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Learning Together Joyfully:  Welcome back educators, care-givers, parents and grandparents! Fall has arrived bringing cooler weather, leaves that are turning colours and dropping, all of which make for wonderful outdoor walks. There are also many joyful holidays throughout the month of October. Thanksgiving arrives on October 10, 2022 and creates an opportunity for socializing during family and friend gatherings.  Who doesn’t love a Thanksgiving celebration where the family and friends get together to eat and enjoy each other’s company. It is also a time to be reminded of all that we have to be grateful. It’s a perfect time to teach our children about being grateful and having empathy for others. Halloween follows at the end of the month and this favorite time of the year sparks children’s imagination as they plan their costumes and contemplate the best strategies to collect the most candy “trick or treating” around the neighborhoods with adults in tow as you play, learn, grow together!

Quick Links

Use these links to quickly navigate to specific sections within this blog!

  1. Read and Sing Together
  2. Create together: Puzzles, Crafts, Drawing and Constructing
  3. Explore, Engage & Interact together
  4. Healthy Living: Movement & Nutrition
  5. Reflect: Thoughts of the Day about Learning

1. Read and Sing together 📚 

Reading stories can help kids learn new words, sounds, and sentence patterns. Children’s books not only enhance literacy skills but they also spark kids’ imagination, creativity and curiosity. For the early development of a child, books that highlight values such as empathy are vital. Engage children during reading by asking open-ended questions such as those included in this chart. Ask about the characters and how they feel, or resolve problems. Ask them to predict the end of the story.

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HALLOWEEN BOOKS: Reading Halloween books creates opportunities to stimulate children’s imaginations. When young minds are lost in fantasies of ghosts, skeletons, witches and pumpkins, they imagine a different world. They also start to wonder about the depth of these stories, their characters and how much of the story is actually real. Such books develop a child’s thinking and lead to many curious questions, providing adults a golden opportunity to discuss important concepts. Borrow these recommended books from your public or school library. You can also enjoy reading them together by clicking on the titles below.

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  • The Ugly Pumpkin by David Horowitz. The Ugly Pumpkin has waited all through October for someone to take him home, but no one wants him. He doesn’t look like other pumpkins. So the lonely Ugly Pumpkin leaves the patch in search of a place where he’ll fit in. By the time Thanksgiving arrives, he discovers the truth about who he is–but it’s not what he expected!
  • From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer. These Let’s Read and Find Out books are fantastic for helping kids learn science in their daily lives. This one shows the life cycle of a pumpkin. This is a clear and appealing environmental science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. Plus it includes a “find out section” with activities such as an experiment to show how plants use roots to drink water from the ground and a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds.
  • Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson. Join the witch and her animal friends for a broomstick adventure! “How the cat purred and how the witch grinned, As they sat on their broomsticks and flew through the wind.” The witch and her cat fly happily over forests, rivers and mountains on their broomstick until a stormy wind blows away the witch’s hat, bow and wand. Luckily, they are retrieved by a dog, a bird and a frog, who are all keen for a ride on the broom. It’s a case of the more, the merrier, but the broomstick isn’t used to such a heavy load and it’s not long before… SNAP! It breaks in two! And with a greedy dragon looking for a snack, the witch’s animal pals better think fast. A very funny story of quick wits and friendship.
  • Plinky Witch and the Grand Halloween Scheme by Liz Cooper. This adorable book is about Plinky Witch and her idea that Halloween should take place every night instead of only one time per year. The Happy Broomsticks Club works very hard to make this happen. However, they experience extraordinary consequences. Enjoy this tale of determination, cooperation, and friendship!
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  • Halloween Is Coming! by Cal Everett. This fun, rhyming read-aloud Halloween picture book can start a new holiday tradition. Perfect for young children wanting to celebrate the spookiest season of the year! This book is a lyrical celebration of the building excitement that children—and adults!—feel as the magical and mysterious night of Halloween approaches.
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  • Creepy Pair of Underwear! by Aaron Reynolds. This hilarious and creepy story is about a brave rabbit and a pair of weird underwear. Jasper Rabbit is not afraid of anything until the lights go out, and his new underwear begins glowing in the dark. How creepy! He tries so hard to get rid of the creepy underwear, but they keep appearing!
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  • Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds. In this Caldecott Honor–winning picture book, The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch as a rabbit fears his favorite treats are out to get him. Jasper Rabbit loves carrots—especially Crackenhopper Field carrots.He eats them on the way to school. He eats them going to Little League. He eats them walking home.Until the day the carrots start following him…or are they? This hilarious picture book that shows it’s all fun and games…until you get too greedy.
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  • At the Old Haunted House by Helen Ketteman. Many different creatures live at the old haunted house. Monsters, black cats, goblins, and more! This book is so much fun to read aloud with its rhyming verse, and the colorful illustrations are amazing. Begin your Halloween celebrations with this fun book!
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  • Trick or Treat, Crankenstein by Samantha Berger. This year, Crankenstein’s favorite day of all—Halloween—has gone rotten! Creepy-cool costumes, super-scary jack-o’-lanterns, and loads of candy have been RUINED by costume disasters, pumpkin-carving nightmares, and a terribly untimely toothache! MEHHRRRR!!! Can Halloween be saved, or will today turn into the crankiest Halloween in history? Samantha Berger’s beloved “crankster” character confronts all the wicked tricks and treats of Halloween in this bucket full of laughs, illustrated by bestselling, award-winning artist Dan Santat.

