Fun November Activities for Kids

A November Themed centerpiece. Great craft idea for November. November Activity Ideas

A collection of fun November activities for kids and November theme ideas. Plan your curriculum featuring some of  the different ‘Days of November’!!! Fun ideas at bottom of page! (Centerpiece image by KidActivities.net)

Flower: Chrysanthemum
Birthstone: Yellow Topaz

NOVEMBER IS THE MONTH OF:

  • Adoption
  • Aviation
  • Cozy Cuddles
  • Child Safety and Protection
  • Drum Month  
  • Family Stories
  • Good Nutrition
  • Latin American
  • Model Railroad
  • Peanut Butter Lovers
  • Stamp Collecting
  • National Family Caregivers
  • American Indian Heritage
  •  I Am So Thankful Month

A collection of November activities and theme ideas. November is the month of good nutrition, adoption, family stories, peanut butter, and lots of other great theme ideas. Lots of great ideas to build lesson plans around.


World Kindness Day!  

Geography Awareness Week is the third week each November…….  (Visit National Geographic for more info) The week’s theme will focus on how geography instills an awareness of the interdependence and interconnectedness embedded in all of our lives.  This year’s program will show how the ideas of interdependence, interconnectedness, and geographic perspectives can be easily incorporated into all parts of the class, after-school program, or at home.   Check out Mixing Geography and Fun!

Don’t forget Bonza Bottler Day on November 11!
Just a reason to celebrate. So Celebrate! This happens each month when the day and date are the same number! Example: November 11, December 12, etc. Any kind of celebration will do…just do something fun!


CULTURE AWARENESS CELEBRATION DAYS

1. All Saints’ Day (Christian, Roman Catholic)

2. Dia de los Muertos “Day of the Dead” (Mexico, Latin America)
The celebration occurs on the 2nd of November in connection with the Catholic holiday of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day to commemorate family and friends who have died.  The traditions is to build private alters in people’s homes using sugar skulls, marigolds, flowers, fruits, pictures and the favorite foods of the deceased.  Visits to the graves with a few gifts and decorations are also a must on this day.

2. All Souls’ Day (Roman Catholic)

12. Birthday of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)

Thanksgiving
November 22, 2018
November 28, 2019
November 26, 2020
November 25, 2021
November 24, 2022
November 23, 2023
November 28, 2024


November Activity Calendar

1.  National Author’s Day and also ‘Day of the Dead’ in Mexico celebrated the first and second
2.  National Family Literacy Day, and Sistine Chapel completed. (*See bottom of page for fun idea!)
3.  Sandwich Day (See page bottom for ideas)
4.  Candy Day (See Easy Candy Recipes page); First Wagon Train arrived in California (It left Missouri in May-1841)
5.
6.  Abraham Lincoln elected president 1860
7.  Hug-a-Bear Day (See Teddy Bear Theme)
8.  Dear Santa Day (*See bottom of page for idea)
X-ray discovered
9.  Pursuit of Happiness Day
First Giant Panda collected alive in China (1927)
10. Forget-Me-Not Day
11. Veteran’s Day (Bonza Bottler Day too!)
Remembrance Day in Canada
Washington became State
12.  Pizza with the works but no anchovies
13.  World Kindness Day
Indian Pudding Day (See recipes below)
First Spacecraft to orbit mars (Mariner 9-1971)
14.  Teddy Bear Day (Visit Teddy Bear Theme and Bear Jokes )
15.  Great American Smoke-Out Day
America Recycles Day
16.  Button Day (See below images of ‘Button Ideas)

17.  Take a Hike Day
18.  Mickey Mouse’s Birthday
19.  Gettysburg Address
20.  Peanut Butter Fudge Day (See below for 2 easy recipes!)
21.  World Hello Day (*Learn to say ‘Hello’ in several languages-see bottom of page)
What do you love about America? Day
North Carolina became State
22.
23.  Buy Nothing Day
24.  Zachary Taylor B-Day: 1794 (12th President of USA)
24.  Parfait Day
26.  In 1789 George Washington proclaimed a day of public thanksgiving
27.  Pins and Needles Day
Nobel Peace Prize Established
28.  Albanian Flag Day
First American automobile race: 54 miles from Chicago’s Jackson Park to Evanston, Illinois.

29.  Electronic Greeting Day
Beatles released I Want to Hold Your Hand in 1963
30. Computer Security Day
Mark Twain Born (1835-1910)

IDEAS FOR SOME OF THE ABOVE DAYS!

