The Story of Thanksgiving for Kids (Free Printable Coloring Book)
The Story of Thanksgiving for Kids (Free Printable Coloring Book)
Looking for a fun way to teach your kids about the first Thanksgiving? This free printable Thanksgiving coloring book is a great way to introduce children to the history behind the holiday while giving them something creative to do!
Our Story of Thanksgiving for Kids printable takes children back to 1620, when the Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower. They’ll learn about the difficult first winter in Plymouth, the people who lived in the region, and the harvest celebration that took place in 1621.
Best of all, each page is a coloring page that the kids can bring to life as they read!
This printable book is perfect for elementary-age children, homeschool lessons, classroom activities, or a quiet Thanksgiving activity at home.
Check out some of our other Thanksgiving printables while you’re here!
- Free Printable Thanksgiving Puzzle
- Free Printable Thanksgiving Word Search
- Free Printable Thanksgiving Cards to Color
- Free Printable Fall “Thankful” Banner
Free Printable First Thanksgiving Coloring Book
This isn’t just a collection of Thanksgiving coloring pages. It’s a short, easy-to-follow story that helps children understand the people and events behind the first Thanksgiving.
The printable book follows the Pilgrims’ journey to America, their first year in Plymouth, and their interactions with the Wampanoag people.
Each page includes a short section of text along with an illustration for coloring. The pictures help bring the story to life, making it easier for young readers to follow along.
Children will learn about:
- The Pilgrims’ voyage on the Mayflower in 1620
- The difficult first winter at Plymouth
- The Wampanoag people and their knowledge of the land
- Squanto and his help as a guide and interpreter
- The Pilgrims’ successful harvest in 1621
- The three-day harvest celebration attended by the Pilgrims and Wampanoag
- How Thanksgiving eventually became an American holiday
The book also includes a page where children can write about the things they are thankful for!
How to Print and Assemble Your Thanksgiving Mini Book
This free Thanksgiving printable is designed to be made into a small booklet that children can hold, read, and color.
What You’ll Need
- Free printable Thanksgiving book (pink download button is below)
- White printer paper (I use this one because it’s a little heavier than typical, but not card stock)
- Printer – we have this one and love it!
- Crayons, colored pencils, or markers
- Stapler
Instructions
Step 1: Download the printable.
Use the download link below to get your free Thanksgiving coloring book PDF.
Step 2: Print the pages.
Print the booklet on regular 8.5″ x 11″ white printer paper.
Step 3: Assemble the booklet.
Arrange the pages in order and staple along the folded edge to hold the book together.
Step 4: Read and color!
Let your child read through the Thanksgiving story, coloring the illustrations as they go. Younger children can listen while an adult reads the story aloud.
Fun Ways to Use This Thanksgiving Printable
There are several ways to use this free printable Thanksgiving book with your kids!
Homeschool Thanksgiving lesson: Read the book together as part of an American history lesson. Talk about the Mayflower, the Native Americans, and what life was like in Plymouth in 1621.
Elementary classroom activity: Have students color and assemble their own books. The short sections of text make this a good activity for independent reading or reading together as a class.
Thanksgiving week activity: Set out crayons and printed booklets for a fun, educational activity while you’re preparing for the holiday.
Sunday school lesson: Use the story to talk about thankfulness and how the Pilgrims recognized God’s provision during their first year in Plymouth.
Reading practice: Have beginning readers take turns reading the pages aloud. The illustrations give them something fun to work on between reading sections.
Thanksgiving keepsake: Let children complete the final “I am thankful for…” page and save their finished book as a sweet memory of the year.
:: PIN FOR LATER! ::
What Ages Is This Thanksgiving Coloring Book For?
This printable Thanksgiving story is designed primarily for kids ages 6–10, although younger and older children may enjoy it too.
The story is broken into short, manageable sections, and the illustrations are black and white so kids can use their creativity to color them as they like.
For younger children, an adult can read the text aloud while they color. Older students can read and complete the book independently.
It’s also a nice option for families with several children of different ages because everyone can participate at their own level.
Download Your Free Story of Thanksgiving Printable Book
Ready to make your own Thanksgiving book?
Download the free Story of Thanksgiving coloring book PDF below, print it, and let your kids enjoy learning about the history of Thanksgiving!
This printable is for personal, home, church, or classroom use. Please share a link to this blog post with friends and teachers rather than redistributing the PDF file.
I hope your children enjoy coloring their books and learning more about the story behind Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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