  • Halloween Hustle by Charlotte Gunnufson. Skeleton is enjoying dancing on his way to an exciting Halloween party. However, as he dances across the town, he stumbles, tumbles, and falls apart. Will Skeleton even make it to the Halloween party in one piece? Read this adorable story and find out!
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  • The Last Train on Halloween by Cindy Jennings. Halloween is supposed to be the scariest night of the entire year. This spooky and engaging story seems so real, and your kids will enjoy reading it over and over. This is a can’t-put-it-down book that kids will absolutely love!
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  • The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing. Celebrate Halloween with this fun book that makes a terrific read-aloud.  It is a story about monsters and goblins and what happens on Halloween when the little monsters find themselves face-to-face with trick-or-treaters that are humans!
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  • Turkey Trick or Treat by Wendi Silvano. Everyone loves Halloween candy—even Turkey. But how can he and his barnyard friends get any when the farmers give it out only to children? With a costume, of course! As his pals look on, Turkey comes up with one clever costume after the next. Each trick gets better and better…but will Turkey and his friends end up with any treats?

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  • 10 Spooky Pumpkins by Gris Grimley. This is a spooky countdown, as one little girl ventures out into the night for an unforgettable Halloween adventure! Celebrated creator Gris Grimly, widely known for his gothic style illustrations, puts a spooky twist on a favorite rhyme in this Halloween read-aloud. Join goblins, ghosts, witches, and more in this rhythmic countdown, traveling through the countryside and discovering more Halloween creatures along the way. Finally, the story culminates with them all joining together in a joyful celebration under the full harvest moon, dancing until it’s time for bed.
Teacherspayteachers.com

THANKSGIVING: Consider using the stories of Thanksgiving to have children reflect on what they have that their grandparents did not.  This time of year also provides an opportunity to talk about how our Indigenous peoples showed empathy for the plight of the settlers by sharing what they had – especially in the story Keepunumuk Weeachuman’s Thanksgiving Story. Ask your children how someone has shown them empathy by sharing something or helping them when they needed it. Encourage your children during the week of Thanksgiving to make an effort to show their gratitude by doing something kind for someone else. Have children brainstorm some ideas that might include: bringing a special drawing to their friend or teacher; going out of their way to sit with someone who normally sits alone during lunch; playing with someone outside who may not always be included. For more ideas of what you can do to instill gratitude and empathy in your children, check out this parenting tip about being kind and encouraging children to do Random Acts of Kindness.

