The Turkey Who Wrote a Thank-You List for God | Thanksgiving Preschool Bible Lesson

🦃 The Turkey Who Wrote a Thank-You List for God

(A preschool Bible lesson about gratitude and thankfulness to God.)

With a toddler-friendly Bible story, hands-on craft, activity, song, and prayer, this lesson helps little ones learn that thanking God for everything is a joyful part of worship.

🌿 Bible Theme:

Thankfulness and remembering God’s blessings

📖 Bible Verse (Toddler Version):

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.” — Psalm 107:1

💬 Main Point to Repeat with Kids:

“I can thank God every day!”

📘 Story – Bob the Turkey Who Wrote a Thank-You List for God

Bob the Turkey was one thoughtful bird! 🦃

Every morning, he liked to walk around the farmyard and think about all the things he was thankful for. One chilly November day, Bob decided he wanted to do something special — he wanted to write a Thank-You list for God!

He grabbed his big feather quill and started scribbling on a piece of paper.
“Thank You, God, for the sunshine,” he said, writing it down. ☀️
“Thank You for my food and my friends!” 🍎
“Thank You for the warm barn and the soft hay!” 🌾

Soon, all the other animals came by to see what Bob was doing.
“Whatcha writing, Bob?” asked the cow.
“It’s my Thank-You list for God!” Bob said proudly.

The animals all wanted to add to it! The sheep said, “Thank You, God, for fluffy wool.”
The pig said, “Thank You, God, for mud puddles!”
The rooster crowed, “Thank You, God, for mornings!”

By the end of the day, Bob’s list was so long that it trailed off the table and onto the barn floor!

That night, Bob knelt beside his hay bed and said,
“Thank You, God, for hearing every word we say — even when we’re thankful in our own special ways.”

And God smiled, because a thankful heart is the best kind of gift. 💛

🎲 Activity – Make a Class Thank-You List for God

Give each child a turn to say one thing they are thankful for. Write their ideas on a big sheet of paper titled “Our Class Thank-You List for God.”

Hang it up in the classroom or on the church bulletin board to remind everyone to be thankful every day.

💬 Optional for nonverbal children: Show picture cards (family, food, animals, church, sunshine) so they can point to something they love.

Bob The Thanksgiving Turkey Who Wrote a Thank-You List for God Preschool Bible Lesson Sunday School Craft by ChurchHouseCollectionStore.com

🎨 Craft – Bob the Turkey’s Thankful List Craft

Supplies:

Brown paper for the turkey’s body
Colored paper feathers (red, orange, yellow)
Marker or crayons
Glue stick
Small piece of paper or cardstock for “Bob’s List”
Optional: Googly Eyes

Directions:

Cut out and glue together the turkey’s body and feathers. Draw eyes or add googly eyes.
On the small “list” paper, help children write (or draw) 3–5 things they are thankful for.
Glue the “list” next to the turkey’s wing.
Add the title: “Bob the Turkey’s Thank-You List for God.”

✨ Variation: Turn it into a class bulletin board with all the turkeys’ lists displayed together.

🎵 Song – “Thank You, God, For Everything”

(Tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)

🎶
Thank You, God, for all You do,
For my friends and family too.
For the sunshine, sky, and trees,
For the birds and bumblebees.
Thank You, God, for everything,
We lift our voices up and sing! 🎶

📝 Poem – Bob’s Big List

Bob the Turkey wrote a list,
Of blessings he did not want to miss!
He thanked the Lord for every day,
And smiled as he knelt to pray.

🎭 Pretend Play – The Thankful Parade

Let children pretend to be different animals joining Bob’s “thank-you parade.”
Each child can flap, hop, or crawl while saying something they’re thankful for.
Example:
🐄 “Thank You, God, for milk!”
🐑 “Thank You, God, for wool!”
🐔 “Thank You, God, for eggs!”

🍓 Snack – Bob’s “Thank-You Fruit Kabobs”

Theme: Thanking God for the good things He made!

Supplies:

Child-safe skewers or straws (paper or plastic)
Fresh fruit pieces: strawberries, grapes, bananas, apple chunks, and marshmallows
Small plates or napkins

Directions:

Pre-cut fruit into small, safe pieces before class.
Let each child build a “Thank-You Kabob” by adding one fruit piece for each thing they want to thank God for.
- Example: “This grape is for my family,” “This strawberry is for my friends,” “This marshmallow is for Jesus’ love!”
When finished, pray together:
“Thank You, God, for everything You made — and for our yummy snack too!”

