Picture Book Sequence Cards

Ever have those favorite books fall apart? Keep the pages for storytelling sequence cards. I love this book about pumpkins. I had the growth of a pumpkin lined up and then had a few pages missing from the line up. Have the children place the missing pages in the place where they belong.

Teach Well: Find ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle old books!

Pumpkin Pie Playdough

Supplies: pumpkin colored playdough, recycled pie tins, rolling pin

Process: Have the children make pumpkin pies with their dough. If you have a play kitchen have the children put their pies in the "oven".

Teach Well: If you have any pumpkin cookie cutters place them on the table for even more make believe!

Eat Chicken Thanksgiving Tees

These t-shirts make great shirts for a Thanksgiving program or party.

Supplies: White t-shirt, cardboard, and fabric paint

Process: Have the children bring the shirts in a few days earlier than the project. Place a piece of cardboard inside the t-shirt. Write the words "eat chicken" on the back of the shirt. Dry for at least 24 hours. On the day of the project, paint the child's hand quickly with a thick layer of paint (brown for the body and colors for the feathers). I let the children pick what colors they would like for the feathers. Press the hand flat on the tee. Add eye, beak, and waddle. Later add the words to the front of the tee. Let dry.

Teach Well: Do you have any wooden puzzles that need throwing away? Keep the wood board they sit in. They make great boards for the inside of the t-shirts. Reduce, reuse, and recycle!

Turkey Hats

Supplies: construction paper, black pen, stapler, and glue

Process: Cut out the shapes ahead of time. Make a headband by connecting two brown pieces of paper (about one or two inches wide). Have the children glue on the face pieces and staple the face to the front of the headband. Make the legs by folding the paper accordion style. Staple them to the headband. Staple the feathers to the back of the headband. This headband makes a great headpiece for a Thanksgiving program!

Teach Well: A great tip I learned was making sure the smooth side of the staple is on the inside of the headband so that it doesn't irritate the children.

Pumpkin Pies

Supplies: orange, brown, and white paper, pumpkin spice, glue, tape, and a shallow container

Process: Cut out pie and whipcream shape from paper. Create a crust from brown paper and tape to the back of the pie. In a container have the child squeeze glue on the paper. Shake pumpkin spice on the pie. Glue the whipcream cutout on top.

Teach Well: If the child is having a hard time shaking enough spice on the paper, pour some into the bucket and shake the bucket around to cover the glue.

God Provides in the Wilderness

Supplies: cd player, sound effects cd (with walking on gravel), sheet, pre-popped popcorn or marshmallows and small cups

Process: Begin the story of Moses in the wilderness walking with the Israelites. Talk about how they lived and why they were there. God was taking them to a very special new home. Put the cd on repeat and begin walking around the room. Tell them that they even had to sleep in the wilderness. Pause the cd and pretend you are sleeping on the floor. Push play on the cd and begin walking again (do this two more times). Explain that they didn't have anymore food and they started to get hungry. Rub your tummies. Then they started to complain. Start complaining about being hungry. Then, God did something amazing! Pause the cd and have them sleep again (tell them no peeking!). Quickly lay out the sheet and sprinkle popcorn on the sheet. Have them wake up and see what God gave the Israelites! Give everyone a small cup and remind them to only pick up what can fill their cups. God provides for our needs!

Teach Well: If you have an assistant, have them turn the lights on and off for your "day" and "night" time. Remind them that the lights will go off before you do it so that young ones won't get scared.