  • May We Have Enough to Share by Richard Van Camp. You won’t find turkey and stuffing in this book, but it is about the most important elements of Thanksgiving: sharing and being thankful. The photos are from the artists behind the tea&bannock blog for indigenous women photographers. The strength of their connections, the nature that provides for them, the love that is endless. is the perfect way to start or end your little one’s days in gratitude.
  • We are Grateful Otsaligheliga by Traci Sopell. Otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is a word members of the Cherokee tribe use to express their gratitude, and this book goes through each of the seasons naming things to be thankful for. There are other Cherokee words throughout, along with how to pronounce them 
  • The Wolf Mother by  Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson). Older children will enjoy following along as the award winning author introduces young readers to a pack of grey wolves. New pups have just begun to open their eyes, one of which is a striking black female. Every day, her ears grow larger, her eyesight gets sharper, and her legs stretch farther. As she learns to hunt, play, and run with her pack, instinct pulls her to explore beyond her home territory. Will the young wolf’s bold spirit help her find a new pack of her very own? Learn about the life cycle of these magnificent canines, the traditions of the Gitxsan, and how grey wolves contribute to the health of their entire ecosystem. After reading this story, discuss hibernation of bears and then consider having some fun with children and  Go on A Bear Hunt.
  • Keepunumuk Weeachumun’s Thanksgiving Story by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry & Alexis Bunten. In this Wampanoag story told in a Native tradition, two kids from the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe learn the story of Weeâchumun (corn) and the first Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving story that most Americans know celebrates the Pilgrims. But without members of the Wampanoag tribe who already lived on the land where the Pilgrims settled, the Pilgrims would never have made it through their first winter. And without Weeâchumun (corn), the Native people wouldn’t have helped. An important picture book honoring both the history and tradition that surrounds the story of the first Thanksgiving. 
  • Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende Devlin. Every year Grandmother invited a guest for Thanksgiving dinner and allowed Maggie to do the same. “Ask someone poor or lonely,” she always said. Thanksgiving was Grandmother’s favorite day of the year. The cooking was done and her famous cranberry bread was cooling on a wooden board. But she wasn’t happy to find out Maggie had invited the unsavory Mr. Whiskers to dinner. Would her secret cranberry bread recipe be safe with him in the house? Get into the kitchen and read the recipe at the back of the book and bake up Grandma’s Famous Cranberry Thanksgiving.
  • Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano. Turkey is in trouble. The kind of trouble where it’s almost Thanksgiving . . . and you’re the main course. But Turkey has an idea–what if he doesn’t look like a turkey? What if he looks like another animal instead? After many hilarious attempts, Turkey comes up with the perfect disguise to make this Thanksgiving the best ever!
  • Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules. This book reminds kids that no two families celebrate Thanksgiving the exact same way. In it, Tuyet, who comes from a Vietnamese family, has mixed feelings about her family’s holiday feast, which includes duck instead of turkey. When she returns to school after the break, she realizes that lots of her classmates’ families put their own twists on Thanksgiving dinner too. 
truparenting.net

EMPATHY & GRATITUDE:  Parents and educators can take the opportunity at Thanksgiving to talk with their children about what gratitude and empathy means and how to show it to others. It is the perfect holiday to talk to children about the importance of giving back to teach these important social-emotional skills. Being grateful and empathetic leads to positive health outcomes for children. When they read a book, they often put themselves into the story. This allows children to develop empathy as they experience the lives of other characters and identify with how they are feeling. Children can then use this understanding to empathize in the real world and better understand the emotions of others. 

Practicing intentional gratitude has many benefits for children:

  • improved physical and mental health;
  • positive feelings toward school;
  • better relationships with their families.
  • become happier and more satisfied.

