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THANKSGIVING LESSON PACK CHRISTIANITYCOVE.COM

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• ...................................................Idea Starter: New Twists on Thanksgiving 4

• ..................Idea Starter: Scriptures and Biblical Facts about Thankfulness 7

• ........................................................Object Lesson: Jonny & the Silly String 9

• .......................Object Lesson: Lord, Make me a Servent on Thanksgiving 14

• .....................................................................Object Lesson: The Tangerine 18

• ..................Craft: Silly String Rings to Practice Charity on Thanksgiving 23

• ..........................................................Craft: Small Blessings Treat Holders 25

• ....................................................................Craft: Cage Free Colored Eggs 27

• ..................................................................Craft: Milk Carton Bird Feeders 29

• ..............................................................................Craft: God’s Lil Turkeys 31

• ..............................................Craft: Hand Print Turkey (For Younger Kids) 33

• ......................................................................Game: Show Me the Feathers 34

• ...................................................................................Game: Plenty of Peas 36

• ................................................................................Game: Thankful ABC’s 38

• ............................................................................Game: Chopstick Thanks 39

• ........................................................................Snack: Healthy People Salad 41

• ...............................................................Snack: Reeses Peanut Butter Hats 43

• ..........................................................................Snack: Trinity Apple Cider 45

• .......Snack: Space Wafer Sandwiches Show How God Softens Our Hearts 47

• ................................................Bible Science: Which Foods Contain Starch 48

• ..............Bible Science: Eggs Can Float in the Middle of a Glass of Water 49

• ...........................................Song: That’s What I Love about Thanksgiving 51

• .................................................................................Song: Thank You, Lord 52

• .................................................................Song: It’s More Than the Turkey 53

• Parent Handout: 7 Mini Challenges To Make Your Kids Thankful At ................................................................................................Thanksgiving 54


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Idea Starter: New Twists on Thanksgiving

Perhaps you’ve done projects akin to the

hand-shaped turkeys and the turkey shoes for

several years running (or more!) and you’d like a

fresh take on Thanksgiving Day.

Therapeutic Value of an “Attitude of

Gratitude”

Therapists, personal achievement

coaches, and success mentors across America

have one. The message, having an “attitude of

gratitude” sprung up in the language of positive

thinkers more than a decade ago, but it’s just

becoming public knowledge lately that this

attitude promotes better health, both mentally

and physically.

In America, where we have so much to be

thankful for, an “attitude of gratitude” should be

part of daily living. If we instill the “attitude of

gratitude” in kids from a very young age, they

may turn into happier, healthier adults who

remember to thank God daily. The giving of

thanks can lower stress and fatigue and reduce

heart problems, according to many experts.

The Simple Things; the Simple Projects

You can have an easy time Thanksgiving

teaching children how to give thanks for all those

“little things!” Bring in your pet hamster, guinea

pig, cat or dog and have children admire the

softness of his fur, and his kind eyes. (Get

permission first!)

Nature walks are still beautiful in many

areas. Offer praise or even prizes to students who

can express beauty about even the smallest

things: God’s rocks, a pine cone, and handful of

rich soil. Teach them that all God’s brush strokes

are things to be grateful for in a world that is on

stress overload.

The movie Pollyanna is all but defunct

unfortunately. However the “Glad Game” still

makes a great Sunday school activity, especially

during Thanksgiving. Present students with

seemingly terrible situations and ask what they

can find to be glad about. Perhaps they’re

struggling with a challenge in their own lives.

Help them play the Glad Game, thereby

learning, “In everything give thanks…” (1

Thessalonians 5:18)

Great Thanksgiving Scriptures


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Other scriptures that teach the

importance of giving thanks include the

following:

Psalm 100:4 -- Enter into His gates with

thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

1 Chronicles 16:34-- Oh, give thanks to the

LORD, for He is good! For His mercy

endures forever

1 Chronicles 23:30-- stand every morning

to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise

at evening....

Psalm 177:7 -- Sing to the LORD with

thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our

God ...

Colossians 3:15 -- And let the peace of

God rule in your hearts, to which also you

were called in one body; and be thankful.

An important way for students to show their

gratitude is by giving to others, who will in

turn be thankful for their services. As four-day

holidays don’t bear out as many vacationing

families what with the down economy, it might be

a great time to involve kids in a charity marathon,

visit to a nursing home, or to help out at the local

food bank. (Parents may be grateful too!)

Other Thanksgiving Ideas

Many teachers love to incorporate the

favorite foods of Thanksgiving into their lessons.

Here are some ideas to help with that, plus other

thoughts:

Coring out the insides of pumpkins can be

compared to our need to “empty ourselves”

so that Christ can fill us (with candy or

candles)

Pumpkin seeds are like the seeds of wisdom

we get each week in class. We take the seeds

God sews and eat them (as a yummy snack!),

and slowly our souls grow into spiritual

strongholds.

Scriptures on Thanksgiving made great

memorization games

A green bean or stalk of broccoli makes a

great example of how to thank God that even

his everyday vegetables are beautifully colored

and wonderfully made. Discuss the

nutritional value of each; examine their

beautiful colors and other fine details, then

make a yummy snack with dip!

A great song to add for Thanksgiving is the

Johnny Appleseed Blessing song, often used

for grace. Look it up on YouTube and you’ll

sing it for days.

Cornucopias might not only contain the

precious seasonal fruit, but words of

thanksgiving about each item!


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Set your goals to have children learn the

health and nutritional values of giving thanks

as well as the spiritual values. Help them to know

the importance of giving thanks in good or bad

situations. Tell “Pollyanna” stories, about people

who changed whole towns or school districts just

by having an attitude of gratitude and affecting

others.

Our country needs more joy. What a great

opportunity Thanksgiving can be to start your

students on the path of being great providers!


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Idea Starter: Scriptures and Biblical Facts about Thankfulness

Surely, teachers want to use gratitude scriptures for Thanksgiving activities and projects. There are so

many Biblical scriptures on thankfulness that some teachers may find that picking just the right ones is

overwhelming!

Below are our favorite scriptures that relate to Thanksgiving which Sunday school teachers are most

likely to love. They are

(1) brief, which means little fingers can manage to write them, even if they are just learning to write.

(2) popular and central to the Christian message, which means it’s important for kids to learn them,

and

(3) lovely and poetic, which makes them great to go on special Thanksgiving craft projects and take-

home gifts.

For very young children or for crafts where a very short scripture is needed, you can use the first or

second half of these verses, and they make perfect sense still!

Here they are in order that they can be found in the Bible:


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PSALM50:14LETUSNOTBECOMEWEARYINDOINGGOOD,FORATTHEPROPERTIMEWEWILLREAPAHARVESTIFWEDONOT

GIVEUP.

PSALM69:30IWILLPRAISETHENAMEOFGODWITHSONG,ANDSHALLMAGNIFYHIMWITHTHANKSGIVING.

PSALM92:1ITISGOODTOGIVETHANKSTOTHELORD,TOSINGPRAISESTOYOURNAME,OMOSTHIGH;

PSALM95:2LETUSCOMEBEFOREHIMWITHSONGSOFTHANKS.LETUSSINGHAPPYSONGSOFPRAISETOHIM.

PSALM100:4ENTERHISGATESWITHTHANKSGIVINGANDHISCOURTSWITHPRAISE;GIVETHANKSTOHIMANDPRAISEHISNAME.

PSALM107:1GIVETHANKSTOTHELORD,FORHEISGOOD,FORHISLOVEENDURESFOREVER!

PSALM118:28LORD,YOUAREMYGOD,ANDITHANKYOU.MYGOD,IPRAISEYOU!

EPHESIANS5:20ALWAYSGIVETHANKSTOGODTHEFATHERFOREVERYTHINGINJESUS’NAME.

COLOSSIANS3:15ANDLETTHEPEACEOFCHRISTRULEINYOURHEARTS,TOWHICHINDEEDYOUWERECALLEDINONEBODY;ANDBETHANKFUL.

1TIMOTHY4:4‐5FOREVERYTHINGCREATEDBYGODISGOOD,ANDNOTHINGISTOBEREJECTED,IFITISRECEIVEDWITHGRATITUDE;FORITISSANCTIFIEDBYMEANSOFTHEWORDOFGODANDPRAYER.

1THESSALONIANS5:18INEVERYTHINGGIVETHANKS;FORTHISISTHEWILLOFGOD.

HEBREWS12:28LETUSBEGRATEFULFORAKINGDOMTHATCANNOTBESHAKEN.


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Object Lesson: Jonny & the Silly String

Here’s a lesson that’s easy and meaningful about

how to be thankful, no matter what life throws at

you. Grandma gives Jonny a string to tie around

his finger the weekend before Thanksgiving. It’s

supposed to remind him to be grateful for what

he does have and help those who don’t have as

much. Amazing things happen! Share this

touching story…then use the Magic String

Activity that follows.