✨ Easy Adaptation Ideas:

For allergy-friendly or toddler groups, use dry cereal rings or mini crackers instead of fruit.
For children with fine motor challenges, let them tell you which items to add to their kabob, and you build it for them.

🍎 Snack – Thankful Trail Mix Cups

Fill small cups with a simple snack mix:

Cereal (for God’s daily blessings)
Mini marshmallows (for soft hearts)
Pretzels (for prayer hands)
Raisins (for joy)

Say together before eating:
“Thank You, God, for this snack and for everything You give us!”

🖍️ COLORING PAGE: Bob the Turkey’s Thank-You List for God

Let little ones bring Bob’s story to life with this fun and easy Thanksgiving Bible coloring page! Print the free pdf coloring page: CLICK HERE

Kids can color Bob the Turkey as he writes his thankful list for God, reminding them to thank Him for family, friends, and all the blessings He gives every day. Perfect for Sunday School or quiet time after the lesson!

🎵Song: “Thank You God For Family & Friends"

🦃 Lyrics:

(Verse 1)
Bob the turkey woke one day,
With thankful things he had to say.
He grabbed his feather pen so neat,
And made a list—what a thankful treat!

(Chorus)
Thank You, God, for family and friends,
Thank You, God, again and again!
Thank You, God, for the food I eat,
For sunshine warm and hay so sweet!

(Verse 2)
The cow and sheep came walking by,
“Bob, what’s that paper? Can we try?”
Bob just smiled and said with cheer,
“I’m thanking God for blessings here!”

(Chorus)
Thank You, God, for family and friends,
Thank You, God, again and again!
Thank You, God, for the food I eat,
For sunshine warm and hay so sweet!

(Bridge)
Flap your wings and spin around,
Say “Thank You, God!”—what a joyful sound!
Clap your hands and stomp your shoes,
God gives blessings we can’t lose!

(Final Chorus)
Thank You, God, for all You do,
For love and laughter, sunshine too!
Thank You, God, for the life You give,
I’ll thank You every day I live! 💛

💡 Movement Ideas for Preschoolers:

Flap wings like a turkey when you say “Bob the turkey”
Pretend to write when Bob makes his list
Clap hands during the chorus
Spin in a circle and stomp feet during the bridge
End by pointing upward when saying “Thank You, God!”

🙏 Closing Prayer (Repeat After Me):

Dear God,
Thank You for my family.
Thank You for my friends.
Thank You for all You give.
Help me to always say —
“Thank You, God!”
Amen.

💬 Let’s Talk About It – With Answers

❓ What did Bob the Turkey write on his list?
✅ He wrote all the things he was thankful to God for — like sunshine, food, and friends.

❓ Who did Bob want to thank?
✅ Bob wanted to thank God for every good thing in his life.

❓ What are three things you can thank God for today?
✅ (Possible answers for children:)

My family 👨👩👧👦
My toys 🧸
My church or friends ⛪💛

💗 Teacher Reflection – For You:

A thankful heart is contagious. When you model gratitude in your classroom, it grows in every child who hears it.

What We’re Learning:

God loves when we say “thank You.”
Writing or speaking our thankfulness brings joy.
We can remember all the good things God gives us.
A thankful heart helps us see God’s love in everything.

📬 Optional Take-Home Note for Parents:

Today we learned about Bob the Turkey, who wrote a thank-you list for God! 🦃✏️
Encourage your child to make their own little “thank-you list” at home — they can draw, write, or tell you five things they’re thankful for.
Remind them that God loves hearing us say “thank You!” every day. 💛

💛 Teacher Reflection:

This lesson reminds us that thankfulness is more than a word — it’s a way of seeing the world God made. As the children share their “thank-yous,” watch their joy grow as they realize how many blessings surround them — family, friends, food, and fun!

When little hearts learn to say “thank You, God,” they start noticing His goodness everywhere — in laughter, in kindness, and even in the smallest things.

Take a moment to pause with them. Smile as they share their lists, and let them know that each word of gratitude makes God smile too. 🌻