Celebrate Thanksgiving at home, in school, or at church using poems written for kids about the holiday. Thanksgiving poems for kids help children learn about Thanksgiving and share their perspective on the special day. From turkey poems for preschoolers to educational thanksgiving poems for children, these poems add something special to the holiday.
Short Thanksgiving Poems for Kids
Short Thanksgiving poems are the perfect holiday activity for preschoolers and kindergarteners because they're easy to write and remember. Kids can recite these cute poems as part of a Thanksgiving show complete with pilgrim costumes or share them at the family dinner table. Short Thanksgiving poems for preschoolers and younger kids also work great on craft projects or as Thanksgiving table readings.
Dear Mr. Turkey
By Michele Meleen
Dear Mr. Turkey,
I love the way you gobble
and all those colored feathers,
but the part of you
that's truly sweet
is the part I get to eat!
Today We Feast!
By Michele Meleen
On New Year's eve, we stay up late
for Valentine's, we love.
Easter brings us candy and eggs
July 4th sends fireworks above.
On Halloween, we dress up for treats
But when these days have ceased
Comes Thanksgiving, which I love
because today we feast!
Time for Turkey
By Lori Soard
It's time for turkey
gobble, gobble.
It's time for pumpkins
orange and fat.
It's time for family
brothers, sisters.
It's time for thank you
for this and that.
It's time for turkey
Gobble gobble it all up!
Funny Kids' Thanksgiving Poems
Funny rhyming thanksgiving poems will capture any kids' attention and create fun new holiday memories. Add these poems to Thanksgiving placemats, or use them as short speeches in a holiday recital.
Sharing Is Caring
By Michele Meleen
Sharing is caring
and sometimes daring
when someone is glaring
or maybe staring
at the piece of turkey, I'm tearing
with no plans of sharing!
Thanks to You
By Michele Meleen
Thanks to you
I've stuffed my belly
now I'm ready for a nap!
Thanksgiving is only fun
if you don't get caught
in the turkey sleep trap!
Now thanks to you
I've missed the games
and started drooling on Grandma's lap!
Interactive Thanksgiving Poems for Kids
Thanksgiving poems for kids provide a wonderful teaching opportunity for parents and teachers to use with children by encouraging kids to express their knowledge of the history of this special day. Get the young kids at a family dinner together and teach them a poem to perform or try one altogether, adults and kids. If you sing the poems rhythmically as you move, they become Thanksgiving songs for kids.
Gobble Gobble
By Lori Soard
Gobble gobble, turkey day (put right hand up behind head and wiggle fingers like you are wearing feathers)
Lots of pie to put away (make the motion of eating a pie with a fork)
Turkey, dressing, fresh yellow corn (cross arms and act as if you are holding something)
We'll be full till Christmas morn (rub tummy with right hand as though stomach is full)
Falling leaves, fresh crisp apples (start with both hands over the head and bring them down, wiggling fingers to show leaves falling)
Full of smiles, pumpkins dappled (put forefinger on each side of mouth and smile big)
Thank you thank you for it all (hold palms flat against mouth and bring them down to waist length with palms now facing up - repeat)
Thanksgiving Day, we'll have a ball (put hands on hips and left foot out)
Give Them Thanks
By Michele Meleen
Give, give, give them thanks (alternate reaching out each hand as if giving something)
For sharing all their food (alternate bringing hands to mouth as if eating)
Yummy, yummy, yummy, yummy (rub belly in a circular motion)
Everyone we must include! (reach arms out wide then pull them in to a self hug)
Give, give, give them thanks (alternate reaching out each hand as if giving something)
For being kind today (smile and shake hands with self or person next to you)
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you (point to a different person each time you say "thank you")
For making Thanksgiving Day! (all join hands)
Children's Thankfulness Poems
Poems about thankfulness remind kids of the best parts of the holiday and the many things they have to be thankful for. Use these as Thanksgiving poems for teachers or parents in holiday gifts made from Thanksgiving arts and crafts projects. Kids can customize the poems by changing out some of the people and items for things and people in their lives.