Household object: Piece of string

Other Materials

• Small gift box

• Bow or ribbon

Preparation

• Put the string in the box and put the

bow on top to look like a present.

• Put it under the table until it’s time to

use it.

Lesson

Jonny was not looking forward to

Thanksgiving this year. His dad had lost

his job in the down economy. Dad stayed

up half the night just staring out the

window, and during the day, when he used

to work during the week or play football

with Jonny on weekends, he slept. Dad

kept asking Mom, “What are we going to

put on the table on Thanksgiving? Soup

and grilled cheese?”

Grandma lived with them, too. Grandma

had no money to offer. But she had the

kind of smile that made Jonny smile

back, no matter what. The Saturday

before Thanksgiving, Dad was really on a

downtrodden path about the holiday.

Grandma called Jonny over to her easy

chair. She pulled a small box out of her

pocket.

Pull out the box with the bow on it and the string

inside.

“Got a present for you,” she said to Jonny.

“Open it.”

Jonny was hoping for a dollar or even five.

Not that he was greedy. However


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Grandma had gotten money, he’d give it

to Mom to help buy Thanksgiving dinner.

Open the box with a stricken look. Pull out the

string.

“This is my present??” Jonny asked. He

didn’t want to be rude. But it seemed like

a cruel joke. “Uh…yeah. Thanks,

Grandma.”

“You tie it on your finger,” she said. “And

every time you look down, think of

something you have that others don’t.”

Tie the string loosely around the finger of one

child in your class.

“You mean like heat, water, and a roof

over our heads,” he said a bit

sarcastically. Mom said lately that

Thanksgiving is about being thankful. But

what Jonny really wanted was a happy

Thanksgiving dinner to top it off, like

they’d always had.

“You can do better than that,” Grandma

said. “You’re so creative! What do you

have that Mrs. Hoppy across the street

doesn’t?”

“Two legs,” he said immediately. Mrs.

Hoppy had just lost her leg due to

diabetes. Jonny had noticed that her love

of gardening had had to be sacrificed

since the amputation this summer. There

were no fall mums in her yard that used

to be beautiful. Nobody had raked the

leaves.

He stared down at the string and

shrugged. “Guess I could go rake leaves

for her. Beats sitting around here when

Mom and Dad are moping.”

“That’s the spirit!” Grandma said.

“I can’t pay you,” Mrs. Hoppy said when

Jonny was done raking, even though she

looked overjoyed. “Wish I had money…

times are tough.”

“Tell me about it,” Jonny said. “I did it

just because, Mrs. Hoppy. Don’t worry.”

On his way home, he looked down at that

string, which had gotten a little dirty from

the yard work. He rolled his eyes,

thinking how Grandma’s ideas can be a

little wacky.

But when he looked up again, the

Ditmire’s house was right in view. Mr.

Ditmire was a painter, and his scaffolding

had broken. He fell two whole stories to

the ground and broke his back. Their

great dane, Muffin, was too big for Mrs.

Ditmire to walk. Jonny noticed poor


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Muffin where’d he’d seen the dog a lot

lately--looking mournfully out the dining

room window.

“Why not?” he asked himself. “Beats

sitting at home and listening to Dad.”

Imitate an out-of-control dog-walking scene with

your straight arm.

Muffin walked Jonny all over the

neighborhood but was so happy to see his

other dog friends! Jonny eventually

started laughing and was sorry to have to

bring Muffin back home.

When he got back an hour later, Mrs.

Ditmire offered him a dollar.

“No thanks,” Jonny said, staring down at

the little string on his finger. “I did it just

because…and turns out, it really was

pretty fun.”

“Please take it,” Mrs. Ditmire said. “We

are so grateful. You brightened Muffin’s

day and Mr. Ditmire is smiling for the

first time in a week!”

She wouldn’t take “no” for an answer, so

Jonny set off back home wondering what

you can do with one dollar. Save it, he

decided.

Passing Mrs. Hoppy’s house again, he

heard her call out.

“Jonny! I have a couple things in my

freezer I can’t eat because of my diabetes.

Will you take them home to your mom? It

was so nice of you to rake my yard!”

“Why not?” he said. Mrs. Hoppy could

no longer have sugar, and she gave Jonny a

frozen apple pie, some ice cream, and a

box of chocolate éclairs.

When he got home, Mom was writing a

list in the kitchen. “I had a perfect idea!”

she said. “This year for Thanksgiving,

we’ll have turkey franks!”

“…hot dogs?” Jonny asked, though

nothing would surprise him lately.

“And that way, I can afford your dad’s

favorite green bean casserole and his

favorite gravy, and sweet potatoes. We

can be really ‘swanky’ and have an hors

d’oeuvre—chips and onion dip!

“Well, here’s dessert,” Jonny said,

showing his mom what Ms. Hoppy had

sent before putting it in the freezer.

He looked down at that string again…

Look at the string on the child’s finger. He was


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grateful his mom could always find

something to be happy about.

He tossed the dollar on the table. “If

we’re having hot dogs, you might need

catsup or mustard…”

“Come to the store and help me,” Mom

said. “Maybe you’ll see something to add

to the table with that dollar—something

you’d really like.”

It was the last trip Jonny wanted to

make… watching other people buy huge

turkeys and lobster side dishes while they

bought hotdogs.

But he noticed that string on his finger …

Study the string on the child’s finger… “Beats

sitting around here,” he said. “Why not?”

His mom watched her pennies carefully,

but the price of gravy was double what it

had been last Thanksgiving.

“Inflation!” Mom rolled her eyes. “When

will it ever end?”

Maybe it wouldn’t, Jonny thought. But

he’d been playing with that dirty old

string while helping mom shop. It had

inspired him to reach high on the shelves

for an old person who couldn’t reach, and

catch a toddler who was running from her

harried mom with the baby in the cart.

He’d helped lift a 30-pound bag of dog

food for a man with a limp and told the

butcher his turkeys looked great.

You never have to stop making others feel

good. And that makes you feel good, he

realized. I would not have realized how

much fun it is to help others if it weren’t

for bad times…and this stupid string!

He handed his mom the dollar. “What I’d

really like on the table is dad’s favorite

gravy.”

Jonny was bagging their groceries and not

really listening to his mom and the

cashier until suddenly his mom started

laughing hysterically.

The checkout girl looked confused.

“What’s funny?” Jonny asked, starting to

feel tired from raking, lifting, dog

walking, and chasing babies.

“Say it again,” Mom motioned at the

cashier and jerked a thumb at Jonny.

“Say it so he can hear.”

The cashier was looking a bit crabby

herself. It was a year for bad moods,

Jonny supposed.


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“I was just telling your mom that her

super bucks add up. Maybe she wants

you to pick. Do you want your free turkey,

or do you want the free ham?”

Jonny remembered suddenly…his mom

had earned her superbucks every year at

the supermarket. But she had always

donated the turkey or ham they’d earned

to charity because they’d had plenty of

money in years past. Hence, Jonny’s mom

had simply forgotten it.

“We’ll take the free turkey!” she told the

girl. “And can you please take back these

hotdogs?”

The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:19

that “God will supply all your needs,

according to his riches and glory.” He

didn’t mean that God would give us

enough food to be unhealthy or that He

would make money grow on trees. Some

of our needs are to learn to rely on God,

to do for others regardless of how little we

have, and to learn to be thankful in all

situations.

Look what all it got Jonny. He got fresh

air in his lungs from raking leaves. He

got the joy of laughter while giving a dog a

chance to play. He made two homes on

his street glow with the warmth of

neighborly friendship. And for

Thanksgiving, he had turkey, all his dad’s

favorite side dishes, and a wonderful

desert.

God’s riches and glory feed your heart,

soul and mind as well as your belly. Other

Thanksgivings will become dim

memories. But Jonny will remember that

one clearly well into his twilight years.

And when seated at the table that year, he

found himself saying, “Thanks, God. You

work in mysterious but fun ways.

Especially thanks for Grandma and that

silly string!”


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Object Lesson: Lord, Make me a Servent on Thanksgiving

Note: Lesson includes a tasty apple snack for the end!

Household object: Serving Spoon

Introduction

Sylvia Serving Spoon makes a great

Thanksgiving story. She was just an old spoon,

and she really wished she’d been born ornate and

large and pretty like Lilly Lenox Dish or Tiffany

Platter, or graceful like Sir Lawrence Linen

Napkin. They got all the attention on the

Thanksgiving table, and all she got was used!

Then she realizes that by being a servant, she got

to taste everything.

Materials

An old stainless serving spoon

A pretty serving dish or platter

A pretty serving bowl

A pretty linen napkin

Some other serving dishes or plates (don’t

have to be as nice)

Apple pie, enough for all students to have a

piece

Serving plates for students for the pie

Plastic forks

Preparation

1. Cut the pie before class starts, then put it

aside.

