With all the talk about what’s for dinner, I can’t blame my kids for thinking that Thanksgiving is mostly about the turkey, mashed potatoes and pie—oh, and something about Pilgrims too. That’s why in between the turkey and the pie, we’ll settle down to watch a few videos that help explain the historical significance of the day—in a way that won’t put us all to sleep after all that food. You just might find they’re worth checking out for your own brood.
Brain Pop Jr.’s Thankgiving
Brain Pop Jr’s Annie and her sidekick Moby explain the early days of the Pilgrims in the free video Thanksgiving.
Playful and smart, the duo do a good job showing how our version of Thanksgiving grew out of a simple feast. Perfect for even very young kids, though my older elementary school kids love watching Brain Pop Jr.’s videos too.
Schoolhouse Rock’s No More Kings
I’ve turned to my childhood favorite Schoolhouse Rock to explain everything from voting to conjunctions, and on this day, we’ll be playing No More Kings in honor of Thanksgiving. Though not really a Thankgiving song, this classic video takes kids from the early settlers’ days on the Mayflower through the Revolutionary War. Younger kids will probably enjoy the song and cartoon, though they may be overwhelmed by the amount of information packed into a few short minutes. Oh, and because this is YouTube, expand the video to full screen so comments are hidden.
Plimouth Planation’s Investigating the First Thanksgiving
Finally, older kids with a penchant for history can spend a lot of time exploring Plimouth Plantation’s multimedia website, You Are The Historian. Look at original text, read about how both the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims lived and even create your own exhibit. Don’t be surprised if your kids show up for dessert knowing more than you about the earliest Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Cool Mom Tech!
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