12 Quick Thanksgiving Videos for Kindergarten
Bring Thanksgiving to life with kindergarten Thanksgiving videos. Here is a collection of favorite Thanksgiving videos for kindergarten.
Whatever you need – here are Thanksgiving-themed books read aloud, brain break videos, and some learning videos that can help you teach.
Thanksgiving-themed stories
These stories are good read-alouds for Thanksgiving. They are fun and keep the holiday age-appropriate.
I’ll be sharing affiliate links and more information about each book (in case you want to read a hard copy) so you can check things out for yourself.
‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving
If you have a favorite read-aloud – search for it on Youtube! It’s a fun and different way to present the book to your kinders. I like ‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving in video format actually better than I like reading it aloud myself.
Turkey Trouble
My all time favorite Thanksgiving-themed book is Turkey Trouble. In fact, I would totally show this video at some point during a transition and still read it aloud during the week of Thanksgiving.
Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving
Gotta love Pete the Cat! If you need another way to reinforce the history behind the story of Thanksgiving, then this video of Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving being read aloud is a good option.
A Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving
Oh, so classic! A Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving… okay so this one may or may not fly with your kindergarten class but my nostalgic self makes me want to give it a try. {{sigh}} Guess I’m just a child of the 80’s! Start this one at roughly a minute in.
The Berenstain Bears – Count Their Blessings
Another classic story. I like that Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving story talks about the real blessings in life. It’s not always easy to teach how yes, we can be thankful for toys… but also what are the more important things in life to be thankful for.
Teaching about pilgrims
If you’re looking for some teaching videos to help you explain a bit more about pilgrims, then here are two videos that are concise and teach in a kinder-friendly way.
They Were the Pilgrims
A video list for kindergarten is almost incomplete without a Harry Kindergarten video {am I right?!?}. This ‘They Were the Pilgrims’ video will reinforce what you’ve taught about the challenges the pilgrims faced.
The Story of Thanksgiving
Get the overview story of Thanksgiving in 3 minutes told by Plymouth Rock. Ha! This cartoon version will remind you of a ‘Frosty the Snowman’ animation style. It focuses on the Thanksgiving dinner as opposed to an in-depth version of the back story of Pilgrims coming to America.
Thanksgiving songs
Songs give students the opportunity to learn concepts put to music in order to access a different part of the brain and learn more quickly.
Thanksgiving Feast
What are the things we eat at Thanksgiving? This repetitive little song is to the tune of “Brother John.” Your kids will be singing along to this kindergarten Thanksgiving video.
Ten Little Turkeys
Identify the rhyming words in this 10 Little Turkeys fingerplay song. Have your kinders clap, stomp or flap their turkey feathers when they hear rhyming word pairs like “away/stay” or “pen/hen.”
Little Pilgrim
Here is a song to sing at a Thanksgiving celebration. Do you need a cute song to perform for parents at a Thanksgiving celebration?
This little pilgrim song is ideal! Students can sing to the tune of Baa Baa Black Sheep – just add some simple hand motions and you’re set to go!
Brain breaks – Get up & dance
Brain breaks give students the opportunity to break from focusing by moving to music in order to recharge.
Turkey Hokey Pokey
Get your kinders up and moving with a fun Thanksgiving version of the hokey pokey. Put your wings and stuffing in and out {wink} This is a great transition video or end of the day option to get a little silly.
A Turkey Dance
This fun to-the-beat brain break for Thanksgiving is a cute repetitive video. Your kinders will have the moves down by the end and saying, “Gobble Gobble Gobble” as they go about their day.
Let’s wrap it up
There you have it – my list of Thanksgiving videos for kindergarten.
I hope this kindergarten Thanksgiving videos list of brain breaks, fingerplays, read-alouds, and stories can come in handy since it has been teacher-pre-screened for you!
Tip! Show a video to your class without any hesitation with viewpure.com. It removes ads, comments and videos that pop up as suggestions afterward.
Want lesson plans that are free? I’ve got you covered! Check out these 9 Easy and Fun Thanksgiving Activities for Kindergarten.
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