2. Set a paper plate, napkin and fork out for

each student at the table.

3. Put the serving dish, bowl and napkin on the

table in front of you.

4. Fold the linen napkin in some pretty way.

Lesson

Today let’s take a trip back to the Land of

Make Believe….where all things are

possible… Hold up Sylvia Serving Spoon. And

anything can become a real person.

Meet Sylvia Serving Spoon. If you’re a

serving spoon, the Thanksgiving Table is

like the prom or something. All the dishes

get dressed up with beautiful food. Dip

Sylvia in the bowls. And the people at the

table rave about how pretty and tasty

everything is. Hold up Lawrence Linen


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Napkin. And they put linen up to their

mouths and eat with pretty manners.

Sylvia Serving Spoon is really excited.

She’s been cast into the back of an old

drawer for years now. She really wants to

be a part of this super luxurious

Thanksgiving table.

Once the guests are seated, she notices

how pretty all the dishes are. “Look at

Lilly Lenox Dish!” She tells herself. All

decked out in stuffing with real

cranberries and so many beautiful spices.

She looks like a wedding dish! And

Tiffany Platter? Why, she’s all dressed in

turkey! Everybody’s got on something

except….

Shake Sylvia a little this way and that.

Except me! I’m just a dumb serving

spoon. There’s no way to dress me up!

Sylvia suddenly felt horrible, like the most

frumpy old thing on the table. She

became aware of her scratches, of the

fact that she didn’t shine so brightly.

Touch Lilly Lenox and Tiffany Platter and make

little laughing noise.

Sylvia just knew all the other dishes were

laughing at her plainness and her

scratches. Shake Lawrence Linen Napkin and

gasp. Did Lawrence Linen Napkin just say

I was fat???

And she noticed that as people passed her

around…they mentioned the beautiful

dishes, the great smelling food…but they

never mentioned her! They just passed

her round and round…

Pass Lilly Lenox Dish to the child next to you and

Sylvia Serving Spoon. Pretend it’s a real fest. Go

ahead! Pass all the dishes! Everyone use

Sylvia! Dip in!

As the dish goes around and the spoon, warn the

children….It’s a shame, but you see, it gets

kind of worse for Sylvia! The hostess has

a problem. She’s got all this beautiful

stuff. But she’s only got one serving

spoon. Sylvia also has to do all the work!

Is that not fair or what?!

Pass Tiffany Platter. Sylvia suddenly

knows…she’s got the worst deal under the

sun! Her silly owner was so busy

preparing food that she forgot to polish

the other serving utensils. You can’t put


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tarnished and smutty pieces full of

carbon on the table.

Well, the owner is trying to distract

everyone from Sylvia by pointing out this

dish and that. Sylvia just…goes ahead

with it. There’s got to be something good

in this situation. Doesn’t the Lord say,

“In everything give thanks, for this is the

will of God?” Especially on

Thanksgiving??

So she just tastes a bit of this and a bit of

that and helps out the dinner guests as

best she can. And she begins to notice.

Gee, these YAMS taste really good!

MMMM! And these baked potatoes? Start

passing around what other dishes you have. Have

Sylvia be passed all around the table.

Yummy! I’ve never tasted such a fresh

turkey, she notes. What awesome green

beans! What delicious waldorf salad!

Hey! Maybe I am having a good time!

And the more she thought of to be

thankful for, the more things came to

mind! “I started out being a little

thankful, and suddenly I can think of lots

of things!”

I’m glad I’m just a scratched up ole

drawer spoon! That’s because…I don’t

tarnish. I might not be really pretty…but

I don’t get really ugly either! I’m rock

steady! I shine just enough all the time.

I may be the humblest servant at this

party, but hey! I just thought of

something else.

Ask for Sylvia Spoon back, and have her “jump

up and down” like a puppet. Tiffany Platter

and Lilly Lenox might be a lot prettier.

But because I’m the humblest servant, I

got to taste everything at this table! And

Lilly and Tiffany only got to taste one

thing!

In Matthew 20:126, Jesus said, “In the

Kingdom of Heaven, the first will be last,

and the last, first.”

Instead of trying to be the prettiest or the

biggest or the bestest or the shiniest…

Let’s take a lesson from Sylvia Serving

Spoon this year. Let’s try to be the best

servants to others. People may not notice

us right off…but there’s loooooong-term

rewards coming our way.


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For one… we’ll get to taste all of God’s

blessings…

And when we get to eternity, we’ll get to

hear him say, “Well done, good and

faithful servant! You are now first in the

Kingdom of Heaven!”

This turned out to be the best

Thanksgiving ever! Let’s get Sylvia to

help us serve us apple pie!

Serve Apple pie to students using Sylvia.

Note: Your students can play our game included,

“Thankful ABC’s” while eating…


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Object Lesson: The Tangerine

MESSAGE:

God gives us thousands of things to be thankful

for each day. Yet sometimes we can only think of

a few things at a time, or we keep thanking Him

for the same few things over and over while not

even seeing the rest. Thanksgiving is a time for

thanking God for all the blessings in our lives. A

simple tangerine can help us see lots of ways to

be thankful and can trigger us to think of more.

RELATED SCRIPTURES:

James 1: 17

OBJECTS NEEDED:

One tangerine and one paper plate for each

child; one container of squeeze-out chocolate

syrup, one cup of rainbow jimmies or coconut,

one spoon. If tangerines are not in season in

your area, navel oranges will do. Make sure fruit

is ripe enough to peel easily.

PREPARATION:

If fruit is not peeling easily, peel yourself with a

paring knife before the start of class. Put out

paper plates. Keep the fruit in a bag where it

won’t distract.

LESSON:

James 1: 17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is

from above, coming down from the Father of the

heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting

shadows.” So who should be the Person we

thank for all our blessings on Thanksgiving?

Answer: God.

Let’ts talk about some of the things we are

thankful for today. Who wants to say something

they’re thankful for?

Take various answers; it will generally be things like toys

and clothes.


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We remember to give thanks, but oftentimes, it’s

for things that seem really big and expensive or

time consuming. Like that giant toy, that

electronic gismo, that great grade in school.

When we remember to be thankful, we are

thanking Him for the same things over and over,

and we’re not seeing the rest. God’s incredible

blessings are all around us. It’s easier to see when

we remember to thank Him for the simple things,

too.

For one, he made this simple, little tangerine. It

looks like no big deal, but there’s a secret behind

it. Lots of secrets, actually. You see, often God

tries to tell us things about Himself in the things

that He makes for us. But you have to believe in

Him and be receptive to what He has to say

about Himself.

Hold your tangerine up.

Look at this almost perfect piece of fruit. Do you

think, by looking at this, that God cares about

color?

Answer: Yes!

When God created the world, it was important to

Him that we have interesting things to look at.

He is quite an artist, the way he designed fruit,

isn’t he? That’s one secret. God is a great

painter, who likes having fun with colors. Let’s

touch it. What does a tangerine feel like?

Pass it around the class.

Tangerines are kind of miraculous. They’re kind

of wrinkled, but they’re also kind of smooth at

the saem time, aren’t they? How is it that

something can be kind of opposite things at

once? Kind of rough, yet kind of smooth?

Let them either answer or think about that.

And tangerines are also kind of soft, but feel the

nice protective shell that God gave to it. He’s

trying to protect it, so that by the time we eat it, it

won’t be all bruised and torn up. Hence, it’s shell

is kind of soft, but it still protective.

By looking that this tangerine, would you say that

God cares about the way things feel?

Answer: Yes.

Secret number two: God is sensual. He cares

about how things feel to us. He could have made

us out of metal instead of out of flesh and blood.

But he wanted us to know soft and hard and

warm and smooth. He had some fun making

those sensations and making us. Let’s peel the

skin away and start seeing what’s underneath.


19

Begin to peel your tangerine. Stick it to your nose. Pass it

around and tell them to do the same.

Do you think, by putting this to your nose, that

God cares about how things smell?

Answer: Yes!

God could have created people without noses, but

we can be thankful for all the great smells of life!

I can still remember how my mom smelled like

perfume when I was a little girl. When she was

getting ready to go out, I used to stand behind

her and…breathe in deeply. MMM! She smelled

good.

And how many of you do this? You come home

after being outside or at a friend’s house, and you

walk in your front door, and …breathe in deeply.

You can tell it’s meatloaf, or one of your favorites!

Let them announce some of the things they like to smell

from the kitchen.

We surely can thank God that He created noses,

and that some great smells from our childhood

will stay with our precious memories into

adulthood. And let’s move along…

Break off one section of the tangerine and chew and

swallow it.

Based on how a tangerine tastes, do we think that

God cares about how things taste?

Answer: Yes!

