Pumpkin Puzzle

Cut off the top of a large pumpkin and clean the inside as you would
 for carving a jack-o-lantern.  Next, draw a wavy line all around the pumpkin,
 about two inches below the cut off top.  Cut on the line; then set aside the
 resulting ring of pumpkin.  Draw a different type of line, such as zigzag,
 about two inches from the current top.  Cut along that line to create a
 second pumpkin ring.  Keep going, using a unique cut for each layer.
  Then challenge your students to visit the puzzle area to reassemble
 the pumpkin by stacking the rings atop one another.

Pumpkin Pie Play Dough

This yummy-smelling dough is sure to add spice to your play-dough area!
 Place a batch of this scented dough and some white play dough in your
 center. Add some fall cookie cutters, small pie tins, and rolling pins. Invite
 your little ones to make fall cookies. Or encourage them to make play-dough
 pumpkin pies, using the white dough for crust and the scented dough for filling.
 Encourage your little bakers to make as many pastries as they want, but remind
 them that these goodies only smell good. No tasting, please!

5 ½ cups flour
2 cups salt
8 teaspoons cream of tartar
¾ cup oil
1 container (1.12 ounces) pumpkin pie spice
orange food coloring (2 parts yellow, 1 part red)
4 cups water

Mix all of the ingredients together. Cook and stir over medium heat until lumps disappear.
 Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth. Store in an airtight container.

Turkey Shaped Cookie Cutters

Place turkey shaped cookie cutters in the play-doh center.

Bead Patterns

Provide the children with beads for lacing and pattern cards. Do simple patterns
 for younger children, or just allow them to string the beads. For a twist, get noodles
 with holes in them and have the children string these. You can even color the noodles
 with food coloring. Just be sure that eh noodles are dry before
 the children start to string the noodles... food coloring stains.

Corncob Rolling

As Thanksgiving approaches, try this fun fine-motor activity. Insert corn
holders into each end of an ear of corn. Invite a child to dip the corn
into a shallow tray of tempera paint, then roll it across a sheet of art
paper to observe the textural design. As a variation, cut ears of corn
 into halves. Invite children to make prints by dipping the cut ends of the corn first into paint,
 then onto paper. These make lovely flowers for a Thanksgiving card or tablecloth design.

Feather Match

Cut out feather shapes from different colors of paper. Cut the feather in half using
 a puzzle type cut, like zig zag or interlocking pieces. Give each child one half
 of a feather, and ask them to find the person with the other half.  Or Give the
 children two pieces and have the children make a circle, with one child that
 has one match on one side and the other match on the other side. You may
 end up with 2 or more circles depending on how the feather pieces are distributed.

Lincoln Logs

Provide the children with Lincoln Logs to build with.

Turkey Baster Fun

Place two bowls on a table.  Fill one with water and use the turkey baster
 to transfer water from one bowl to the other.  Add a few drops of food coloring
 and fill one bowl halfway with red water and the other bowl with yellow water.  As you
 keep transferring the water, eventually it will turn orange, a harvest color of Thanksgiving.

Pre-K Fun Theme Pages are non-profit &  for educational reference only! 
No copyright infringement is intended.
I do not claim any of these as my own ideas.  
They are shared from friends and fellow group members.  
Some ideas found have been compiled from groups through the yrs.
Thanks for sharing all your great ideas!
 

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