Thanksgiving sensory activities are a fun way to help little ones explore the season with their senses! If you’re looking for Thanksgiving activities for preschoolers that go beyond the usual crafts and coloring pages, you’re in the right place.
Sensory play is perfect for this age—it keeps little hands busy, builds fine motor skills, and helps kids learn through touch, smell, and even sound. Plus, it’s just plain fun! Whether you’re a parent planning a cozy afternoon at home or a teacher prepping for a classroom celebration, these ideas are simple to set up and packed with fall-themed fun.
These Thanksgiving sensory activities are playful, easy, and perfect for little learners. Let’s dive into some hands-on holiday fun!
I love when the holidays offer a unique opportunity to introduce little ones to new sights and sounds and smells. Autumn is ripe with opportunities to explore pumpkins, turkeys, corn, and leaves.
Thanksgiving Sensory Activities
Ready to dive into the fun? Below, you’ll find a roundup of Thanksgiving sensory activities perfect for preschoolers. Each one brings a little holiday magic and a lot of hands-on learning.
From crunchy corn to pumpkin-scented playdough, these ideas are easy to set up and super engaging for curious little ones. Just click through to get the full how-to for each activity!
November Sensory Tub
This Thanksgiving-themed sensory tub is filled with fall colors and textures for little hands to explore. With items like corn, leaves, and mini pumpkins, it's a great way to spark conversation and imaginative play. Simple to put together and perfect for a cozy afternoon activity.
This sensory tub is full of Thanksgiving-themed items like plastic leaves, mini pinecones, and kernels of corn. Kids can scoop, sort, and explore while practicing fine motor skills. It’s a great way to bring the season to life through touch and play.
This simple activity uses dried corn for scooping, pouring, and running little fingers through. It’s an excellent way to explore texture and sound while giving kids some calming, hands-on fun. Easy to set up with just a few materials.
This fun turkey craft uses colorful pasta to create a bright, textured turkey tail. Kids can work on color recognition, gluing, and pattern-making as they build their own little bird. It’s a creative mix of sensory play and crafting all in one!
This soft, squishy cloud dough smells like pumpkin spice and is so much fun to play with. It’s easy to make with just a few ingredients and gives kids a chance to squeeze, mold, and explore. A great fall-themed sensory activity that’s calming and creative.
This sensory bin is full of Thanksgiving colors and textures, like dried corn, mini pumpkins, and scooping tools. It encourages open-ended play while helping kids develop fine motor skills. Perfect for classroom centers or quiet play at home.
This sensory bin adds a fun twist with a seek-and-find element built right in. Kids get to dig through fall-themed fillers to find hidden objects, making it both playful and purposeful. It’s great for building focus and language skills while they explore!
Filled with textured materials like dried beans and pretend food, this sensory bin invites kids to play and pretend around a Thanksgiving theme. It encourages storytelling, fine motor play, and seasonal exploration. Easy to adapt for different age groups or classroom settings.
This turkey playdough activity is a fun way for kids to build their own turkeys using playdough and simple craft materials. It encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and hands-on learning. A great way to mix sensory play with a little holiday crafting!
This bin is inspired by the colors and texture of Indian corn, using materials like dyed pasta and scoops for tactile play. Kids can sort, scoop, and explore while learning about fall harvest themes. It’s colorful, engaging, and easy to put together.
This homemade playdough smells just like fall and gives kids a cozy sensory experience. It’s soft, squishy, and perfect for shaping into all kinds of autumn creations. A great way to add seasonal fun to everyday playdough time.
How to Make a Montessori Practical Life Button Turkey
This button turkey busy bag is a hands-on activity that helps kids practice fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Children match and button colorful felt feathers onto a felt turkey body, all while building independence through play. It’s a simple, screen-free activity that’s great for quiet time or on-the-go fun.
Which of these Thanksgiving sensory activities will you do first with your preschoolers?
PRESCHOOL BOOKS ABOUT THANKSGIVING
Fill your book basket with a great collection of Thanksgiving picture books. Most of these books can be found at your local library or used bookstore.
If you have a hard time finding them, you can order them through my Amazon affiliate links by clicking the images below.
How to Catch a Turkey – A turkey is running loose in a school right before a Thanksgiving play. Can YOU help catch it? Follow along as students turn their school upside down trying to catch the turkey, ending with a twist that ensures no turkeys are harmed (or eaten!).
Turkey Trouble – Turkey is in trouble. Bad trouble. The kind of trouble where it’s almost Thanksgiving . . . and you’re the main course. But Turkey has an idea–what if he doesn’t look like a turkey? What if he looks like another animal instead?Â
10 Fat Turkeys – Girls and boys will gobble up this hilarious story about ten goofy turkeys and their silly antics: swinging from a vine, strutting on a boar, doing a noodle dance, and more.Â
ROUND OUT YOUR UNIT WITH THESE ACTIVITIES
This little turkey is adorable and fun. With colorful feathers, a cute little face and 2 three toed feet it pleases the senses. Use the feathers for color matching and identification or set this up somewhere visible so it doubles as a holiday decoration.
Is there anything cuter at Thanksgiving time than hand-print turkeys? How about toilet paper roll turkeys? If you’re looking for a fun turkey craft or activity to do with your little ones this month, look no further.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner! It’s the perfect time to curl up with one of our favorite Thanksgiving picture books for young children.
Tara is the brains behind Homeschool Preschool, where her journey from preschool and public school teacher to homeschooling mom of three fuels her passion for early childhood education. With a blend of expertise and firsthand experience, Tara’s writings offer practical tips and engaging resources to support families in creating meaningful learning adventures at home.