God gave us so many great tastes that we can be

thankful for. What are your favorite things to taste?

Let them announce some things they like to taste the most.

We can thank God for giving us mouths and taste

buds. He could have created a race of beings

where, if we needed nutrition, we just shoved

some rock-shaped thing into our sides and started

digesting it. But God wanted us to know “sweet”

and “sour” and “buttery” and “chocolate-y” and

“cheesy.”

With this one, beautiful little tangerine, God has

given us reasons to give thanks for touch, sight,

smell and taste.

Give out tangerines to all.

Now you can peel your own tangerine. Stop to

touch, see, smell…but only taste ONE section!

We have another way to understand God by

using the rest.


20

Oversee, and make sure no one eats more than one slice.

Tell them to thank God as they touch, smell, taste…

One final thing we can do each time we eat a

tangerine…we can use the sections to think of

things to thank God for.

Start separating the sections of your tangerine, laying them

down one at a time. As you go, say

God, we have so much to thank you for, just for

today! Thank you for…

…the nice soft blankets that I woke up to this

morning that kept me warm all night. Lay down a

slice

…the hot water to use with my shower, since

many people don’t have hot water! Lay down a

slice

…the cool air blowing in my window that already

smells like snow…to remind me that Christmas is

coming! Lay down a slice

…for the sounds of my family around me, since

many people are lonely… Lay down a slice

…for the warm, good muffin I ate for breakfast

and the butter that melted into it… Lay down a

slice

…for my car that got me safely to church so I

didn’t have to walk for miles… Lay down a slice

…for my friends, whom I enjoy seeing in

church… Lay down a slice

…for our warm and cozy church building, as

many people around the world have to worship

outside or in tents or in basements! Lay down a

slice

…and finally God, thank you for giving me the

gift of teaching and all these wonderful kids to

teach every Sunday… Lay down your last slice.

Everyone, silently peel away your slices, one by

one, and think of the things to be thankful for

that are simple like my things…the things you

can easily forget, maybe just since you woke up

this morning…

Allow them time to do this.

Being thankful is kind of magical. When you

give thanks to God, He gives more back to you.

There is the old saying to do with both giving and

gratitude: “You can’t out-give God!” For all your

thanks, He wanted you to have something even

more special today. …

Get out the chocolate syrup and the jimmies. Put

a blotch of each on each child’s plate so they can

dip their tangerine sections before eating them.

Let’s give thanks and enjoy!

CONCLUDING PRAYER:


21

Father, thank you for all you give to us, and

especially on Thanksgiving, we’d like to

remember the simple things that we find so easy

to forget…like the gifts of sight, the gift of great

smells, the wonder of touching your creations,

and the wonderful joys of eating them! Amen.


22

Craft: Silly String Rings to Practice Charity on Thanksgiving

Using the example of “Jonny and the Silly

String,” make silly string rings that kids can wear

home Thanksgiving Week. When they look

down, the ring will prompt them to be thankful

for what they have…and to think of someone

who doesn’t have it quite as good as we have it.

Acts of good will may come naturally!

Materials

• String - Cut string into six-inch pieces,

enough for each child to have one

• Scissors

• Colorful craft beads (with holds in both

ends), one for each child

• Table fork

Instructions

1. What’s most important is helping kids

tie a knot loosely enough that the ring

can come off without much effort, but

tightly enough that it won’t fall off five

minutes later.

a. Practice this method on yourself

or your assistant a couple times:

b. Have the child hold his hand up

with his fingers spread out very

straight.

c. With his other hand, have him

hold up a table fork so that the tips

of the prongs are just above the

bottom of his ring finger

d. Tie the string so that it includes

two of the prongs. Tie it securely

in a double know without

wrinkling the skin.

e. Pull the prong out, and the string

should fit snugly but should pull

off

2. After tying the double knot, thread a

bead through one of the ends.

3. Tie it in a double knot off to the side

4. Cut both ends off the string so that they

are very short.

Discussion


23

Jonny was able to do nice things for

his neighbors, just by thinking of some

things he had that they didn’t. Can you

think of neighbors who are elderly or

unwell or down on their luck? What nice

things might you do for them? Let kids take

turns answering.

When Jonny was in the

supermarket, he helped a lot of people.

Before that day, he hadn’t really seen

people needing help. It’s like he was

looking right through them. What helped

him remember to help others? Seeing the

string.

When you wear your string this

week, what can it do to make your life full

of God’s riches and glory? Remind us when

to help people…people we weren’t really seeing

before.

How many of you think you can

really find people to help by wearing your

string ring? What else might you have to

do? Ask God to remind you through the

Holy Spirit. I can’t wait to see you all next

week and hear how your string ring

helped you have a better and more

enriched Thanksgiving!


24

Craft: Small Blessings Treat Holders

In everything give thanks, says first Thessalonians

5—and tough economic times provide a great

opportunity to do just that. These miniature

treat holders contain a minimum amount of

treats, and they’ll remind students to thank God

for the small stuff !

Materials

• Cardboard egg cartons

• Orange, brown and yellow craft paint

• Tissue paper (white, or any other color

available.)

• Scissors

• Small googly eyes (available in most craft

stores. If not available make eyes from white

and black construction paper.)

• Glue

• Small treats (M&Ms, jelly beans, mini

chocolate chip cookies, etc.)

• If needed, white and black construction

paper

• Plain white bond paper

• Pen or pencil

Introduction

Today we will be making “small blessings

treat holders” and we’ll be filling them

with small blessings! This Thanksgiving

one out of every 8 people is without a job.

Lots of families have lost homes. Times

are challenging! But that’s when we can

begin to thank God for the small stuff—

and he blesses us so many little times

every day. This craft can help us think of

those times!

Instructions

1. Cut individual egg cups from cartons.

2. Paint each egg cup yellow, orange or

brown. (We want cups of different colors.)

3. Cut three inch squares from tissue paper.

4. Put a dab of glue in the middle of the

cup. This will keep tissue paper in place.

5. Press tissue paper inside of the egg cup.


25

6. Glue two Google eyes on each cup. If

Google eyes are not available, cut white

circles for eyes and a smaller black circle

for eyeballs.

7. On a small piece of white bond paper

write “Thank you God, for the small

stuff.”

8. Fold paper into a small square and place

in treat cup.

9. Fill the cup with treats.

Conclusion

Everybody hold off from eating your

treats. For every treat we eat, let’s take

turns thinking of one little thing God did

for us today!

Go around the table, and as each student says

“God helped me find my slippers,” or “God

made the sun come out,” etc., they can eat one of

their little treats. Go around a couple of times

before letting them either eat the rest or take

them home.


26

Craft: Cage Free Colored Eggs

We often associate colored eggs with Easter. But

with the emphasis today on Cage Free Chickens,

we’ve not only got greater humanity—we’ve got

eggs the color of turkeys. They make great

decorations for the Thanksgiving table or

sideboard. Farmers setting their chickens free is

wonderful news. And it’s a lot like how Jesus sets

us free from the cages of sin.

Materials

Brown cage free eggs, hard boiled, enough for

everyone in the class to have one or two

Marker pens

Craft store feathers (optional)

Orange and yellow felt

Hole punch

Green and orange construction paper, two

sheets of each

Scissors

Stick glue

Staple

Preparation

1. Hard boil eggs the night before and

refrigerate.

2. Using the orange and yellow felt, create tiny

beaks and eyes for the turkey faces that will

be on the eggs.

a. The beak will be a tiny, upside-down

orange triangle. Cut them out with

scissors.

b. The eyes will be round yellow circles

with a black dot in the middle. Use a

hold punch to make them out of the

yellow felt.

3. Put all in a Ziploc bag.

4. Cut Green construction paper into strips

½-inch thick. You are going to staple each

into a ring that the little egg turkey can fit

in. So you might want to practice rolling

the strip up and stapling it at the right size

such that the turkey fits and stands up.

5. If you don’t get craft store features, make

tiny feathers out of the brown and green

construction paper, four for each student.

Cut out the shape of a tiny feather then


27

make little cuts on a slant and spread them

so that the construction paper has the look

of a feather.

Instructions

1. Have students design faces on their egg

turkey. First they should apply the orange

beak nose and eyes. Then they can add

their black dot to each eye.

2. They can draw on little smiles below the

nose, then add eye brows and wavy lines

down near the “chin” to be the gobbler.

3. The can add feathers to the top, in a pile,

but with some facing opposite directions.

They can fill in other feathers by drawing

them on.

4. Finally, they should put stick glue on their 1-

inch strips, all along the edge. This will not

only help hold the base together, but when

they stick the egg in, it will stick.

5. Reinforce the stand with a staple before

sticking the egg in.

Conclusion

It used to be that farmers were not

thinking about the chickens at all.

Chickens had to spend their entire lives in

a little cage that was no bigger than a foot

tall and a foot wide. They had to walk on

wires if they walked at all, and they were

very sad.


