Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Use these simple Thanksgiving activities in your kid’s ministry to bring a sense of gratitude to families at your church. 

Activity Idea #1: Thanksgiving Sticker Tag

You’ll Need:

• dot stickers (5 per child, plus a few extra)

Play the Game

Give each child five stickers. Tell children to play Tag by chasing other children and putting stickers on their clothing. Children cannot peel off any stickers once they’ve been stuck. Play for three to five minutes.

Then have children sit in a circle. If you have any children without stickers, place three stickers on their clothing. Go around the circle and have children peel off one sticker and tell one thing that they’re thankful for. Continue around the circle until all the stickers have been removed.

Activity Idea #2: Thanks to Our Pastor

You May Need:

• craft supplies such as air-dry clay, fabric paint, or something else to make an appreciation gift (see below)
• paper poster and markers (to make a card)

Show Your Gratitude

Thanksgiving is a great time to express gratitude for your church pastor’s contributions. Here are a few way to do that:

• Ahead of time, have each class make one special gift for the pastor—anything from a clay pot with carved names on it to a hand-painted t-shirt or apron. Let children decide what they’d most like to make.
• Have children in the older classes create a five-minute dramatic or musical presentation to say thank you to the pastor.
• Create a giant card for all the children and teachers to sign. Request 15 to 20 minutes of the worship hour on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Have children make their Psalm 100 presentation. Give the giant card to your pastor, and have a representative from each class present their gift.
• Close with a prayer of thanks for your pastor’s leadership.

Activity Idea #3: Thanksgiving Family Wheel

You’ll Need:

• 2 sheets of poster board
• fine-tipped markers or crayons
• scissors
• glue sticks
• strong paper fastener

Make the Craft

Draw a large circle on one sheet of poster board and cut it into pie sections so each child has a section.

Give each child a pie section and markers or crayons. Tell children to draw on their pie section things that they’re thankful for about their family. Kids may draw a picture of their family going to church, playing baseball, or opening a gift.

Once the pictures are completed, have children glue them to the second sheet of poster board to create a giant wheel. Cut around the wheel. Use the paper fastener to push through the circle’s exact center and attach it to a bulletin board.

As children turn the wheel slowly to see the colorful family pictures, have them call out things they see that other children are thankful for. Then close in prayer, thanking God for the special family he’s given each child.

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Need more Thanksgiving ideas? You can find lots of fun and practical ideas in the book Seasonal Specials for Children’s Ministry: All-NEW Ideas for 13 Holidays.

Want more ideas for Thanksgiving? Look at these ideas!