Find some of the best Thanksgiving music with these turkey songs and Thanksgiving songs for kids.
If you’re looking for the perfect Thanksgiving songs for preschool, we’ve got you covered.
Thanksgiving Songs for Kids
Children never get tired of music, whether it’s a reason to dance, a reason to sing, a reason to rest, or a reason to play. These turkey songs and Thanksgiving songs for kids can be used for all of the above!
Turkey Hokey Pokey
Get your children on their feet and moving with this classic, reimagined as an adorable Thanksgiving song for kids! The animation is super simple and sweet – I like how they let the song stand for itself without getting too visually stimulating or confusing. They include a good mix of both singing a melody and chanting on the beat, which are both great skills. Bonus points for including a new vocabulary word: “wattle!”
Thanksgiving Feast
There’s a bunch of Thanksgiving music on this list from The Learning Station, who has so many songs that we love and sing over and over again. Make sure to check out their Autumn songs playlist! This one is set to the familiar tune “Frère Jacques” which has lots of repetition — an important skill for kids! When a child can quickly learn the tune of a song, it gives them great confidence and joy when they’re singing.
Ten Little Turkeys
Something I love about The Learning Station videos is how they have both genders of voices singing. The main male voice sings the melody, and the female voices sing the same melody an octave (8 notes) higher. It’s great that both genders of kids in your class can hear a voice they can relate to! Although young boys’ voices haven’t changed yet, being able to hear a man’s voice singing the same melody, only lower, will help them find the same melody when their voices do start to change. This great little turkey song has many possibilities: emphasize the beginning math skills, or turn it into a flannel graph or finger play. It’s a perfect turkey song for preschoolers!
Gobble Gobble Turkey Wobble
When it comes to Koo Koo Kangaroo, kids can’t get enough of them! Plus, exposure to lots of different genres of music is important. This fun turkey song has a great dance that reinforces following directions and moving on the beat.
5 Little Turkeys
A new turkey twist on the popular “5 Little Monkeys” makes this a great Thanksgiving song for children! You can encourage kids to count the number of turkeys on their fingers, sharpening those fine motor skills and beginning math skills. Alternately, they’ll have a great time mimicking either mama on the phone or the doctor wagging his finger to say, “no more!”
VeggieTales: The Thankfulness Song
This one’s a beautiful classic, especially if you work in a faith-based school or are using Thanksgiving music in your home. It’s from the Madame Blueberry video that is all about thankfulness.
If You’re Thankful and You Know It
I love it when they take classic tunes and turn them into great Thanksgiving songs for kids, and this one is no exception! Having the words on the video is nice reinforcement, or just play the audio to help hone critical listening skills. Clapping/stomping/shouting on the beat is a fantastic skill, and this song makes it easy.
Powwow: Thanksgiving Song
This Thanksgiving song is another one that’s sure to get your children up and moving, developing both their brains and their bodies! They’ll love following the instructions to move like the different animals and other things found in nature. The strong beat and repeated refrain help keep the song grounded and familiar.
Albuquerque Turkey
Dr. Jean’s songs are always a favorite! Albuquerque Turkey is no exception as children practice rhyming and dancing to this fun and silly Thanksgiving song for preschoolers.
Mahalo
This Thanksgiving song is a great addition because it helps reinforce what Thanksgiving is all about — being thankful and grateful. Mahalo means thank you, and there are even ASL signs that you could watch and learn to teach your students to while you sing it.
I hope you enjoyed this Thanksgiving songs playlist! For more great songs for every part of your day in the classroom, check out our list below:
- Welcome Songs
- Goodbye Songs
- Fingerplays
- ABC and Alphabet Songs
- Movement and Action Songs
- Nursery Rhyme Songs
- Songs that Teach
- Pumpkin and Halloween Songs for Kids
- The Ultimate Guide to Preschool Songs
Need some more Thanksgiving activities? Our Children’s Books about Gratitude and Thankfulness will help round out your circle time or story time, and the Turkey Color and Number Match Montessori Activity is great for a math center!
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- The Best Rhyming Songs for Kids - August 2, 2022
Mary Brice says
Hi Katie
I love the videos on this page my kids really enjoy the activities !!!