Thanksgiving Words: Vocabulary Words for Kids
This list of Thanksgiving vocabulary words for kids is grouped by topic: food, cooking, history (the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag), gratitude, fall nature, and family celebrations. Words marked with a star are shorter, easier words for kindergarten to 2nd grade. The rest suit grades 3–5.
Use the menu to show only the easier or harder words, then print a word wall sheet, a writing word bank, or a spelling list.
Thanksgiving Words
Thanksgiving Food Words
- turkey★
- pie★
- corn★
- bread★
- rolls★
- ham★
- yams★
- peas★
- beans★
- apple★
- nuts★
- gravy★
- butter★
- soup★
- salad★
- cake★
- milk★
- jam★
- stuffing
- cranberry sauce
- mashed potatoes
- sweet potatoes
- green bean casserole
- pumpkin pie
- pecan pie
- apple cider
- cornbread
- biscuits
- drumstick
- wishbone
- squash
- succotash
- leftovers
- dessert
- recipe
- seasoning
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
Cooking and Kitchen Words
- cook★
- bake★
- pot★
- pan★
- bowl★
- cup★
- spoon★
- fork★
- plate★
- oven★
- mix★
- stir★
- pour★
- taste★
- roast
- carve
- baste
- simmer
- platter
- utensils
- ingredients
- measure
- napkin
- tablecloth
- centerpiece
- serving dish
- aroma
- delicious
History Words: Pilgrims and Wampanoag
In 1621, English colonists at Plymouth and Wampanoag people led by the leader Ousamequin (Massasoit) shared a harvest gathering that lasted about three days. The Wampanoag have lived in what is now Massachusetts and Rhode Island for more than 12,000 years and are still a living nation today. Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863, and since 1941 it has fallen on the fourth Thursday of November.
- ship★
- sail★
- sea★
- home★
- land★
- hunt★
- fish★
- plant★
- seed★
- deer★
- boat★
- canoe★
- village★
- Mayflower
- Pilgrims
- Wampanoag
- Plymouth
- colony
- colonists
- voyage
- Atlantic Ocean
- Massachusetts
- sachem
- Massasoit
- Ousamequin
- Tisquantum
- Squanto
- Indigenous
- Native American
- nation
- treaty
- alliance
- 1621
- heritage
- tradition
- history
- settlement
- homeland
- Abraham Lincoln
- Sarah Josepha Hale
- proclamation
- National Day of Mourning
Gratitude and Kindness Words
- thanks★
- thankful★
- kind★
- share★
- give★
- help★
- love★
- care★
- hug★
- smile★
- joy★
- happy★
- nice★
- friend★
- grateful
- gratitude
- appreciate
- generous
- kindness
- blessing
- compassion
- volunteer
- donate
- charity
- respect
- welcome
- hospitality
- abundance
- reflect
- unity
Fall and Nature Words
- fall★
- leaf★
- leaves★
- tree★
- acorn★
- rake★
- cold★
- wind★
- crow★
- owl★
- hay★
- farm★
- field★
- pumpkin★
- orange★
- brown★
- red★
- gold★
- autumn
- harvest
- gourd
- cornucopia
- scarecrow
- maize
- crops
- orchard
- haystack
- migration
- frost
- November
- season
- squirrel
- pinecone
- crisp
- bountiful
Family and Celebration Words
- family★
- mom★
- dad★
- baby★
- aunt★
- uncle★
- eat★
- fun★
- game★
- play★
- meal★
- party★
- guest★
- nap★
- football★
- relatives
- grandparents
- cousins
- gathering
- reunion
- feast
- celebration
- holiday
- parade
- balloon
- float
- travel
- tradition
- memories
- host
- invitation
- Thursday
- pardon
- gobble
★ = easier word, great for K–2
Teaching tips
- Thanksgiving menu: students choose 8 food words and write a menu for their dream Thanksgiving meal.
- Word web: put THANKFUL in the middle and have students connect gratitude words with examples from their own lives.
- Sort it: students cut the words apart and sort them by number of syllables, part of speech, or topic.
- History talk: use the Wampanoag words to explain that the Wampanoag Nation is still here today, and that some Native families mark the day as a National Day of Mourning.
- Gratitude sentences: older students pick five 3–5 words and write one sentence each about something they are grateful for.
- Turn the list into puzzles: paste words into our word search maker or crossword maker.
🖍️ Looking for more? Print our free Thanksgiving coloring pages.
More Thanksgiving printables
- Thanksgiving word search printable
- Thanksgiving coloring pages
- Crossword maker: paste in Thanksgiving words and clues
- Addition worksheets and multiplication worksheets for a November math center
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