgiving gratitude crafts help children and adults reflect on the things they are thankful for. Expressing gratitude is a positive habit that promotes emotional well-being and mindfulness.
- Teaches Values: These crafts provide an opportunity to teach important values like thankfulness, appreciation, and empathy. Children learn to recognize the blessings in their lives.
- Promotes Positive Emotions: Engaging in crafts and art can be a therapeutic and stress-relieving activity. It encourages the release of positive emotions and reduces negative stress.
- Strengthens Family Bonds: Crafting together as a family creates a sense of togetherness and strengthens family bonds. It’s a chance to share stories and values.
- Enhances Creativity: Crafting is inherently creative. It encourages kids to use their imagination and express themselves through art, promoting creative thinking.
- Develops Fine Motor Skills: Many crafts involve cutting, pasting, coloring, and other fine motor skills. These activities are crucial for children’s physical and cognitive development.
- Boosts Self-Esteem: Completing a craft project and sharing it with others can boost self-esteem and provide a sense of accomplishment.
- Connects to Tradition: Thanksgiving is a traditional holiday with deep cultural significance. Gratitude crafts help children understand and connect with this tradition.
- Enhances Learning: Craft activities can reinforce learning in various subjects. For example, a gratitude craft related to a book or historical event can reinforce literacy and history lessons.
- Promotes Reflection: Reflecting on what one is thankful for fosters self-awareness and encourages individuals to focus on positive aspects of life.
- Encourages Giving: Gratitude often leads to a desire to give back. Many Thanksgiving crafts can be used as gifts, reinforcing the spirit of giving and sharing.
- Teaches Mindfulness: Gratitude crafts encourage people to be present in the moment and mindful of the good things in their lives.
- Cross-Generational Sharing: These crafts offer opportunities for sharing experiences and values across generations, as grandparents, parents, and children can engage in crafting together.
Thanksgiving gratitude crafts are a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday while also promoting emotional well-being, creativity, and positive values.
They encourage reflection on the many things we have to be thankful for and provide an opportunity to express gratitude in a tangible and creative way.
Whether in the classroom or at home, these crafts help foster a deeper appreciation for the meaning of Thanksgiving.
Themed books are a great way to get crafting with the kids. This fun activity will surely ignite a love of reading in children as they read the rhyming sentences.
Paper plate Thanksgiving craft instructions
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on gratitude and abundance, and what better way to do it than through a creative craft inspired by the classic tale, “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie.”
This delightful paper plate craft allows kids to express their thankfulness for the delicious feast of food by assembling it on a paper plate, along with the iconic old lady’s head.
Materials Needed:
- Paper plates
- Scissors
- Glue or glue sticks
- Colored pencils, crayons, or markers
- A printed image of the old lady’s head and the cut outs (found in the free download below)
- Read the Story: Begin by reading the charming story, “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie,” which tells the humorous tale of an old lady who swallows various Thanksgiving dishes.
- Preparation: Cut out the printed image of the old lady’s head in advance. This will be the central element of your craft.
- Paper Plate Palette: Distribute paper plates to each child. These will serve as the canvas for their thankfulness feast.
- Food Items: Encourage the children to brainstorm a list of their favorite Thanksgiving dishes. From turkey and stuffing to cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, these dishes represent the abundance of the holiday.
- Cut and Paste: Provide the kids with colored pencils, crayons, or markers and ask them to draw or color the food items they’re thankful for. Afterward, they can cut out these illustrations and paste them onto their paper plate.
- Old Lady’s Head: Place the cut-out image of the old lady’s head at the center of the paper plate, symbolizing her “feast.”
- Expressing Gratitude: As they work on their craft, encourage the children to express why they’re thankful for each food item they’ve included. This can spark meaningful discussions about gratitude and the significance of Thanksgiving.
- Display and Share: Once the craft is complete, display it proudly, either at home or in the classroom. Invite the children to share their creations and the reasons behind their choices, fostering a sense of togetherness and thankfulness.
