The First Thanksgiving Printable Craft

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Introducing the First Thanksgiving Printable Craft

“Mommy! Do you want to come see my show?!” The familiar call from sweet, childlike voices echoes up from our basement playroom. When I join them, the entertainment begins with favorite tales reenacted by My Little Ponies or Lego Mini Figures with 7- and 5-year-old voice-overs.

Do your kids enjoy acting out stories? Incorporating age-appropriate role-playing into your homeschooling is a fun way to enhance a lesson or assess comprehension. After reading a story or teaching a concept, ask your children to retell it to you, summarizing the plot or main points.

My kids particularly enjoy retelling with visual aids. So as (American) Thanksgiving approaches, we had fun creating these simple Thanksgiving printable crafts – Pilgrim and Native American storytelling props – and retelling the traditional story of The First Thanksgiving.

Some Facts about the First Thanksgiving

Before jumping into the Thanksgiving printable, here are some facts about the “First Thanksgiving,” which is a date that has become a symbol of unity and cooperation in American history. The first Thanksgiving took place in 1621:

The Pilgrims’ Arrival:

• The Pilgrims were a group of English Puritans who sought religious freedom. They sailed on the Mayflower and arrived in the New World in 1620, landing at Plymouth Rock in what is now Massachusetts.
• The Pilgrims were not well-prepared for the harsh conditions they encountered. They faced a brutal winter, and many of them died from illness, malnutrition, or exposure.

The Wampanoag People:

• The Wampanoag, a Native American tribe led by Chief Massasoit, had lived in the region long years before the Pilgrims arrived.
• The Wampanoag were aware of European settlers’ presence in the area and had previous encounters with other explorers and settlers. Some of their interactions had been violent, but they saw a potential for a more harmonious interaction with the Pilgrims.

The Harvest Celebration:

• In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims had managed to grow enough crops, including corn, beans, and squash, to make it through the winter. This was largely due to the assistance of the Wampanoag, who taught them agricultural techniques, such as how to fish and grow crops in the local soil.
• In October or early November, the Pilgrims invited the Wampanoag to join them in a feast to celebrate their successful harvest and to give thanks for the help they had received.
• The “First Thanksgiving” was not a single event but a multi-day feast, lasting three days, where Pilgrims and Wampanoag shared food, stories, and games.

The Menu:

• The foods served at this feast were quite different from what we think of as the modern Thanksgiving meal. There were no pumpkin pies or mashed potatoes.
• The Wampanoag brought venison (deer meat), wild fowl (including turkey), fish, corn, beans, squash, berries, and nuts.
• The Pilgrims contributed food such as bread, vegetables, and likely seafood (like shellfish). There was no sugar, so sweets were not part of the feast.

If you would like to incorporate more history into your Thanksgiving activities, you might check out these 5 Activities for Native American History.

Let’s jump into the First Thanksgiving Printable!

Supplies Needed for Thanksgiving Printable Crafts:

• Pilgrim and Native American Storytelling Printable
• (4) empty toilet paper rolls
• crayons/markers/colored pencils
• scissors
• glue
• paint (optional)

How to Make the Thanksgiving Printable Crafts

First, color the Pilgrim and Native American Storytelling Printable.

Then cut out each character and the paper strip on either side (keeping both intact).

Someone thought the project would be much prettier if we painted the toilet paper tubes, but this step is completely optional.

Glue the paper strips around the toilet paper roll.

When you’re finished, display your cute crafts as a seasonal decoration or use them as props in re-telling the story of The First Thanksgiving.

>>Download your free Pilgrim and Native American Storytelling printable.

What are some fun ways you’ve incorporated storytelling into your lesson plans?

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Pam Odd is a homeschooling mom of five, graphic designer, and children’s literature lover. In her pre-mommy life she taught first grade. She believes we all have some spark of creative ingenuity in us and because of that, everyday life – even with potty training, electricity bills, and dirty dishes – can be creative. You can find her at Keeping Life Creative.

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