EMPATHY BOOKS

  • Home to Medicine Mountain by Chiori Santiago. In the 1930s two young brothers are sent to a government-run Indian residential school — an experience shared by generations of Indigenous children and families. At these schools, children are forbidden to speak their native tongue and are taught to abandon their Indian ways. In this multi award-winning book, Native American artist Judith Lowry’s illustrations are inspired by the stories she heard from her father and uncle. The lyrical narrative and compelling paintings blend memory and myth in this bittersweet story of the boys’ journey home one summer and the healing power of their culture.
  • Muinji”j Asks Why; The Story of the Mi’kmaq and the Shubenacadie Residential School by Shanika MacEachern, Breighlynn MacEachern & Zeta Paul. When seven-year-old Muinji’j comes home from school one day, her Nana and Papa can tell right away that she’s upset. Her teacher has been speaking about the residential schools. Unlike most of her fellow students, Muinji’j has always known about the residential schools. But what she doesn’t understand is why the schools existed and why children would have died there. Nana and Papa take Muinji’j aside and tell her the whole story, from the beginning. They help her understand all of the decisions that were made for the Mi’kmaq, not with the Mi’kmaq, and how those decisions hurt her people. They tell her the story of her people before their traditional ways were made illegal, before they were separated and sent to reservations, before their words, their beliefs,and eventually, their children, were taken from them. A poignant, honest, and necessary book featuring brilliant artwork from Mi’kmaw artist Zeta Paul and words inspired by Muinji’j MacEachern’s true story, Muinji’j Asks Why will inspire conversation and understanding for readers of all ages.
  • Empathy Is Your Super Power by Cori Bussolari. Learning to understand and care about the feelings of others is one of the most important steps in a child’s development—and it’s never too early to help children build those skills. This beautifully illustrated storybook teaches young kids how to recognize and practice empathy through simple real-life scenarios that are easy for them to understand. It’s written with clear language for adults to read aloud and features discussion questions and activities that encourage kids to talk about what they learned and use it in their lives. This book features:
    • Empathy heroes—Little superheroes Emmanuel and Emma model easy, age-appropriate ways for kids to practice empathy every day.
    • Ways to set a good example—Kids will learn to put themselves in someone else’s shoes, lend a helping hand, and inspire others to do the same.
    • Using empathy for life—Tips, reflections, and games will help adults foster empathy in children for their whole lives.
  • Rain Boy by Dylan Glynn. A heartfelt picture book about differences, acceptance, and loving yourself for who you are. Wherever he goes, Rain Boy brings wet—which means he’s not very popular. Sun Kidd brings sunshine everywhere she goes, so everyone loves her. Only Sun Kidd sees what’s special about Rain Boy. But when she invites him to her birthday party, disaster strikes, and Rain Boy storms. Now the world is nothing but rain. Will the other kids ever love Rain Boy for being himself? And. more importantly, can Rain Boy learn to love his rain? Debut author and illustrator Dylan Glynn’s colorful and evocative illustrations color this story with all the emotions of the rainbow in this universal story of reaching out to those who look different from you, making new friends, and learning to love yourself. This book shares an important lessons on acceptance, bullying, self-reliance and empathy told in a beautifully illustrated, accessible story This is a great read-aloud book for families of children struggling to fit in and find their self-confidence and is a perfect book for educators, caregivers, and librarians to help with lessons on bullying, kindness, LGBQT themes, and friendship.
  • You, Me and Empathy by Jayneen Sanders. One of the most important social skills a child can learn is empathy. Being able to understand how another person is feeling and recognizing their needs helps people to connect to one another across race, culture and the diversity that is ever-present and so important to our world. This charming story uses verse, beautiful illustrations and a little person called Quinn to model the meaning of empathy. Throughout the story, Quinn shows an abundance of understanding, compassion and kindness towards others. Showing empathy towards others is a learned trait, and one to nurture and cherish with the children in our care. There are Discussion Questions included for parents, caregivers and educators, and suggested activities to promote empathy and kindness.