The sentences are also repeated throughout the book and they’re great for speech therapy too.
This digital download is included below, be sure to download your copy.
There was once an old lady who swalled a pie book
Why not read this story with the kids when you want to do a familiar rhyme along with story vocabulary.
There Was Once an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie
Students will relate to the story since it is all about Thanksgiving. Comprehension skills are so important at this age too.
Gratitude craft for kids
This super fun craft can be made when you discuss gratitude with the students. What is it and why they should have gratitude. Have them list some things in their life that they love, like school, family and friends.
If your students are preschoolers, then you will need to help them write the words onto the food pieces for the craft.
Gratitude for kids turkey craft freee
If they are capable of writing, they can do this craft independently and write their own words of gratitude.
Each page picture includes the template you will need to create one craft, so you will need as many for the number of students in your class.
You could also print out the name tags and write the name by hand on each one so the kids can glue them on.
More November printables and crafts:
- Thanksgiving Dot Printables Easy Print and Go Sheets
- Sharing Activities for Kids Cute Turkey Craft
- Disguise Turkey Template Alphabet Game
- Punctuation Marks PDF Printable Worksheet Craft Turkey Trouble
- Free Printable Scissor Practice Skills Turkey Templates
Thanksgiving Paper Plate Craft
This “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie” paper plate craft not only encourages artistic expression but also instills the spirit of gratitude in young hearts.
It’s a wonderful way to blend literature, creativity, and the Thanksgiving celebration while reminding kids of the blessings they’re thankful for during this special holiday season.
So, let the creative feast of gratitude begin!
Download your FREE set below. Please note however that:
- This is for personal and personal classroom use (to share this resource, please direct others to this post to grab their own free copy)
- This may NOT be sold, hosted, reproduced, or stored on any other site (including blog, Facebook, Dropbox, etc.)
- All materials provided are copyright protected. Please see Terms of Use.
- Graphics Purchased and used with permission
How to download: click on the image below to sign up and get this printable pack sent directly to you!
What can kids learn from making this craft?
Creating the “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie” paper plate craft offers kids a valuable opportunity to learn and develop various skills and concepts, both educational and emotional. Here are some of the key lessons and benefits that children can gain from making this craft:
- Fine Motor Skills: Cutting out the food items, coloring, and gluing require precise hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. These activities help children refine their dexterity and control.
- Creativity: The craft encourages kids to use their imagination and creativity to draw and color the various Thanksgiving food items, allowing them to personalize their craft.
- Literacy Skills: Reading the story before or after the craft connects the creative activity with literacy, promoting language development and reading comprehension.
- Critical Thinking: Children can think critically about the foods they are thankful for and why they appreciate them, fostering deeper thinking and reasoning.
- Emotional Expression: Discussing why they are thankful for each food item encourages kids to express their emotions and feelings in a positive and constructive manner.
- Gratitude: The craft directly emphasizes the concept of gratitude, helping children understand the importance of being thankful for the abundance in their lives.
- Storytelling: Children can create a narrative about the old lady and the Thanksgiving dishes they’ve “swallowed,” enhancing their storytelling abilities.
- Social and Emotional Development: Sharing their craft and the reasons behind their choices with peers or family members can strengthen their social and emotional skills, promoting empathy and understanding.
- Hands-On Learning: Engaging in a hands-on craft activity provides tactile learning experiences that can be particularly effective for some children.
- Visual Arts Skills: Children practice visual arts skills through drawing, coloring, and assembling the craft, which can boost their appreciation for art and aesthetics.
- Display and Pride: Displaying their craft creates a sense of accomplishment and pride in their work, boosting self-esteem and confidence.
- Connection to Tradition: The craft connects children to the Thanksgiving tradition and helps them understand the cultural and historical significance of the holiday.
Making the “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie” paper plate craft is a holistic learning experience that combines creativity, literature, emotional expression, and gratitude.
It’s a wonderful way to engage children in a meaningful, educational, and enjoyable activity that also reinforces the values of Thanksgiving.
