November is nearly here, and that means lots of buzz in the classroom! It’s a perfect time to bring in a little celebration, without adding piles of prep to your teacher plate. 

Here are five Thanksgiving party ideas designed to be quick, fun, and meaningful for your K–2 learners. 

And at the end, I’ll share two ready-to-go resources you can use right away!

1. Class Turkey Costume Parade
Have students wear silly “turkey disguises” (think: paper feathers, pilgrim hats, cardboard accessories) and take a fun walk through your hallway or make a short video for families. It’s low-prep (simple materials + creativity) and kids LOVE the movement and silliness.

2. Pilgrim Hat Photo Booth
Set up a little corner in your classroom with a backdrop (fall leaves, thankful quote, etc.) and let students craft paper pilgrim hats ahead of time. Then kids can pose with friends, laughing and snapping goofy pics. You’ll capture great memories… and maybe a bulletin-board display too!

3. “Turkey Talk” Writing Center
Create a small writing station where students respond to prompts like “If I were a turkey trying to avoid Thanksgiving dinner, I would…” or “My turkey’s disguise is…” Keep it simple: blank paper, pencils, and a few guiding questions. This gives a literacy boost while tying into the holiday feel.

4. Gratitude Garland Exchange
Keep it easy: give each student a paper leaf or feather to write something they’re thankful for. Then have them swap with a peer and attach their leaf to a classroom garland. It’s meaningful, quick, and doubles as decor until the break.

5. Printable Craft & Write Station
Have a “print-and-go” station where students make simple crafts and then write about them. For example: they craft a pilgrim hat then write one thing they appreciate about school. Or they disguise a turkey and write a short story about how it saved itself from dinner.

Ready-to-Go Resources

• Thanksgiving Pilgrim Hats Craft | Writing Activity: A printable set of pilgrim hats (male & female versions) plus writing prompts. Helps you combine craft + writing with minimal prep. 

• Disguise a Turkey Writing Activities: Interactive Google Slides where students drag-and-drop pieces to disguise a turkey, then write a narrative or opinion about it, perfect for remote or in-class!

Final Tip

Choose two or three of these ideas for your party day so you don’t overwhelm yourself (or the kids!). Set up stations ahead of time, keep materials minimal, and enjoy the joy of the season. Your students will love it, and you’ll keep things calm and fun.

Looking for more Thanksgiving ideas? Check out my post here for ways to bring gratitude into your classroom this November!