28

Craft: Milk Carton Bird Feeders

One way to show thanks is by doing something

nice for somebody else. That includes the birds!

Kids who want to really show thanks for their

holiday meal can make a Thanksgiving for birds

—usng these feeders.

Materials • An empty gallon milk carton

• Thin wire or strong string

• Scissors

• Marker

• Birdseed

• Markers or paint (optional for decoration)

• Wooden dowel or sturdy tree twig

• Stapler

• Construction paper

Instructions

1. Clean an empty milk carton with hot water

and rinse thoroughly.

2. With marker, outline two large holes to be cut

on two opposing sides of the carton. Cut out

holes.

3. Staple the top edges of the carton closed, so it

looks like a slanted roof.

4. Leave about two or three feet of strong string

or wire hanging while wrapping the

remainder around the base of the holes.

After the string has been wrapped around a

few times, leave about two or three feet

hanging.

5. Staple the hanging end of string to the

carton. Now take the two hanging ends and

tie them together.

6. Make small holes under the large cut-out

holes. Push a wooden dowel (available in

hobby shops) or a strong slender tree twig

through the carton leaving about three inches

sticking out on both sides to make a perch for

the bird.

7. Cut construction paper to fit around the

carton. Paste and decorate with colored pens.

It is optional to paint instead of using

construction paper.

8. Fill the carton with birdseed up to the holes

and hang on a tree branch.


29

Note: Older children can follow the same

process using a plastic

milk jug, which will last longer outside.

Discussion

Job 38:41 says that God “hears the cries of

newborn ravens crying to Him for food.”

Jesus said that not a single bird falls to the

ground and dies without our Heavenly

Father knowing it (Matthew 10:29). God

cares for the smallest of birds, and you

can too—especially now that the weather

is getting cold. If you’re really thankful

for all your blessings, do unto others as

you would have them do under you. That

includes the birds! Hang your birdhouse

up outside when you get home. And when

you’re having Thanksgiving dinner, you

can feel great about having given the birds

Thanksgiving dinner also!


30

Craft: God’s Lil Turkeys

As Christians, we all have little things in common

with turkeys. This lesson will show! This craft,

making God’s lil turkeys, will give kids a laugh

and a great feeling of being loved by their

Heavenly Father

Materials:

• Nine inch Styrofoam craft balls, 1 for

each child

• Four inch Styrofoam craft ball, 1 for each

child

• Craft sticks, 2 for each child

• Brown and orange craft paint

• Google eyes, 2 for each child

• Yellow felt for beaks. If yellow felt is not

available, make beak from yellow

construction paper.)

• Craft paper in color of choice for

feathers.

• Scissors

• Glue

• Straight pins (if needed)

Introduction

As Christians, we all have little things in

common with turkeys. Compared to God

and all his wisdom, we’re not all that

bright. We spend a lot of time gobbling

(complaining and acting fearful) instead

of crowing about God’s good news. The

greatest thanks we can give on

Thanksgiving is for our great turkey

farmer—the Lord himself—who gladly

takes on the impossible task of making us

into roosters. Let’s make Lil Turkeys—

just like us—to put in the Lord’s good

hands!

Instructions

1. Cut a sliver off the bottom of the nine

inch ball so that it will sit on a surface

without rolling.

2. Paint the nine inch ball with dark brown

craft paint.


31

3. Paint the four inch ball with light brown

(tan) craft paint. (Tan paint can be made

by mixing brown paint with white paint.)

4. While waiting for the paint to dry, make

“feathers” by cutting different colored

construction paper into approximately ten

inch by two inch strips. (Longer if

needed).

5. Round off the tops of each strip so that it

looks like a feather, and then fold each

strip lengthwise to form a seam.

6. On each strip write one word of the

following: GOD WATCHES OVER ME

NOW AND FOREVER GOBBLE!

GOBBBLE!

7. Attach the smaller ball (the head) to the

larger ball to the body of the turkey with

a wooden craft stick.

8. Create facial features using Google eyes, a

piece of yellow construction paper or felt

to form a beak, and a piece of red

construction paper to form the wattle.

Glue eyes to the head. Use straight pins

or glue to stick beak and wattle on the

head.

9. Glue wooden craft sticks to the bottom

third of the feathers and insert into the

body of the turkey in a fan shape.

Conclusion

The Bible says: “Let us not become

weary in doing good, for at the proper

time, we will reap a harvest if we do

not give up (Galatians 6:9).” God

wants us to know that our hard work

does not go unnoticed. If we go to

Sunday school, pray, and listen to the

word of the Lord, then God will

reward us, not only by giving us

eternal life in Heaven….but with

blessings here on earth as well! Next

time you are tiring at studying, or

chores, or even being Christian,

remember God is watching and He

won’t let your hard work go unnoticed.


32

Craft: Hand Print Turkey (For Younger Kids)

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without

a child’s handprint turkey. Even though you may

have done this before, each new class of

youngsters will love doing this. It also gives us the

opportunity to teach young children that Jesus

always hears our prayers and wants to hold our

hands.

Materials:

• Light colored construction paper

• Pencil

• Marker

• Crayons

Introduction

We’ll make turkeys by tracing our hands.

First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In

everything give thanks, for this is the will

of God.” Our turkeys will help us

remember that THANKS is the most

important part of Thanksgiving.

Instructions

1. Place child’s hand on sheet of light brown

construction paper. (If light brown is not

available, use any light color.)

2. Have child trace around his or her hand

with pencil. (If child cannot manage this,

one of the older children can help.)

3. When pencil tracing is made, go over it

with dark marker.

4. Use black crayon to draw the turkey’s eye

and mouth on the thumb.

5. Use red crayon to draw the turkey’s

wattle, and yellow crayon to draw the

beak.

6. Use different colors for each of the fingers

which will be the turkey’s feathers.

7. Ask each child to tell the class what they

are thankful for.

8. At the top of the paper, I AM

THANKFUL FOR…and let them fill in

things they are thankful for on the turkey’s

finger “feathers”. If child has not yet

learned to write, one of the older children

can write for them.


33

Game: Show Me the Feathers

This race to the finish will not only help kids be

thankful—it will get them thinking fast! At the

end, they’ll have an art project to put on the wall!

Materials:

• 2 brown poster boards

• 9 pages of colored printer paper

(preferably 3 red, 3 green, 3 yellow)

• Scissors

• 2 glue sticks

• 2 thick black markers

• Duct tape

Object

Students will race to fill their team’s turkey with

feathers while challenging their minds to be as

thankful as possible.

Introduction

During Thanksgiving dinner, many

families have everyone take a turn to say

something we are thankful for. We mainly

say a few of the bigger, more important

things, like our health, family and

friends. But there are thousands of things

that we are thankful for that we might

take for granted. Take a good night’s

sleep, a nice fall day, or even a quiet night

at home spent with family. Little things

are often so common, that they go

unnoticed, that we forget how important

they are to us until they’re gone. That’s

what makes it so hard to remember them

when we are giving thanks. Today, we’re

going to challenge ourselves to think of

the little things as we play a game.

Preparation

• Turn each poster board length wise and

draw the outline of a feather-less turkey.

• Using the duct tape, hang the turkeys five

inches apart on a wall.

• Cut out ovals in the colored paper that

are four inches long and one inch wide.

These will be the feathers. You should get

twelve feathers per sheet of paper.

• Mix up the colors.


34

Instructions

1. If possible, divide the class in half making

to even teams.

2. Have each team sit in a straight line 10

feet in front of their turkey.

3. Place half of the feathers, a glue stick,

and a black marker beside the first person

in each line.

4. When you say “Go!” students will have

three minutes to get as many feathers

glued onto their turkey as possible.

5. In order to decorate the turkey, the

student must first write something they

are thankful for on a feather.

6. They will then put some glue on the back

of the feather.

7. Next they will run up to their team’s

turkey and stick it on the outline of the

turkey.

8. They may not repeat items within their

team; all feathers on one turkey must have

something different written on them.

9. Once one student runs up to the turkey,

each team member behind them will

scoot up a space.

10. The next person in line may begin to

write on a feather but will not be allowed

to run up to the turkey until the person in

front of them is seated at the end of the

line.

11. Only one person from each team is to be

standing at all times.

12. Students may only write on one feather

per turn.

13. They may not help each other to think of

thankful items; each item must come from

the person writing it.

14. Once three minutes is up, count the

feathers on each turkey.

15. Whichever team has the most feathers,

wins.

Conclusion

Look at all of the things we are thankful

for. While celebrating Thanksgiving, there

is an emphasis for us to be thankful. But

God wants us to be thankful each and

every day. And if we just think of some

little things, we will be able make every

day a little like Thanksgiving.

1 Chronicles 23:30 says of the people of

Israel: “They were to stand every

morning to thank and praise the Lord.

