Terri Thompson

Printable Thanksgiving Word Searches for Kids

November 7, 2017 By Terri Thompson

Sometimes you just need a print-and-go activity. You need something to take along to a waiting room or something quick to fill in a gap of time in the classroom.

The solution: word searches. I love to work them as an adult and I know that kids love them two. I’ve got two Thanksgiving Word Searches for you to just print and go. They’re quick, easy, and fun!

Each Thanksgiving word search would be perfect for keeping little hands busy at the kid’s table or as a fun after-school activity.

I hope you enjoy sharing these fun Thanksgiving printables with your kids.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Thanksgiving Dinner Word Search

Print this word search off for the kids table at Thanksgiving. While the kids are waiting for their food, they can search for all the parts of yummy Thanksgiving dinner like turkey, cranberry, and pie.

You can download the Thanksgiving Dinner Word Search here.

Harvest Time Thanksgiving Word Search

The Harvest Time Word Search isn’t necessarily for Thanksgiving, it’s perfect for anytime you want to have a little fall fun. Search for farm and harvest-themed words such as wheat, corn, and hay.

You can download the Harvest Time Word Search here.

Tell me, who will you share these Thanksgiving word searches with?

Do you want more Thanksgiving printable games?

You can grab these Thanksgiving Word Searches as well as a word scramble and printable thankful leaves with this Thanksgiving activity pack. Click here to get the updated Thanksgiving activity pack.

Countdown to Christmas

If you’re anything like me, I know you’re looking for fun family activities to do this Christmas. But, not just anything. I’m not looking for elaborate and I’m definitely not looking for something that would require a million trips to the craft store.

That’s why I just love Countdown to Christmas – 24 Activities, Crafts, and Recipes to Countdown to Christmas by Cerys Parker from Rainy Day Mum. The activities are simple (you won’t find anything elaborate) and definitely fun. They’re perfect for families. And, they’re perfect for the advent season.

This fabulous resource for Christmas family fun can be purchased here. Take a peek, you’ll love it!

Turkey Suncatcher Thanksgiving Craft for Kids

November 6, 2017 By Terri Thompson

We’ve been on a bit of a suncatcher kick lately. I love to see them hanging in the window. Even on the cloudiest days, they can bring in a bit of cheery sunlight.

We’ve made them for Halloween, Easter, and any day in between. Now we just need some for Thanksgiving.

Our turkey suncatcher was such an easy Thanksgiving craft to make and so much fun. It brightens up the window and make me smile every day.

And, once you’ve made your suncatcher, check out all of our Thanksgiving crafts for kids to find more fun activities.

Brighten up your window with this colorful Thanksgiving craft for kids, Turkey Suncatcher. It's a fun craft for preschool and elementary kids.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

Supplies Needed

Clear contact paper
Colored tissue paper
Brown construction paper
Scissors
Red and Black Markers

How to make your Turkey Suncatcher

You want to begin by making the frame for your turkey tail. I drew a loopy pattern for my tail; it looked a bit like a bush. Make it the size of a whole sheet of construction paper.

Use your leftover paper to make a simple neck and head piece.

Use the markers to draw your turkey face.

Measure your turkey tail and cut 2 pieces of clear contact paper for each suncatcher. You want to make sure you have extra contact paper around all the edges.

Peel the backing off of one piece of contact paper and place it sticky side up on the table. I usually tape down the edges a bit to keep the contact paper from sliding around. Place your tail outline and your turkey head face-down on your contact paper.

Next, and this is the best part, start tearing pieces from your colored tissue paper. We used red, orange, green, and yellow tissue paper.

Fill in the open part of your turkey tail with your tissue paper bits. If you’re doing this project with a toddler, go ahead and tear the tissue pieces for them. And if you’ve got a toddler, this really is a perfect Thanksgiving craft to do with them. My girls always loved sticking things on contact paper at that age and we made many suncatchers when they were little.

Preserve your Thanksgiving Suncatcher for years to come

After you’ve filled in your tail, carefully attach your second piece of contact paper over top. You’ll want your turkey to be in between both sheets of contact paper. I still do this step for the girls since it is a bit difficult to line everything up. It’s not a necessary step, but by doing this you’ll be able to pack your turkeys away and hang up your Thanksgiving suncatcher year after year.

Display your turkey suncatcher in a bright window

We’ve got our turkey suncatcher hanging up on our patio door and it’s so bright and cheery. We may have to make a few more to brighten our windows!

Brighten up your window with this colorful Thanksgiving craft for kids, Turkey Suncatcher. It's a fun craft for preschool and elementary kids. #Thanksgiving #kidscrafts #CreativeFamilyFun

You may also enjoy one of these Thanksgiving activities:

12 Turkey Crafts for Thanksgiving

Acorn Gratitude Banner

Balloons Over Broadway Book and Craft

Pilgrim Photo Puppets at Toddler Approved

The Cutest Bear Crafts for Kids

November 4, 2017 By Terri Thompson

Oh, the cuteness!

Do you think bears are cute? I do. Anywhere from teddy bears to those cute bear cubs on nature shows. Granted, I don’t think I ever want to encounter one in the wild, but when it comes to crafting, I want to make them all.

These bear crafts for kids are the cutest of the cute. So grab some craft supplies, gather your kids, and have some fun.

Gosh, they’re adorable!

These bear crafts for kids are the cutest of the cute! Grab your craft supplies, gather your kids, and get ready to have some fun together. These ideas are fun for all ages of kids. #kidscrafts #bearcraft #CreativeFamilyFun

Fun Brown Bear Crafts for Kids

Take a plastic spoon, work a little magic, and create a cute little bear. We shared the tutorial for this Spoon Bear craft here.