SONGS:

Songs are great to use to introduce new concepts such as empathy (seeing other people’s perspectives) or to introduce Yoga into the classroom or home. When discussing these topics or after viewing or singing a song, children have to remember what they hear and then recall it in the correct order or sequence. This skill assists children in learning to read. Most importantly, singing should be fun and hopefully the following Halloween and Thanksgiving songs will encourage this.

HALLOWEEN

NOVEMBER SONGS:

Teacherspayteachers.com

THANKSGIVING:

EMPATHY:

PositivelyPresent.com

2. Create together: Puzzles, Crafts, Drawing and Constructing 🧩 

HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES & PRETEND PLAY: The spooky season is here! Celebrate the fun with these Halloween activities, crafts, and games. You’ll find writing prompts, STEM challenges, math activities, videos and so much more. Halloween is the perfect time for children to engage in pretend play. As they excitedly dress in costumes it encourages them to use their imagination and gives them permission to be someone else. This blend of fantasy and realism can aid creative problem-solving, But most important of all, is children’s joyful involvement in this exciting annual ritual with their friends and family.

  • Blood Shot Eyeballs– follow this step by step tutorial for turning powdered donuts into blood shot eyeballs.
  • Witchy Fingers– pretzel rods, melted chocolate and an almond sliver make a creepy treat. Yum!
  • Read It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse and then sign-up  for your copy of this fun activity Pumpkin Emotion Bingo by clicking the yellow button near the bottom of the page. The Pumpkin faces help young children learn about different emotions. (thekindergartenconnection.com)
  • I Spy: Halloween. This activity is great for providing visual sensory input to kids. They also help develop a child’s visual tracking ability and improve visual discrimination. This printable requires kids to visually scan through the objects and find ones that are the same. Sign up to download your free copy.  (AndnextcomesL.com)
  • Learn how to make & Play this fun Halloween Math Game (and 5 other games as well). The goal of this game is to get all the problems into the pumpkin with the right number solution. (KidsActivitiesblog.com)
  • Have young children cut and color some free downloadable  Halloween Masks. (PrintablesFairy.com)
  • Watch a Halloween video – Here are a selection of educational Halloween videos. Get some math practice, learn about Halloween around the world, or try some spooky yoga! See them all here or choose from a small selection below:
    •  Halloween Counting Song for Kids – Counting and problem-solving take center stage in this cute Halloween video for kids.
    • Halloween ABCs – This extremely colorful video and catchy song will have everyone singing their ABCs.
    • Halloween Around the World – Join Jeremiah in this educational video for students and as he takes on a trip to celebrate “Halloween Around the World.”
    • Halloween Vocabulary – Kids can learn basic Halloween vocabulary with this adorable video.
    •  Learn the Emotions Halloween Song – Kids can learn to identify emotions with this fun song set to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It!”
    • Halloween Songs for Kids – This collection of popular Halloween songs for children includes Halloween dances; spooky, funny, and (not so) scary monsters; witches; and ghosts.
    • 7 Fun Facts About Halloween – An energetic sock puppet shares some Halloween facts about ghosts, colors, witches, and more.
  • After children have cut out ONE rectangle, TWO squares, and SIX triangles, ask them to  assemble a geometric bat – Sesame Street’s The Count would definitely approve of  this bat!

 

  • Carve up some pumpkins. How amazing would these look in your classroom or flickering away at home in the background. Sign up for these easy to make  free printable templates.
Jack-o-lanterns carved with education themed designs
Cartoon witch child next to a printable paper die with movement ideas
Student laying plastic spiders on a printable spiderweb 10 frame worksheet (Halloween Activities)
  • Download a Halloween Poster or a Poster in Black and Orange to decorate your classroom or at home.
  • Vintage Halloween Images – This list includes Halloween Clip Art for everything from vintage pumpkins, creepy crawly bugs, serious owls and ravens, frightening bats and rats to witches.  You’ll be sure to find something that you can use to decorate your home or classroom. Each listing has a link to click on to download the graphic!
quotemaster.com

3. Explore, Engage & Interact together 🌍

THANKSGIVING: A good way to encourage intentional gratitude among children is to keep a gratitude journal. Research has shown that sitting down and thinking out specific things to be grateful for leads to the greatest benefits. Being intentionally grateful helps children practice empathy which is critical for their social and emotional development. The following are activities to encourage Intentional Gratitude.