Favorite Things About Thanksgiving
By Lori Soard
Favorite dessert and favorite cousins
Grandma Mary who calls us "youngins"
Family visiting from out of state
Watching football with Uncle Nate
Pumpkins on the doorstep and in the oven
The house is filled with the smell of turkey stuffin'
Round the table the conversation goes
The words of thankfulness hit a crescendo
Thank you for my favorite dessert and my cousins
Thank you for Grandma Mary who calls us "youngins"
Thank you for family from out of state
Thank you for time spent watching football with Uncle Nate
Thank you for pumpkins on the doorstep and in the oven
Thank you for the smell of that turkey stuffin'
Thank you for another good Thanksgiving
This isn't a year we'll soon be forgetting
How Thankful Am I?
By Michele Meleen
How thankful am I?
Let me count the ways:
One thanks goes out to the turkey we eat
Two thanks for Mom and Dad
Three thanks for potatoes, stuffing, and corn
Four thanks to the desserts I had
Five thanks to my teachers for giving so much
Six thanks to the rooms in my house
Seven thanks for our ancestors
Eight thanks for spills that stayed off my blouse
Nine thanks to my friends who share
Ten thanks to Thanksgiving everywhere
Thanksgiving Poems to God
Kids can express their thankfulness to God with religious poems written for Thanksgiving. These poems also make great Thanksgiving prayers before you indulge in your family dinner.
God Made It So
By Michele Meleen
My cornucopia is full
because God made it so.
He gives me food
to nourish my soul
and share with friends I include.
I have things to be thankful for
because God made it so.
He helps me pray
for those close and far
as we celebrate Thanksgiving Day.
I'm Most Thankful to God
By Michele Meleen
I'm most thankful to God
on Thanksgiving day
because he gave us all things
and he shows us the way.
Thanks be to God
for this meal of food and drink.
Thanks be to God
for this family where we link.
Thanks be to God
for all we have as we pray.
Thanks be to God
for this Thanksgiving Day.
Thanksgiving Blessing Poems
Help kids bless your Thanksgiving feast at home or in the classroom with a Thanksgiving blessing poem. For a fun Thanksgiving activity you can ask kids to write their own.
Bless This Feast
By Michele Meleen
Dear God,
Please bless this feast
that we will eat
together as a family
on this Thanksgiving Day.
Blessings for Thankfulness and Giving
By Michele Meleen
Thanksgiving is the time
where we give so much to others.
We share our thankfulness
to grandmas, grandpas, fathers, and mothers.
We give our time and energy
to create a delicious feast.
But, most of all
we give our all
until our will has ceased.
Bless us as we give and give
every Thanksgiving
as long as we live.
Educational Thanksgiving Poems for Teachers
Poems that include historical facts about the Thanksgiving holiday can be used in lessons at school or at home to provide knowledge. Whether it's an educational Thanksgiving poem for kindergarten or historic Thanksgiving poems for children a bit older, they make learning about this holiday fun.
Historical Perspective
By Lori Soard
The Pilgrims' ship had sailed across the sea
You see, to worship their way, they had to be free
The land was foreign and friends were few
The Pilgrims had left everything they knew
Samoset the Indian taught them how to sow seeds
He knew when winter came, food they would need
Thanks to his help, 1621's fall brought a big harvest
They now had no worries that they would starve
To celebrate this great victory and show they were thankful
They invited the Indians to share in a food-filled table
They played games like Blind Man's Bluff
There was plenty to do and eat, each person had enough
The tradition was started on this day
Americans still celebrate in this way
The Men Who Made Thanksgiving
By Michele Meleen
Squanto, William Bradford, and good old Abe
all had something to do
with modern Thanksgiving Day.
Squanto helped the pilgrims
grow corn, fish, and make peace.
William Bradford organized
a celebratory feast.
Two-hundred forty-two years later
Abraham Lincoln had his say
In 1863, he declared Thanksgiving
a national holiday.
Tips for Kids Writing Thanksgiving Poetry
Once your kids get an idea of what Thanksgiving poetry is like, invite them to create their own poems. Participating in Thanksgiving activities and brainstorming sessions can give them inspiration.
- Jot down what you are thankful for then write why you are thankful for each of these things as a free verse poem
- Choose a person to thank such as a parent, teacher, or God then write the poem to them.
- Make a list of Thanksgiving symbols or typical foods, decorations, and traditions then choose one to write about.
- Make an acrostic poem with the word "Thanksgiving," "thankful," or even "turkey."
Celebrate Thanksgiving With Poetry
Celebrate Thanksgiving at school or at home by sharing poems about the holiday. After a reading, invite everyone to name at least one person or thing for which they are thankful. Save your favorite poems in once place so you can read them year after year.