They were to do the same in the evening.”

Thanks is very enjoyable to God!

Let’s keep our turkeys on the wall to

remind us to be thankful for several

weeks!


35

Game: Plenty of Peas

Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of plenty.

Racing with plenty of peas will help students will

helps students remember that thanks should be

for the small stuff, too!

Materials:

• Box of straws (enough so that each

student gets one straw)

• 1 Bag of dried peas

• 4 Bowls

Object

Students will carry a pea across the room and

drop it into a bowl; the catch is that they can only

use a straw.

Introduction

The meaning of Thanksgiving is in the

name itself. Just switch the two words,

Giving Thanks. It’s that simple. This a

day where we can celebrate the things we

do for each other and the things God did

and does for us each day. We’ll revisit this

thought later, after we play a game.

Preparation

• Dump a half of a bag of dried peas into

two bowls.

Instructions

1. If possible, divide the class into two even

teams.

2. Have the teams form two straight lines

three feet apart.

3. Place a bowl of frozen peas beside the

first person in each line.

4. Ten feet in front of both lines, place an

empty bowl.

5. Give each person in line a straw.

6. When you saw “Go!” the first person in

each line will pick up a pea and will place

it in the center of their flat hand.

7. Next they will place the straw in their

mouth and will suck in so that the pea is

stuck at the other end of the straw.

8. They will then walk (no running with

straws in mouths!) the ten feet to the other

bowl.


36

9. Once there, they will drop the pea into

the bowl.

10.If a student drops a pea before they get to

the bowl, it doesn’t count and they must

go back and try again.

11.If the pea doesn’t land in the bowl, they

must also go back and try again.

12.Repeat steps six through nine until two

minutes is up.

13.Count the peas in each far bowl.

14.Whichever team has the most peas, wins.

Closing

Peas are small. But each of the peas is

like one of those little things we should be

thankful for that we sometimes forget.

Everybody think of one thing that

happened already today that you can be

thankful for. Let them think and take some

answers.

Let’s not be pea-heads! Let’s thank God

for that thing with our whole hearts.

Psalm 92:1 says, “It is good to give thanks

to the Lord.” So let’s be sure to do so…

especially with Thanksgiving coming up!


37

Game: Thankful ABC’s

Materials

None

Object

Students will list the things that they are thankful

for using the letters in the alphabet.

Introduction

We have a thousand zillion things to be

thankful for. But sometimes it’s hard to

think of many at all! Here’s one thing to

be thankful for: The Alphabet! Why?

Because it’s going to help us think of all

sorts of things to be thankful for!

Instructions

1. Have students sit in a circle or side-by-side.

Have the first student say “I’m thankful

for….” something that starts with the letter

“A”.

2. The second student will say “I’m thankful

for…” whatever the first student said,

followed by something that starts with the

letter “B”.

3. The third student will say “I’m thankful

for…” whatever the first and second student

said, plus something that starts with the letter

“C”.

4. The game continues until the class reaches

the end of the alphabet.

5. If there are more than 26 students, you can

separate the class into two different groups

and have them each play separately.

6. If there are less than twenty-six students, the

students will keep going around in the circle

until all letters have been covered.

Closing

The Bible says: “Now, our God, we give

you thanks, and praise your glorious

name!” (1Chronicles 29:13)


38

Game: Chopstick Thanks

Application

God wants us to be thankful for the little things in

life as well as the big! This game will help

reinforce that desire.

Materials

Chopsticks, 1 pair for each child

2 unshelled walnuts

2 green beans

2 cranberries

2 bread squares from a bag of stuffing

Object

Students will pass along different sized objects

using nothing but chopsticks.

Introduction

God wants us to be thankful at Thanksgiving for

our huge meal. But he also wants us to

remember His part in the little things we get

every day. Sunshine to bring us light, sidewalks to

walk on, birds to make pretty singing, the smell of

your dad’s cologne…there are a million little

things we have to be thankful for, and some

people go their whole lives without thanking God

for any! Let’s do better! While we’re passing

little things…let’s say prayers of thanks for the

little things God does.

Instructions

1. Have the class sit in two circles, forming two

teams.

2. Give each child a pair or chopsticks and

pick one child on each team to start the

game.

3. Hand the starter child the unshelled walnut

and have him/her place it in between their

chopsticks.

4. Have them pass the walnut to the next

player using only their chopsticks.

5. As she passes, she should thank God for

some little thing: “Thanks, God, for

sunshine!” or “Thanks, God, for buttons!”

Originality is grand!

6. The next child will repeat these steps with

whoever is next to them and so on.

7. Once the walnut has made it around the

circle, repeat the steps above with the green

bean, cranberry and bread square.


39

8. If a child drops an object, he must say

“thanks, God, for [something else]” before

picking it up and passing it. If the object

drops while one child is passing to another,

both must thank God for something small.

9. The first team to pass all the objects wins.

Closing

We were able to think of a lot little things

to be thankful for, weren’t we? What were

some of the favorites that you heard from

your teammates? Let them discuss.

Remember 1 Timothy 5:18: “In

everything give thanks, for this is the will

of God in Christ Jesus concerning you!”


40

Snack: Healthy People Salad

While stuffing ourselves with gravy, potatoes,

dressing, pie and hors d’oeuvres on Thanksgiving,

it’s easy to forget that our bodies are the temple of

the Holy Spirit (and therefore we shouldn’t

engorge ourselves)! This healthy snack will not

only be appreciated by parents if served the

Sunday after Thanksgiving…it will also help kids

can their body temples back on track!

Material

• Half canned peach

• Curly lettuce

• Large marshmallow

• Raisins

• Maraschino cherry

• Shredded yellow cheese

• Celery

• Peanut butter (or cream cheese if needed)

Introduction

Apostle Paul in1 Corinthians 9:27, “I

discipline my body and keep it under

control.” That’s because our bodies are a

“temple” of the Holy Spirit! But what

happens on Thanksgiving?? We tend to

overeat and stretch out our pillars! This

snack will help us get back to being sturdy

and temperate temples.

Instructions

1. Place peach half on plate, flat side. (That will be the “body” of the figure we are making.)

2. Place curly lettuce leaves around the bottom of the “body”. (That will be the skirt on the figure.)

3. Place large marshmallow above the peach for the head.

4. Cut celery to size and fill with peanut butter. (In case of allergies, cream cheese can be used instead.)

5. Place one celery piece on each side of the body for arms.

6. Place two celery pieces beneath the “skirt” for legs.

7. Use raisins to make eyes, nose and buttons, and feet. (Place buttons on body of figure.)

8. Use a slice of the maraschino cherry to make the mouth.

9. Use shredded cheese to make hair.


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Conclusion

Let’s thank God for our special holidays

when we can stuff ourselves full. But then

let’s also thank him that we don’t eat like

that every day! How big and out of shape

would we be? If we want to be good

temples of the Holy Spirit , let’s

remember to snack healthily and in

moderation, and to eat our veggies every

day. And of course…we’ll look forward to

our Thanksgiving feast again next year.


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Snack: Reeses Peanut Butter Hats

These yummy treats will give an opportunity to

tell the story of how the early pilgrims gave

thanks to God for a successful harvest. They

prepared a feast using the fruits of that harvest

and invited Native Americans who helped them

survive when they first arrived.

Ingredients

• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

• Chocolate icing

• Strip of black licorice (that comes in strips which can be pulled apart vertically and cut to size)

• Paper plates

• Any flat surface cookie

Instructions

1. Place cookie on a paper plate.

2. Cover cookie with brown icing. (If you

can find chocolate covered cookies it is

not necessary to use chocolate icing.)

3. Place unwrapped mini Reese’s peanut

butter cup on center of cookie, wide side

down, and use a dab of icing to press into

place.

4. Place a strip of black liquorish just around

the bottom of the cup to form band

around the “hat.”

5. Use yellow icing to make gold buckle on

band of the hat. (Orange Chiclets can be

used instead of yellow icing, if available.)

6. Note: The chocolate on the cookie will

form the brim. If there is still space on

the cookie after the brim is formed, cover

that space with white icing.

Conclusion

There are many references in the Bible in

which Jesus tells his disciples to “follow

Me,” even if it meant giving up all their

possessions to do that. Those pilgrims

who left their homes so that they may

practice their religious beliefs set across a

massive ocean and came to an unknown

world with few of their possessions. But

they so much wanted to follow Jesus and

practice their own religion without

persecution that they put their faith in


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Him and trusted Him to help them make

that journey. Let’s remember those brave

pilgrims when we eat our Reese’s treat—

and also remember to follow Jesus where

ever he leads us…like they did.


