The Thanksgiving holiday is quickly approaching and it frequently sparks interest in storytelling, family traditions, and cultural heritage, all of which can foster foundational literacy skills. Thanksgiving provides a unique opportunity to develop language, comprehension, and social skills when we incorporate literacy activities into our Thanksgiving preparations. Let’s explore some research-informed early literacy strategies to use during Thanksgiving:
1. Read Holiday-Themed Books Aloud
Reading holiday-themed books is a straightforward yet powerful way to improve early literacy skills. Research emphasizes the role read-alouds play in boosting vocabulary, comprehension, and phonological awareness (Neuman & Celano, 2021). During Thanksgiving, select books that discuss gratitude, family, and cultural diversity to help children connect personally with the holiday. Stories such as Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano, Gracias, The Thanksgiving Turkey by Joy Cowley, and Fry Bread by Kevin Millard can introduce new words and provide cultural insights.
Research Insight: Books with rhyming texts and repetitive phrases, like many Thanksgiving stories, are especially effective in helping children develop phonemic awareness (National Institute for Early Education Research [NIEER], 2023). Studies show that children exposed to rhyme and rhythm in language are better at identifying sound patterns, a skill crucial for learning to read (Anthony et al., 2022).
2. Encourage Storytelling and Sharing Family Traditions
Because families come together at Thanksgiving, it provides an ideal context for storytelling. When appropriate, encourage children to share their own stories or family traditions. Doing so develops their narrative skills, an important literacy component. According to Dickinson and Porche (2023), storytelling nurtures language skills and comprehension, as children learn to sequence events and use descriptive language.
Research Insight: Activities such as drawing pictures and narrating stories based on personal experiences encourage expressive language use and vocabulary expansion. Children also benefit from hearing other people’s family stories because it broadens their cultural understanding and empathy (Perez & Rushing, 2024).
Tip: Use open question prompts such as “What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food and why?” to stimulate storytelling. Questions like this encourage critical thinking and language skills because they require children to organize and express their ideas
3. Build Vocabulary with Thanksgiving Words
Share holiday-specific vocabulary like “feast,” “gratitude,” and “celebration” to expand children’s word knowledge and language proficiency. Caregivers can use these words in sentences and encourage children to do the same, helping them learn the new words in context.
Research Insight: Studies show that children who learn themed vocabulary words related to their immediate experiences retain these words better (Hoffman, Teale, & White, 2020).
Activity Idea: Create a Thanksgiving word wall at home or in the classroom and add words that relate to the holiday as they are introduced. Add images of the words for visual support because research suggests that pairing visuals with new vocabulary helps reinforce word learning (Walker & White, 2023).
4. Cook Together and Follow Recipes
Cooking can be a valuable hands-on activity that promotes literacy because it involves identifying ingredients and cooking tools, reading recipes and following step-by-step instructions. Recipes often use sequencing language such as “first,” “next,” and “last,” which helps children understand the order of events in a text. Cooking activities also build vocabulary related to food and cooking (e.g., “stir,” “pour,” “mix”. “whisk”), allowing for contextualized vocabulary learning.
Research Insight: According to Smith and Gough (2022), hands-on activities like cooking provide multisensory engagement, which supports language retention. Cooking also introduces children to instructional text, a foundational element of literacy (Neuman et al., 2022).
5. Celebrate by Creating a “Thankfulness” Journal or Book
Encourage children to create a “thankfulness” journal or book in which they draw, collage, or write about things they are thankful for. This not only helps them practice writing, but also to think about their personal experiences and practice self-expression.
Supporting Research: Writing about personal experiences is a powerful tool for literacy development, as it integrates vocabulary, narrative skills, and comprehension. Studies show that early exposure to expressive writing fosters positive attitudes toward literacy (Stewart & Claiborne, 2024).
Supporting young children’s early literacy skills around Thanksgiving by reading holiday-themed books, encouraging storytelling, building holiday-related vocabulary, engaging in cooking activities, and creating thankfulness journals can be a lot of fun and meaningful. The holiday season becomes a time not only for celebration but also for meaningful learning experiences that build a solid foundation for future literacy success.
Lynne Hall, Research Associate, holds a Master of Science in Education and an Indiana instructional teaching license (Early Childhood Education and Services; Elementary/Primary Generalist; Elementary/Intermediate Generalist). She formerly taught preschool in a variety of settings for over 15 years. Her expertise includes early literacy instruction, equity in early childhood education, and inclusive classroom practices.
Email her at hallma@iu.edu
https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/ecc/index.html
References
- Anthony, J. L., Puranik, C. S., & Park, J. (2022). Phonemic Awareness and Reading Readiness in Early Childhood Education. Early Literacy Review, 12(2), 53-66.
- Dickinson, D. K., & Porche, M. V. (2023). The Impact of Storytelling on Language Development in Young Children. Language Development Quarterly, 19(4), 117-131.
- Hoffman, J., Teale, W. H., & White, E. (2020). Contextual Vocabulary Learning in Preschool Education. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 20(3), 239-254.
- National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). (2023). The Role of Rhyme and Rhythm in Early Literacy. NIEER Publications, 23, 45-52.
- Neuman, S. B., Celano, D., & Dickinson, D. (2022). Hands-On Learning and Literacy: Integrating Multisensory Approaches. Early Literacy Quarterly, 18(1), 11-29.
- Perez, S., & Rushing, M. (2024). Cultural Diversity and Literacy Development in Early Education. Multicultural Education Journal, 14(2), 63-78.
- Smith, A. T., & Gough, L. M. (2022). Literacy Skills through Multisensory Experiences: A Guide for Educators. Journal of Literacy and Education, 15(2), 91-102.
- Stewart, M., & Claiborne, C. (2024). Expressive Writing in Early Childhood Education: Fostering Positive Literacy Attitudes. Early Childhood Literacy Journal, 22(3), 217-229.
- Walker, J., & White, P. (2023). Visual Supports in Vocabulary Instruction for Young Children. Literacy Strategies, 29(1), 30-45.
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