Thanksgiving crafts for kids can be made meaningful by helping children focus on gratitude. As children create this “Things I Am Thankful For” story window, they will have the opportunity to think about all the things they appreciate in their lives. (This post also contains a free template to help you create your own Thanksgiving story window.)

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Thanksgiving is the perfect time to help kids focus on gratitude. In this Thanksgiving craft for kids, children will have the opportunity to illustrate four things they are thankful for.

The illustrations for this craft are made on a long strip of paper that is pulled through a window so that one illustration is shown at a time. Creating this Thanksgiving craft in a story window format encourages children to share their illustrations with others (making it perfect to share at the Thanksgiving meal). Children can focus on one illustration at a time as they explain why they chose each item. (This post contains affiliate links.)

Things I Am Thankful for Story Window

Materials for Thanksgiving Craft

• Free story window template
• White construction paper (12 x 18)
• White cardstock
• Scissors
• Ruler (I love clear rulers– so much easier to use!)
• Crayons, colored pencils, or markers
• Exacto knife (optional)

Directions for Making Thanksgiving Craft

1. Print out the free story window template onto a sheet of white cardstock.

*Clip art by Scrappin Doodles

2. You can leave it as is, or cut it out like we did.

3. Use scissors or an exacto knife (obviously children shouldn’t use an exacto knife) to cut two slits into your story window where the dashed lines are located. (Be careful when using your exacto knife. I may not have put enough newspaper under the paper I was cutting and maybe left two deep, long lines right on our kitchen table. Whoops. Should have pulled out my cutting mat.) Set your story window aside.

4. Cut a strip of white construction paper so you have a white strip of paper that measures 3 inches x 18 inches.

5. Use your ruler to mark off a one inch border on each end and 4 four inch sections on the strip.

6. Decorate the two border edges of your strip. (We made a checkered pattern.)

7. Illustrate and/or write what you are thankful for in each box.

8. When you are finished with your paper strip, weave it through the story window.

Now you can easily share what you are thankful for with others!