Make a brown bear paper bag puppet. Check out Coffee Cups and Crayons to make a super-cute bear version of this classic craft.

Use a fun painting process to turn a paper plate into a cool textured bear. Find the directions for this Fuzzy Brown Bear at What Can We Do With Paper and Glue.

Have you ever tried using a fork to paint? It looks like so much fun! Try this method to make this fork-painted bear at Crafty Morning.

Try a little simple origami to make a cute bear hear. Find the tutorial here at All For the Boys.

Use wooden spoons to make some fun bear puppets. Find all the direction here at Messy Little Monster. You can even find out how to make Goldilocks so you can put on a fairy tale puppet show.

Grab your craft supplies and get started making some of these brown bear crafts for preschoolers. They are the cutest ones you'll find!

More Cute Bear Crafts Ideas

A little bit of paint and paper will transform an empty cardboard tube into a cute bear craft. Find out how to make a Cardboard Tube Bear with our tutorial here.

Roar! Grab a couple of paper plates and start painting to make this super cute Paper Plate Bear from Crafty Morning.

Grab some twine and cardboard to make this fun Wrapped Bear Craft from The OT Toolbox.

Paper plates make great masks. Visit I Heart Crafty Things to see how to transform one into a cool Bear Mask.

Or, you can try this version of a Paper Plate Bear Mask at JDaniel4’s Mom. Both versions look like so much fun!

Make a paw print potato stamp and make paw prints everywhere! Visit Mrs. Plemon’s Kindergarten for the details (and find many other fun bear themed ideas for your little ones).

So many fun bear crafts for kids! Which one is your favorite?

Grab your craft supplies and get started making some of these brown bear crafts for kids. They are the cutest ones you'll find!

Get inspired with one of these great bear books:

Combine one of these fun bear crafts with a great book and you’ll have the ultimate family craft time. Here are a few I suggest:

Do you want to do more activities with your kids?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Printable Candy Cane Sight Words

November 3, 2017 By Terri Thompson

Do you know all the sight words your kids need to learn?

There are just so many, but mastering these words will bring them one step closer to being a super-star reader.

These Candy Cane Sight Word Cards can help you and your kids master these words. Print, have fun, and let’s get learning.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

Dolch Candy Cane Sight Words

These printable Candy Cane Sight Words cards contain all of the Dolch sight words (a popular list used by many classrooms). It’s divided by level: pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, and nouns.

You can print out all the words or just the set that you need. Print on cardstock or laminate for extra durability.

You can get access to these fun printable sight words by subscribing to the Better Than Homework weekly newsletter in the form below. Don’t worry, I won’t clog your inbox, but I do love to send you fun learning ideas each week.

Fun Ways to Use Your Candy Cane Sight Words

Play a Memory Game

In order to play memory, you just need to print out 2 copies of the sight words. There are 10 cards per page, so only printing two copies of one page would make a perfect memory game. Play using the traditional Memory Game rules.

Play Hide and Seek

Earlier I shared a fun word family hide and seek activity. You can play this same game using these Candy Cane Sight Words.

Use With a Salt Tray

Print and use these sight word cards alongside a salt tray. A salt tray is a great way to write without picking up a pencil. Or you can use these alongside something more festive like this Candy Cane Sensory Writing Tray from The Imagination Tree.

Move and Learn

Take the words outside and spell them on a driveway letter grid or even walk the words. Moving and learning is so much fun.

What other ideas do you have? There are a million ways to use these sight word cards, so subscribe, download, print and have fun!

Finger Painting Spelling Words

October 31, 2017 By Terri Thompson

When’s the last time you’ve finger painted? I’m not sure I have since I was a kid and I know it’s been a long time for my girls too. I don’t know why. They love to finger paint!

So today, we’re going to have some fun, get a little messy, and practice by finger painting spelling words.

Grab the paint, have fun and get a little messy while you practice spelling words with this fun idea, Finger Painting Spelling Words. #spelling #CreativeFamilyFun #education

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links links. Please see my Disclosure Page for more details.

To set-up

You’ll need some washable paint, paper, and a kid ready to have fun.

You don’t need to buy special finger paint, any paint can be used. But, I would make sure to use washable paint. It’s so much easier to clean up!

Grab the paint, have fun and get a little messy while you practice spelling words with this fun idea, Finger Painting Spelling Words.

Have fun finger painting spelling words!

Once you’re ready to go, have your child go through their spelling list and finger paint all their words. Simple messy fun.

This is probably one of the simplest ideas in this series, but it’s was one of the most popular ones with my own kids. It just make practicing spelling words so much fun!

Thank you for joining me as we try to make spelling fun. I’m a big believer that learning can and should be fun. Think outside of the box and encourage your kids to do the same by finger painting spelling words or another fun idea.

Buy the 31 Ways to Practice Spelling Words Ebook

You can purchase a printable form of this book for $7.50 The book is designed to print and turn into a half-page size booklet. It’s perfect to keep at your homework station. Your kids can flip through and find a fun way to practice their spelling words.

The ideas will be convenient and ready to use. No need to turn on the computer every day for ideas.

Most activities require little to no prep time. And, if you make sure you have all the supplies on the Master Supply List (included in the book) on hand, you’ll be able to do any of these fun spelling word ideas any time.

Click here for my sales page or on the image below to purchase for $7.50.

Terri Thompson

Printable Thanksgiving Word Searches for Kids

Thanksgiving Dinner Word Search

Harvest Time Thanksgiving Word Search

Do you want more Thanksgiving printable games?