  • Have children to take a notebook and write or draw three things they are grateful for every day during the week of Thanksgiving. Once the holiday is over, keep the tradition going!
  • Grandparents – these are some ideas of ways to connect with your grandchildren over the holiday season and enjoy Family Gatherings. As a grandparent, Spending Enough Time With your Grandchildren is how you connect and bond with them. If you’re looking for simple ideas on what to do with your grandchildren, watch these 5 Activities Kids Love To Do with Grandparents. You can access many of these activities (recipes and books) in this blog.
  • Download these Thanksgiving Playdough Mats from so your young children can enjoy making pumpkin pie, adding feathers to a turkey and creating playdough items of what they had to eat on Thanksgiving! (PrintablesFairy.com)
  • Enjoy creating these Thanksgiving Bookmarks to cut, colour and then give as gifts to guests or family on Thanksgiving Day.
  • Children can spruce up their Thanksgiving vocabulary words when they do the Thanksgiving Word Search.
  • Children will focus their attention to find familiar Thanksgiving items when they play the Thanksgiving I Spy Game.
  • What fun for children to create Thanksgiving Hats for everyone to wear at Thanksgiving dinner or when they sing their favorite Thanksgiving songs at school.
  • Children will enjoy folding and creating these fun Turkey Corner Bookmark.pdf with directions.
  • Download this Blessing Quote to add to your Gratitude Corner. Collect a branch and have each child or family member attach a paper with their gratitude statement.
Alwaystheholidays.com

HALLOWEEN

WRITING OR DRAWING IDEAS FOR HALLOWEEN:

  • Ask children to write or draw some funny Halloween stories using the following prompts:
    • Write or draw recipes for spooky potions. Encourage students to include a list of ingredients as well as step-by-step directions, just like a real recipe. Students should also describe how their magic potion works!
    • Write real estate listings for haunted houses. Study actual real estate listings online. Then have students recreate the main components but only for the spookiest mansions ever!
    • Write costume-inspired acrostic poetry. Have students write acrostic poems in tribute to their Halloween costumes. Just write the Halloween costume down the side of the page (e.g. GHOST) to get started.
    • Should trick-or-treating have an age limit? Why or why not? Discuss with children and then challenge them to write an opinion piece defending their position.

You may wish to Download this free Thanksgiving Poster here.

4. Healthy Living: Movement & Nutrition 👭

MOVEMENT: THANKSGIVING & HALLOWEEN

  • When children become restless sitting in their chairs and desks, scroll down this article to find a list describing 40 Chair Yoga Poses. These chair yoga poses can be used in the classroom or at home in a small space and can inspire and promote children’s creativity. These postures are good for children when making transitions, doing movement breaks, or when introducing a new topic. 
  • Download this free printable poster – 10 Halloween Yoga Poses for Kids Instructions and sign-up  

NUTRITION: Make this Halloween and Thanksgiving a time to remember by letting your children help you in the kitchen.You will find recipes below that everyone can have fun preparing during this festive time of the year. 

THE RANDOM VIBEZ.COM

HALLOWEEN: It doesn’t matter whether you’re a kid or a kid at heart: We all deserve something sweet and festive to celebrate Halloween. Get the kids involved, as there are tons of ways they can help, from chopping vegetables to stirring the cookie dough to mixing the Monster Munch to decorating the Halloween chocolate bark.

