Montessori preschool students have plenty of opportunities for hands-on activities as Thanksgiving approaches. From simple counting and sorting games to helping prepare the holiday meal, young children love to feel like they are contributing members of the family and will be excited to help out. It is a busy time of year, full of the chance to sort, count, and do simple math.
Color Matching
Have your
Montessori preschool child draw a turkey as she sees it on a paper plate. Using child-safe colors, paint clothespins with a variety of colors and place corresponding colored dots around the edge of the plate. The game is to match the correct clothespin “feather” to its assigned dot on the turkey.
Turkey Baster Feather Race
An
ordinary turkey baster and few feathers are all it takes to entertain a room full of kids as they develop fine motor skills. Children press and release the ball of the turkey baster, sending gusts of air to push the target feather closer to the finish line. For more fun, substitute balloons for the basters, and enjoy a fun time for all.
In the Kitchen
Cooking seems like magic to Montessori preschool children but it is actually chemistry in action. Helping you measure raw ingredients and watching them transform into favorite foods helps children learn practical life skills and provides exposure to
fractional math. Counting the ears of corn or scrubbing pumpkins allows children to feel the texture of different foods before it is prepared and compare that to the final version during the meal.
Be sure to read a few Thanksgiving books and sing along to some holiday-themed songs. Thanksgiving is a rich and festive time of year that it is easy to find ways to incorporate counting, sorting, and naming into learning about the most delicious day of the year.