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Snack: Trinity Apple Cider

Materials

• Apple Cider, enough for every student to have

a cup

• Cinnamon Sticks, several

• 1 can mandarin orange sections in syrup

• Wooden spoon

• Tall pitcher

• Can opener

• Strainer (if serving to very young children)

• Styrofoam cups, one for each student

• Canned whip cream

• Cherries

Preparation

Open the can of mandarin sections. Put all

materials on the table in front of the children.

Teacher’s Words:

Most of the things we thank the Lord for

on Thanksgiving are things we can taste,

touch, smell, hear or see. What about the

things we can’t see? Like the Father

Himself, his son Jesus, and the Holy

Spirit?

Our faith says that there is only ONE

God. Our heavenly father is God. Jesus is

God. The Holy Spirit is God. And yet the

Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are three

distinct beings. One God: three distinct

beings. How can we be thankful for what

we don’t even understand? Let’s try to

understand it.

The Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

—are sort of like this cider, these

cinnamon sticks, and these mandarin

orange sections. Very different, aren’t

they?

God the Father like this cider. Pour it into

the pitcher.

He fills the whole universe and is the

basis for all things.

Jesus is like these cinnamon sticks. He

had a physical body when he was here on

earth. Stir the cider using one of the sticks. He

made the gospel understandable to

mankind. He died for our sins, break a


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stick in two and drop both parts and the other

cinnamons sticks in the cider pitcher. Then He

went back up to be with God the Father.

When Jesus went up to heaven, he sent the

Holy Spirit, who is a lot like these

delicious mandarin sections. He

“sweetened life” for us. He fills us and

helps us know what to do every day. Pour

the mandarin sections and juice into the pitcher.

Stir with the wooden spoon.

Three distinct beings. ONE GOD. This

delicious and spicy cider is certainly ONE

RECIPE, isn’t it? It’s got the base, the

spice and the sweetener, and it will tasty

yummy. But we certainly can’t separate

out the tastes of cinnamon and mandarin

from the cider now, can we?

Have the assistant begin to pour into glasses. For

very young children, use the strainer, as they

might not like “things” floating in their beverage.

This whip cream is like us—we stand on

the Father, son and Holy Spirit and rely on

them to keep us afloat in life.

Add a squirt of whip cream on top of each glass.

The cherry…what is that? That’s like our

thanks! God the Father sent us Jesus, and

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so that we can

rest safely in our lives on the love of the

Trinity! Let’s decorate ourselves with

thanks!

Add a cherry to each.

Let’s drink up and thank God for the

things we can’t see…like the Holy

Trinity…now that we understand it a little

better!

Serve.


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Snack: Space Wafer Sandwiches Show How God Softens Our Hearts

Materials

Box of spice wafers

Marshmallow fluff

Milk

Knife

Plates for serving cookies

Cups for serving milk

Preparation

Pour a glass of milk. Make sure the

marshmallow fluff opens easily so that you aren’t

struggling with it in the middle of the lesson.

Discussion

Take two spiced wafers out of the box and hold

them up together in one hand. Before I met

Jesus? I was a lot like this spice wafer. I

was very hard and dark. I kept falling

apart. Separate the two cookies. I knew I

needed spiritual help. I asked Jesus to

come fill my life.

Open your marshmallow fluff and spread some

on the wafers with a knife.

I was hard and dark. Jesus was “the

light”. He spread his love all through me.

Put the two cookies together so that they make a

marshmallow sandwich. Every day, I go into

God’s Word, which also is full of light. Lift

the cup of milk.

I take Jesus with me into the Word, so that

I can understand.

Dip the sandwich cookie in the milk.

It’s like a miracle! Reading God’s

wonderful word softens my heart right up.

And look! I’m not so dark, now that I’m

filled with the wisdom of God’s word, and

the love of Jesus keeps me together!

Take a bite of the cookie. Mm! I taste pretty

good too!

Pass out plates, cups, milk, cookies, and help the

children spread marshmallow fluff inside.


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Bible Science: Which Foods Contain Starch

Thanksgiving meals are full of starch. Along

with turkey and vegetables there are potatoes,

biscuits, corn and, of course, stuffing made from

bread. We’re not going to tell our students not to

stuff themselves on Thanksgiving Day. After all,

that’s what Thanksgiving is all about. But your

students might want to know which foods contain

starch and which one’s do not. This easy

experiment will help show!

Material

• Tincture of iodine (available at drug stores)

• Some cubes of foods that won’t spoil quickly such as fruit, potatoes, bread, cheese, cucumbers, celery.

• Newspaper

Introduction

When we talk about moderation we are

not only talking about moderation in

eating or drinking. We are also talking

about moderation in our lives. We are

talking about restraint, self-control, and

fairness. Pay attention to the words of 1

Corinthians 10:31 – “So whether you eat

or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the

glory of God. “

Instructions

1. Place the food cubes on the newspaper.

2. Ask students to guess which items contain starch.

3. Squeeze a tiny drop of iodine on each cube of food.

4. The iodine will turn purple with the starchy food items

Conclusion

Let’s thank God for our special holidays

when we can stuff ourselves full. But then

let’s also thank him that we don’t eat like

that every day! How big and out of shape

would we be? If we want to be good

temples of the Holy Spirit , let’s

remember to snack healthily and in

moderation, and to eat our veggies every

day. And of course…we’ll look forward to

our Thanksgiving feast again next year.


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Bible Science: Eggs Can Float in the Middle of a Glass of Water

An egg looks like one of the plainest of God’s

creations. But looks can be deceiving. Present a

new way for students to thank God for simple

things not just by examining an egg, but by

watching it behave in the strangest of ways!

Materials • One egg

• Water

• Salt

• A tall drinking glass

Introduction

Here’s what looks like one of God’s

plainest creations! Hold up an egg with a

scoff. The shell is just as plain as can be,

and egg shells are not strong… You always

have to worry about dropping one and

making Mom mad when it splats! It’s

gooey and hard to clean up if you do.

But wait a minute…examine the egg with

your fingers.

How did God make it so smooth?? How

did he make something so fragile drop

out of a klutzy chicken? What’s inside?

Crack it gently! You want the yolk in tact. Drop

it into a dish.

It looks like a little sunshine! Wow, how

did God make the yellow all stay together?

What a beautiful color!

And what wonderful nutrients eggs have!

Eggs provide protein! Calcium! Iron! It

doesn’t taste good yet, but what if we

cooked it into a hardboiled egg and added

the wonderful ingredients to make a

deviled egg?

Close your eyes and pray: Thank you, God!

For amazing eggs!

Pretend you’re hearing something from God:

What?? What do you mean, it does even

more? What do you mean, an egg will

float?? The eggs I’ve always dropped in

water fall right to the bottom of the water.

Eggs don’t float! Pretend God is arguing with

you. Well, all right. I’ll try.


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Ask someone to fill a glass with water and drop

an unbroken egg nto the water. It will sink.

Hmm! I really thought the Lord was

speaking to me! I thought the egg would

float! Pretend you’re praying again. Wait…

He’s saying if he could make Apostle

Peter walk on water, he can make this egg

float! Look around at students. Should we

believe it?? Close your eyes again. Pray, then

open them. He’s saying that we shouldn’t

only be thankful for miracles…we should

be thankful for science too! He can make

this egg float using the laws of science he

created! Give a satisfied nod. Now…I think I

got it!

Have students follow these instructions.

Instructions

1. Pour water into the glass until it is about

half full.

2. Stir in lots of salt (about 6 tablespoons).

3. Carefully pour in plain tap water until the

glass is nearly full. Do this very slowly and

do not mix or stir the salty water with the

plain water.

4. Very gently lower an egg into the water and

watch the egg float in the middle of the

glass.

Explanation

God’s wonderful laws of science apply

here. Salt water is denser than ordinary

tap water. The denser the liquid, the

easier it is for an object to float in it.

When you lower the egg into the liquid it

drops through the normal tap water until

it reaches the salty water, at this point the

water is dense enough for the egg to float.

If you were careful when you added the

tap water to the salt water, they will not

have mixed, enabling the egg to amazingly

float in the middle of the glass.

Discussion

Everywhere we look, there is beauty in

things that we tend to look right past. We

often forget to give thanks for them.

Today, we can give thanks to God for his

great talents of mixing, beauty with

simplicity with nutrition with nature! We

can thank him that the Apostle Peter

walked on water, but also that his laws of

science are simply awesome!


50

Song: That’s What I Love about Thanksgiving

Tune: Jesus Loves the Little Children

That’s what I love a-bout Thanks-giv-ing

All God gives for us to eat.

Tur-key stuff-ing and oh my,

For de-ssert it’s pump-kin pie

Let us thank him for each ver-y spe-cial treat.

2. How I love the mashed po-ta-toes

And the cole-slaw makes me sigh.

Cran-berries are the best,

I eat more than all the rest.

And to-day there’s whipped cream on the pump-kin pie.