  • These 25 spooky Halloween treats don’t skimp on the fun-factor. From Halloween snack mix to pumpkin-spiced desserts to candy bar treats, this list of recipes will make sure there’s something for everyone.
  • Cook together and create this fun to make Graveyard Cake. (thekitchen.com)
  • Listen and create these 6 No Bake Halloween Treats.
  • Follow this recipe for foolproof chicken “boodle” soup or use a short-cut by grabbing a rotisserie chicken, shredding it, and adding it to some chicken stock. Then add some carrots, celery and cook it all together until the carrots and celery are soft. (morganmanagesmummyhod.com)
  • If you have lots of time check out this fun Scary Halloween Jelly recipe that includes eyeballs and fingers! The kids will love it! (bloggoodfood.com)

PUMPKIN RECIPES:

  • Relatively easy to make and you can be creative in how you and your children ice these Pumpkin Muffins. (bloggoodfood.com)
  • Pumpkin Cake – Remember you can substitute dark brown sugar for muscovado sugar in this Halloween Pumpkin Cake recipe. Kids love to join in and assist in the preparation.  (bloggoodfood.com)
  • Try this easy pumpkin purée recipe, then turn this sensational seasonal ingredient into cakes, pancakes and glorious pies. Pumpkin can be steamed over a pan of boiling water or cooked in the microwave. (bloggoodfood.com)

FALL & THANKSGIVING:  Fall has arrived with all sorts of wonderful healthy foods such as cranberries, squash, and many root vegetables. Thanksgiving is a time to connect with family, friends, and loved ones. It’s the perfect opportunity to cook as a family – cooking with your children can be a rewarding activity. You get to see them grow up and learn new skills in the kitchen all the while making lasting memories.  

  • Crock Pot Apple Cider – Every Thanksgiving needs a special drink. Lay out the ingredients and have your kids pour all the ingredients into the Crockpot.  Crockpot recipes are awesome because you can set it, and forget it! The aroma will be quite inviting too. (Photo & Recipe by Life Made Sweeter)

Cranberry Brie Bites – It is cranberry season and this is the perfect holiday appetizer! It is so festive and everyone gobbles them up. Create a gourmet looking appetizer that is so easy your kids can create it. A muffin tin will help you create the perfect single-sized servings and along with that all you’ll need are 4 ingredients. (Phot & Recipe by The Country Cook)

  • Adorable Candy Pretzel Turkey Bites – These turkey snacks are a great treat for young children. Set out all the ingredients and let them build their own turkey crackers. This would be an excellent craft for Thanksgiving day. While you’re cooking the turkey, they can be making their own. These Candy Pretzel Turkey Bites are tasty and adorable.  The perfect dessert idea for your Thanksgiving party or celebration! (Photo and Recipe By: Suburban Simplicity)

  • Place Card Turkey Handprint Cookies – Turkey handprint cookies are a fun Thanksgiving treat that your kids will love to make at home or at school to bring home as gifts. These sugar cookies are sure to be a hit during the holiday. Grandparents (and parents) love thoughtful gifts from kids. Make these personalized edible place cards with your kids by using their handprints and placing them on plates on the table! They’re so precious that Grandma and Grandpa might not want to eat them, but when they do they’ll see how delicious they are too. (Photo and recipe by Somewhatsimple.com.)

  • Easy Butternut Squash Hummus – A great idea as a dip for vegetables that can be included in your children’s lunch container. (photo and recipe by yummytoddlerfood.com)
  • Two Ingredient Cream Biscuits – Consider having biscuits at Thanksgiving dinner instead of bread. Your children can help make this dish by mixing the dough together and they will love cutting the biscuits out with cookie cutters or glasses. (photo and recipe by Addapinch.com)

5. Reflect: Thoughts of the Day about Learning 💭

GRATITUDE & EMPATHY:

HALLOWEEN:

CountryLivingMagazine

THANKSGIVING:

lovethispic,com
quotemaster.com