Sharing and Caring: Thanksgiving STEAM Activities to Inspire Gratitude in Preschoolers

Thanksgiving is a time for coming together, sharing food, and celebrating with friends and family. But beyond the holiday traditions, it’s also an opportunity to teach young children about the value of community, sharing, and expressing gratitude. In the preschool classroom, these themes can be woven into fun, hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities that not only encourage collaboration but also inspire curiosity and kindness.

In this post, we’ll explore how to use STEAM to teach preschoolers the importance of sharing and community. From exploring the concept of “growing food together” to collaborative building projects, these activities will help children see how working together and sharing resources benefit everyone.

1. Science: Planting a “Community Garden”

One of the most hands-on ways to teach children about the power of sharing is through a classroom garden. Even in November, you can set up an indoor garden by planting herbs, sprouts, or fast-growing vegetables in small pots. Explain to the children that just like we share food during Thanksgiving, plants also share resources like water, sunlight, and soil to grow strong.

• STEAM Connection: Children learn how plants grow and explore the basics of biology by observing their garden over time.
• Sharing Focus: Have each child water a specific plant, and emphasize how everyone’s contributions help the entire garden thrive.

Ask:

• “What do plants need to grow, and how do they share the sunlight and water?”
• “How can we share the responsibility of taking care of our plants?”

2. Technology and Math: Measuring and Sharing the Harvest

If you’ve planted a garden earlier in the year or are using classroom-grown herbs or vegetables, now’s the time to “harvest” and explore measuring and sharing. Have children help harvest what’s grown, then use measuring tools like scales and rulers to see how much their plants have grown.

• STEAM Connection: Use technology (scales, rulers) to measure the weight or length of your harvested plants. Introduce simple math concepts by counting or comparing the sizes of vegetables.
• Sharing Focus: Ask the children to divide the harvest equally among their classmates, helping them understand fairness and sharing in a hands-on way.

Ask:

• “How can we share the harvest so everyone gets a piece?”
• “What did we learn about how plants grow and how we can share the results?”

3. Engineering: Building a Shared “Gratitude Tower”

Set up a fun, collaborative engineering project where the children work together to build a “Gratitude Tower” using blocks, recycled materials, or even LEGOs. The goal is for each child to contribute by adding one or more pieces to the structure while sharing materials and space with their classmates.

• STEAM Connection: Children learn basic engineering concepts by experimenting with balance, stability, and structure while working as a group.
• Sharing Focus: Emphasize how sharing building materials and working together allows them to create something bigger than they could on their own.

Ask:

• “What happens when we work together to build something? How does sharing our materials make it easier?”
• “What are you thankful for that helped our tower grow tall?”

4. Art: Creating a Gratitude Tree

Have the children create a “Gratitude Tree” on a large piece of paper or a bulletin board. Each child can add a leaf with something they are thankful for, whether it’s their friends, family, or nature. Use natural objects like leaves or pinecones to make it autumn-themed.

• STEAM Connection: This art activity combines creativity with elements of nature and reflection. Children can explore how trees grow while expressing their gratitude.
• Sharing Focus: Each child contributes to the shared project by adding their own leaf, symbolizing how individual efforts come together to create a full tree.

Ask:

• “How does sharing our gratitude with each other help us feel connected?”
• “What are you thankful for, and how can we show that through our Gratitude Tree?”

5. Science and Technology: Exploring Food with Thanksgiving Chemistry

Introduce children to the science of cooking by preparing a simple Thanksgiving-inspired recipe together, like making butter from cream or mixing ingredients to create a no-bake pumpkin dessert. Explain how different ingredients come together to create something delicious that everyone can share.

• STEAM Connection: Children learn about chemical reactions, measurement, and the transformation of ingredients during cooking.
• Sharing Focus: The end result of cooking together is something to share and enjoy as a group, reinforcing the importance of community during Thanksgiving.

Ask:

• “What happens when we mix different ingredients together?”
• “How can we work together to create something we can all share?”

Celebrating Thanksgiving Through Sharing and STEAM

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s the perfect time to help preschoolers understand the importance of sharing, gratitude, and community. Through these simple but powerful STEAM activities, children learn not only how the natural world works but also how their contributions—whether in the classroom or with family—can make a big difference.

Thanksgiving is about more than just food and tradition; it’s a time to appreciate how working together and caring for one another helps us thrive. By bringing the themes of sharing and gratitude into your preschool STEAM lessons, you’ll foster a sense of kindness and curiosity in your students that they’ll carry with them beyond the classroom.