DIY Thanksgiving Key Chain: Preschooler

This craft was not intended to be a Thanksgiving key chain. Matter-a-fact, it started off as a turkey headband. You know, those really cute turkey feathered headbands?

When I realized I didn’t have any 11×17 construction paper to make a band, I was left with turkey feathers.

Just turkey feathers so I had to get creative.

The children and I started a conversation on things we were thankful for. Okay, more or less we really talked about every toy they had and why it made them happy.

Then I asked, “Well what if all the toys in the house disappeared? (Oh no!) What would you be happy about then?”

They really had to think about this one…sigh…we are getting there.

I wrote down everything they said on their feathers. As you can see, they still mentioned a toy. 🙂

feathers

I was satisfied with their list and so were they.

Even though we have read a few books, such as:

Just So Thankful (We love the Critter’s!) by Mercer Mayer and The Berenstain Bears, Think of Those in Need…

they just weren’t getting it. But, I kept plugging away.

I made their thankful list into key chains and kept asking them, “What are you thankful for?”

They would look at their key chains and try to remember the words.

feathers 2

It makes me smile because being thankful is such a big concept to grasp. It’s not as easy as 1+1. It doesn’t just have an answer, it’s also has a feeling that comes with it.

I can recall my mom taking me to a homeless shelter to lend a hand in the food line and even donating our items to families who could really use them. When I first met my husband, we would help out under a highway bridge, passing out toiletries, Q-tips and toothbrushes.  I truly believe because mom took the time to show me how to be grateful, it opened the door for me to do the same for others. I have since made it my goal to show the children how to be giving and caring for others. Every Thanksgiving, I want to step out-of-the-box to show them how to be thankful in many ways.

After I wrote down their list, I quickly laminated and hole punched the feathers.

Pushed them on a paper clip and used a pipe cleaner for the round chain piece.

Here is our final product:

feathers 3

I also really liked the idea of a key chain because they look at the words and recognizing what they say.

It may be a key chain now, but who knows, perhaps they are receiving a bigger message than that.

From my family to yours, have a blessed Thanksgiving.