Printable Story of Thanksgiving for Kids

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Need a printable Story of Thanksgiving for kids?  Print out this easy reader printable book for young children to teach them the beginnings of this historic story.

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in November in the United States.  It time is a time of gathering and family.  The story of Thanksgiving began in the same way. People were gathering as new friends to celebrate the arrival and survival of a journey to a new world.

Today’s traditional Thanksgiving holiday is quite different from the first one a long time ago in North America. The European settlers, who we call pilgrims, traveled across the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower to the American continent.  They were in search of a new life of religious freedom and a new home far from their old one.

They landed near what is now called Plymouth Rock in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  Here they met the native people from the Wampanoag tribe. The Wampanoag people helped their new neighbors survive their first winter in New England by sharing corn and their knowledge. It was a harsh and cold winter.

The English colonists certainly would not have made it through without the Native American tribes helping them. Squanto, also known as Tisquantum, was an interpreter and guide for the Pilgrim settlers. They celebrated their new friendships and survival with the first feast of the Thanksgiving season.

The Thanksgiving story may have evolved over time from the primary sources and records that we have. But, we know that now Thanksgiving Day is a time and season of gratitude.

We make many traditional foods for our Thanksgiving dinner, most of which would not have been served during that harvest feast many years ago. Pumpkin pie, and green bean casserole were definitely not on the menu like they are at our Thanksgiving celebrations. I’m sure they were’t watching football games or parades in New York. But, the bountiful harvest was being celebrated, just the same.

I made a printable story of the first Thanksgiving for kids. It is a very simplified version and one that younger kids will certainly be able to read and understand. You can add to it your story and the extra details you want them to understand. There are different ways to tell the story from many different perspectives, but it is still an important story to teach.

This printable book has 8 pages with colorful illustrations of the first Thanksgiving feast. You can print the booklet and use in your teaching this holiday season.  It is perfect for elementary school kids, particularly kindergarten, first grade and second grade levels.

To Assemble the Thanksgiving Story Easy Reader Book: Print it out on white copy paper. there are four book pages per sheet of paper, so the whole mini-book prints out on 2 sheets.  Cut them out and staple them together.

Print the Story of Thanksgiving book now!

This book is available for purchase in my shop here:

Want More Thanksgiving Ideas?

Thanksgiving Turkey Activity Pages
Thanksgiving Color By Number Worksheets
I Am Thankful for- Thanksgiving Printables & Activities
The Gratitude Game: Pick-Up Sticks

See More of My Easy Reader Books:

Five Senses Easy Reader Books
What is a Paleontologist? Easy Reader for Kids
Astronaut Easy Reader Book for Kindergarten
Garden Themed Kindergarten Reading Book