Thanksgiving Songs

Celebrate  Sung to: The Ants go marching one by one 

The pilgrims are coming to celebrate  Hurrah Hurrah
The pilgrims are coming to celebrate Hurrah Hurrah
The pilgrims are coming so don't be late
They'll sing and dance to celebrate
And we'll all have fun so hurry and don't be late! 

The Natives are coming to share their food Hurrah Hurrah

The Native are coming to share their food Hurrah Hurrah

The natives are coming so don't be late

They'll sing and dance and celebrate

And we'll all have fun so hurry and don't be late.

Other Verses:

The children are coming to play some games

The mothers are coming to cook the food

The fathers are coming to trade their goods

Idea # 1: Choose children to represent the different people in the song and act out the story.

Idea #2: Talk about the games children might play in those times, what the fathers might trade, how the mothers cook the food.

Sail The Mayflower Sung to:  Row Row Your Boat

Sail, Sail ,Sail the Mayflower 

Gently across the sea Merrily , Merrily , Merrily 

Pilgrims now are free. 

Chop Chop Chop the wood

Put in a pile

Build a little log cabin

That will make you smile

Children find a partner and sit facing each other.  They stretch arms and hold hands with their partner as they rock back and forth to “Sail Sail”  

During “Chop Chop” they pat each others hands and then make a house by reaching their hands up and putting them together with their partners.

Another Ten little Natives
1 little, 2 little 3 little Natives,
4 little, 5 little, 6 little Natives,
7 little, 8 little 9 little Natives,
10 little Native boys and girls.

They jumped in a boat and the boat flipped over,
They jumped in a boat and the boat flipped over,
They jumped in a boat and the boat flipped over,
10 little Native boys and girls.

They swam and they swam and they swam to their mother,
They swam and they swam and they swam to their mother,
They swam and they swam and they swam to their mother,
10 little Native boys and girls.

She hugged them, kissed them, and sent them to bed,
She hugged them, kissed them, and sent them to bed,
She hugged them, kissed them, and sent them to bed,
10 little Native boys and girls. 

Idea #1: Have the children pop up while you count the Natives.  

Idea #2: Act out the songs motions.

Idea #3: Count backwards 10 little, 9 little, 8 little Natives

Turkey in the brown straw (Sung To: Skip To My Lou My Darling)

Turkey in the brown straw, Ha, ha, ha, ha

Turkey in the brown straw Ha, ha, ha, ha

Turkey in the brown straw, ha, ha, ha, ha

Turkey in the brown straw

Turkey in the white sleigh, hey, hey, hey

Turkey in the blue sky, hi, hi, hi

Turkey in the red barn, harn, harn, harn

Turkey in the yellow corn, horn, horn, horn

Turkey in the green tree, hee, hee, hee

Turkey in the purple plum, hum, hum, hum, hum

Turkey in the pink bow, ho, ho, ho

Turkey in the black show, hoo, hoo, hoo

I have the children guess what 'H' word will rhyme. 

Driver Driver

  This old road is hard and bumpy (Alternate pat on legs)

  Five fat turkeys wild and jumpy (Hold us fingers, wiggle on 'wild', hands up on       
            'jumpy')

   Driver driver not so jerky (Pretend to drive)

   Or you'll make us loose a turkey (Wag finger)

           Driver! Driver! Stop I say! (Pretend to drive, hold up hand on 'stop')

   One fat turkey got away! (Hold up number of turkey)

   Repeat each verse until just one turkey is left and say:

             Driver! Driver! stop I say!

   Let's save this turkey for Thanksgiving Day!

Idea #1: Count down from 10, taking two away each time for skip counting

Idea #2: Count down form 12 taking different amounts away each time for subtraction

Ten Days of Thanksgiving

On the first day of Thanksgiving the natives gave to me.
A pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the second day of Thanksgiving the natives gave to me
Two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.
On the third day of Thanksgiving the natives gave to me

Three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the fourth day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.
On the fifth day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the sixth day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Six pairs of moccasins, five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the seventh day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Seven Native teepees, six pairs of moccasins, five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the eighth day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Eight woven blankets, seven Native teepees, six pairs of moccasins, five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the ninth day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Nine ears of corn, eight woven blankets, seven Native teepees, six pairs of moccasins, five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the tenth day of Thanksgiving, the Natives gave to me.

Ten loud tom-toms,nine ears of corn, eight woven blankets, seven Native teepees, six pairs of moccasins, five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch. 

I make up motions for each one of the days and talk about how the Native Americans used these items.


Use these pictures for "Turkey in the Brown Straw" and "Ten Days of Thanksgiving"
Turkey in the Brown Straw

Ten Days of Thanksgiving

Turkey Songs

Thanksgiving is upon us and this is a great time to sing about that funny bird, the turkey. 

Turkey Jerky Sung to "The Hokey Pokey"

You put your right wing in

You put your right wing out

You put your right wing in 

And you shake it all about

You do the Turkey Jerky (strut like a turkey)

And you turn yourself about

That's what it's all about (Turkey Jerky)

Alternate verses: Left wing, drumsticks(legs), stuffing(tummy), waddle (neck), head, tail feathers

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Five Little Turkeys

5 little turkeys standing by the door

1 waddled off and then there were four

4 little turkeys underneath a tree

1 waddled off and then there were three

3 little turkeys with nothing to do

1 waddled off and then there were two

2 little turkeys in the noon day sun

1 waddled off and then there were one

1 little turkey better run away

For soon will come Thanksgiving day.

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Ten Little Turkeys

10 little turkeys standing by the gate

2 waddled off and then there were eight

8 little turkeys playing with sticks
2 waddled off and then there were six

6 little turkeys  standing by the door
2 waddled off and then there were four
4 little turkeys with nothing to do
2 waddled off and then there were two
2 little turkeys better run away.
For soon will come Thanksgiving day.

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See my feathers Sung to "Mary Had a little lamb"

See my feathers colored bright

Colored bright, colored bright

See my feathers colored bright

What a pretty sight

(link thumbs and wiggle fingers for feathers)

See me tummy big and fat

Big and fat, big and fat

See my tummy big and fat

What do you think of that?

See my head look all around

All around, all around

See my head look all around

For corn upon the ground

See me as I strut and sway

Strut and sway, strut and sway

See me as I strut and sway

This is what I say: 

Gobble, gobble, gobble