Thanksgiving fingerplays are a great way to interact with younger children. These fingerplays help children with gross and fine motor skills, improve memory skills, and help them to visualize stories, all while having FUN!
Here are my favorite Thanksgiving fingerplays:
- I’m A Little Turkey (sung to the tune of I’m A Little Teapot)
I’m a little turkey,
My name is Ted
Here are my feathers
Here is my head
Gobble, gobble, gobble,
Is what I say,
Quick! Run! It’s Thanksgiving Day!
- The Turkey Is A Funny Bird
A turkey is a funny bird,
His head goes wobble, wobble
(“wobble” head front and back like a turkey)
And all he knows is just one word…
GOBBLE-GOBBLE-GOBBLE!
- Five Little Turkeys
5 little turkeys standing by door,
One waddled off,
and then there were 4.
4 little turkeys under a tree,
One waddled off ,
and then there were 3.
3 little turkeys with nothing to do,
One waddled off,
and then there were 2.
2 little turkeys in the noon day sun,
One waddled off,
and then there was 1.
One little turkey better run away,
For soon will come Thanksgiving day.
- Turkey Wore His Rainbow Feathers (Sung to tune of Mary Wore Her Red Dress)
Turkey wore his red feather, red feather, red feather.
Turkey wore his red feather, all day long!
Turkey wore his orange feather, orange feather, orange feather.
Turkey wore his orange feather, all day long.
Turkey wore his yellow feather, yellow feather, yellow feather.
Turkey wore his yellow feather, all day long.
Turkey wore his green feather, green feather, green feather.
Turkey wore his green feather, all day long.
Turkey wore his blue feather, blue feather, blue feather.
Turkey wore his blue feather, all day long.
Turkey wore his purple feather, purple feather, purple feather.
Turkey wore his purple feather, all day long.
Turkey wore his rainbow feathers, rainbow feathers, rainbow feathers.
Turkey wore his rainbow feathers, all Thanksgiving long!
- Pilgrims Are Coming To Celebrate (Sung to the tune of The Ants Go Marching)
The pilgrims are coming to celebrate, Hurrah, Hurrah
The pilgrims are coming to celebrate, Thanksgiving Day
The pilgrims are coming so don’t be late
They’ll sing and dance to celebrate
And we’ll all have fun so don’t be late!
- The Turkey Pokey (Tune of Hokey Pokey)
You put your right wing in
you put your right wing out
You put your right wing in
And you shake it all about.
You do the turkey pokey
And you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about.
Additional verses: Left-wing Drumsticks (legs) Stuffing (tummy) Wattle (head) Tail feathers (bottom) Turkey body (whole self)
- Playing In The Bed (Tune of Monkeys Jumping On The Bed)
Four little kids
On Thanksgiving Day,
Went up to a bedroom
So that they could play
The four little kids started jumping on the bed.
One fell off and bumped his head.
He ran to his mother and his mother said,
“No more kids jumping on the bed!”
Three little kids started wiggling on the bed.
One fell off and bumped her head.
She ran to her mother and her mother said,
“No more kids wiggling on the bed!”
Two little kids started rolling on the bed.
One fell off and bumped his head.
He ran to his mother and his mother said,
“No more kids rolling on the bed!”
One little kid, left on the bed.
She got bored and so she said,
“Playing on the bed is not much fun
When you are now the only one!”
Soon it was time for dinner
There were no kids on the bed.
“Happy Thanksgiving,”
Is what they now all said.
Taking the time to enjoy one(or all) of these Thanksgiving fingerplays with your children may become one of your favorite memories of this season!
Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving Fingerplay?