That’s what I love a-bout Thanks-giv-ing

All God gives for us to eat.

Tur-key stuff-ing and oh my,

For de-ssert it’s pump-kin pie

Let us thank him for each ver-y spe-cial treat.


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Song: Thank You, Lord

Tune: A-men!

Thank you, Lord

Thank you, Lord

On Thanks-giv-ing Day

We say thank you, Lord!

Thanks all day

Lord, we pray

On… Thanks…-giv-ing

We say thanks all day!

Thanks for life

Thanks for breath

Thanks for ev-ery thing be-tween

Birth and Death

Thank you, Lord

Thank you, Lord

On Thanks-giv-ing Day

We say thank you, Lord!


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Song: It’s More Than the Turkey

Tune: Over The River and Through The Woods

It’s more than the tur-key and pum-pkin pie

That we’re so thank-ful for

It’s things we dream of and peo-ple we love

And bless-ings by the sco-re.

It’s more than the boun-ty, the har-vest store

That we’re so thankful for.

It’s know-ing God’s love shines down from a-bove

And will keep us safe ever-more.

It’s more than the gra-vy and cran-berry sauce,

That makes us bow our head

It’s paus-ing to say, we thank you each day

For all our da-ily bre-ad.

Thank you for houses so cozy and warm,

For all of this we cheer.

We thank you a-gain, as we tell you a-men

For bless-ings so rich and so dear.


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Parent Handout: 7 Mini Challenges To Make Your Kids Thankful At Thanksgiving

Adults quickly grasp the idea of counting their

blessings, but without the benefit of perspective

that comes with many life experiences, kids often

take blessings for granted. But we want children

to understand blessings and gratitude—especially

at Thanksgiving!

As one mother of five put it, “I can get my kids to

say thank you for lots of things. I’m not sure they

really feel thanks. They can look overjoyed for a

present on a birthday or Christmas morning, but

it’s directed at the object, not the giver, and

truthfully, I don’t see them get many gifts that

keep them grateful for more than a couple days.

And yet, I believe genuine thankfulness is an

important part of spirituality.”

The Bible does say, “In everything, give thanks, for

this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning

you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).” We struggle as

grownups thanking God sufficiently; how can we

get our kids to do it?

You can help our kids begin the journey to

developing genuine thanks—and it doesn’t take a

lot of lecturing and prodding! You can make

Thanksgiving extra special this year, just by

starting the right dinner table conversations in the

week leading up to the Big Meal. Kids have very

diverse schedules between school, sports, lessons,

homework, etc. But generally speaking, kids still

eat dinner at the same time and with at least one

parent.

When dinnertime rolls around, turn off the TV

and turn on the fun…first using our seven specific

categories in which kids can feel thanks.

Developing gratitude is fun if you keep in mind

one important fact: the secret lies in the details! Take

one category a night and make a game of breaking

it down into specifics.

The more specifics you can dream up with them,

the more likely it is that your kids will feel

gratitude. When Thanksgiving finally arrives, it’s

more likely you will have genuinely grateful

hearts seated around your table.

Mini Challenge #1: Thanks for family:

mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters.


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Since these people are the ones that children tend

to take most for granted, it is a good stating place.

But don’t just say, “Be thankful for Mom!” Start

digging for specifics with a question, like: “What

are some of the things Mom does for you?

Often kids give general answers, such as “Mom

cooks my food.” They can develop bigger

attitudes of gratitude by asking, “What does

Mom cook that’s your favorite?” When they say,

“Mom makes the best macaroni and cheese,”

their hearts will light up more.

If kids like the way Mom cleans the house, ask,

“What do you like best? Clean sheets? Clean

clothes? The vacuum lines in all the carpets after

she vacuums?” Mention enough specifics, and

kids will catch on and think of some of their own.

Praise the really creative ones and the very

specific ones. Do the same with fathers, brothers,

sisters and grandparents.

Mini Challenge #2: Thanks for shelter.

Children love their homes, and many who have

modest homes consider them a palace. By asking

what they love most about their homes you can

lead them to a variety of fun answers. Warmth is

a priority when it’s cold outside. While many

homes do not have a fireplace, those who do will

probably be thankful for it. Other things include

shelter from rain, their bed with warm blankets to

sleep under, light from electricity, and in the

summer, screens to let the air in and to keep the

bugs out. Discuss each room in your house and

what kids like most about it. It can be anything

from the softness of the toilet roll in the

bathroom to the candle on the dining room table.

The details will stick, and they may think of the

gratitude they discussed whenever they see that

object for a while!

Mini Challenge #3: Thanks for Food.

Obviously you will hear a lot about pizza, hoagies

and McDonalds, but bringing up the details in a

normal night’s food can encourage gratitude.

Hold up a carrot and say, “Look how shiny it is.

How did God get carrots to be so orange! He is a

very special artist.” Swirl your fork in mashed

potatoes and note how creamy they look. Notice

the perfectly straight and orderly rows of seeds in

a cucumber. Ask kids what smells best on their

plate. Ask them what’s best about their favorite

dish and note God’s creative hand in it with

questions like, “How did God get pizza cheese so

chewy?”

Mini Challenge #4: Thanks for our

country. Most children know the Star Spangled

Banner and will know that we are the land of the

free and home of the brave. But in many cases

the words are meaningless unless they are

explained in detail. The older children may be


55

helpful in making the younger ones understand

about freedom, because they have had some

knowledge of countries where people were not

free to worship, seek education, and earn a living

as they please. Again, being specific about what

freedom does for us will help kids feel thankful.

Knowing your children’s’ ambitions, you can say,

‘If you lived in a communist country, you would

not be free to choose that career when you grow

up. You’d have to do what the government told

you to.” And even more importantly, tell them,

“Parents who go to church in certain countries

can go to jail for that. Their kids can be given

away. I’m so glad we’re free to worship our loving

God in America!” Freedoms kids might relate to

might include writing whatever poems we want,

buying whatever we want in the store, saying

whatever we believe without fear of breaking a

law, freedom to listen to whatever music we like

and watch movies that people freely created.

Mini Challenge #5: Thanks for our

bodies. Kids are often besieged with negative

information about their bodies. In school kids get

teased for being too thin, too heavy, too short, or

too tall, and if they wear something too old, too

tight or too colorful, it can bring on the

comments as well! Developing thanks can put a

more positive spin on things when kids look at the

details. Have them examine their fingers, then try

to eat four bites of dinner with their fingers

balled into fists. Ask why God gave them thumbs.

Have them shut their eyes and hold their noses

and try to guess which food item from your plate

you’re holding in front of them. Point out how

you can’t taste gravy when you’re holding your

nose. Show your awe in how God designed smells

and noses and freckles on noses.

Mini Challenge #6: Thanks for nature.

God’s artistry and his own love of detail can be

seen in nature. Kids almost know instinctively to

appreciate the sky, clouds, seashore, fields and

mountains. It gets really fun when gratitude is

encouraged for more specific things like “how our

kitty cat’s tail curls and uncurls when she walks”

or “the stripes on a zebra” or “fish lips and how

they blow when our goldfish swims along.” Bring

in a pine cone or a fall flower from outside and

ask kids to notice as many cool details about it as

possible. Thank God for each detail.

Mini Challenge #7: Thanks for God and

Jesus. We teach kids to thank God and Jesus, but

we also need to remind them to be thankful for

our Heavenly Father and his Loving Son. We

may find that kids are more challenged over

feeling grateful for the Creator than for his

creation! That’s because they can’t see or hear

God. The details of God can make children far

more thankful. Mention attributes such that God


56

never sleeps. Remind them of Luke 12:7 which

says “the very hairs on your head are numbered,”

and tell them God knows every littlest thing

about them. Remind them that Jesus came and

arose from the dead so that we can go to heaven

with him. Ask them how long they think eternity

is or how to understand eternity. Remind them

that Jesus promised to come back to earth

someday and that we can look forward to

watching for Him.

In all of this, you can increase gratitude by

reminding kids that their thankfulness isn’t just a

general feeling that drifts off into space. It is

directed at God, who enjoys when we are

grateful. Kids may not think they are capable of

making God smile. But he didn’t send his son to

die for people capable only of making him frown.

God enjoys us. He wants to be a big part of our

lives, our hearts, our thinking, and He wants to be

noticed. When we thank him, he enjoys it

similarly to how we do. Think of how you would

feel if your kids thanked you for the way you fold

wash, the kindness in your voice, the smell of

your hair, your taste in candle scents, the stories

your read at bedtime, the way you tie shoes. You

would have a new lease on life! Teach your kids to

offer up a blast of gratitude for the little things

each time they think of one.

Galatians 6:7 says, “As you sow, so shall you

reap.” Make your kids grateful to God this

Thanksgiving by pointing out all the details of his

wonderful creation, and it will come back to you

in blessings and more things to be thankful for.


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