IT’S NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH… 
What Indian tribes are in your state? Learn about them!


*MICHELANGELO PAINTING~ NOVEMER 2
Michelangelo completed the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel between 1508 and November 2, 1512

Tape large pieces of paper to the underside of tables or desks. Put out a variety of art supplies. Have kids paint/color/draw laying on their backs—just like Michelangelo did! Discuss how he spent four years doing this to complete the Sistine Chapel frescoes…


NOVEMBER 3 IS SANDWICH DAY!

Here are some fun sandwich ideas that your kids will love!

#1. MAKE A SANDWICH ON A STICK
Ingredient ideas to put out: Bread, cheese cubes, lunch meat, grape tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, olives.

Ingredients can be served in bowls and children choose what they like and then slide onto their skewer.
1. Cut up cubes of bread, cheese, and lunch meat (1/2-inch-thick cubes of ham and turkey are good).
2. Slide the cubes onto a skewer (long pick) with other foods the children like, such as a grape tomato, a piece of lettuce, a pickle, or an olive.
3. Set out a side of mayo or mustard for dipping.

#2 MAKE A SANDWICH FACE

Just put out the ingredients and let kids make and take…
Peanut Butter
Bananas – sliced
Raisins
Bread (1 slice)
M &M’s candy
Spread the peanut butter on the slice of bread. Next, put 2 banana circles on the bread to look like eyes. Then use a raisin as a nose. Last, make the mouth out of M&M’s candy.

#3 MAKE A TASTY FACE 
Spread peanut butter onto a rice cake.
Use jellybeans and M&M’s to make facial features…

SANDWICHES WITH A DIFFERENT LOOK…

#4. MINI-WRAPS 
Lightly spread a tortilla with a little cream cheese and place one or two slices of thin ham or turkey over the cream cheese. Roll tightly and cut into small rounds.

#5. PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY ROLL-UP
Put peanut butter and jelly onto a flour tortilla. Roll…Eat

#6. TORTILLA & CHEESE ROLL-UPS
Ingredients:
Small flour tortillas
Colby-jack STICK cheese
Salsa, if desired

Place one stick of Colby-jack cheese (or use mozzarella string cheese) near the edge of the flour tortilla.
Roll the tortilla around the cheese; secure it with a toothpick (remove it later before children snack).
Microwave until cheese is soft.
Dip in salsa.

#7. TURKEY ROLLUPS 
Satisfy your salty, crunchy and savory cravings in one punch with this quick snack version of a sandwich.

Ingredients: 4 slices deli turkey breast (about 2 ounces total), 8 teaspoons honey mustard or mango chutney (or whatever kids like), 8 sesame breadsticks
Spread each slice of turkey with 2 teaspoons mustard (or mango chutney) and season with pepper if desired. Wrap each prepared turkey slice around 2 breadsticks


#8 SANDWICH ART: Make a hoagie sandwich that looks back at you! Ingredients:
Hoagie buns
Sliced lowfat cheese
Lean luncheon or deli meat
Shredded carrots, lettuce, or sprouts
Olives
Cherry tomatoes
Miscellaneous condiments (mustard, reduced fat mayonnaise, etc)
Toothpicks (or broken spaghetti pieces)
Clean work surface and hands

Make hoagie sandwich, using desired ingredients. On one end of the sandwich, use toothpicks or broken spaghetti pieces to position olives for eyeballs and cherry tomato for nose. Arrange shredded carrots, lettuce, or sprouts on top for hair. If desired, stick a small piece of lunch meat out of the “mouth” for a tongue. Source: Nutritionforkids NOTE: Be sure to remove all toothpicks before eating!


YUMM…November 4th is Candy Day! Visit the ‘Easy Candy Recipes page of KidActivities…


*NOVEMBER 8TH IS ‘DEAR SANTA DAY’…

Here are two FREE websites that  E-mail ‘Dear Santa letters’. First one has some other “Santa things”…the second is  more simple–but very sweet.

http://www.emailsanta.com/ really fun site!!!
Are you a childcare center but don’t have internet access in your program? Consider posting the Santa addresses in you parent center or newsletter–a nice thing for child and parent to do together!


NOVEMBER 13 is Indian Pudding Day!

INDIAN PUDDING  

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 quarts milk, scalded
whipped cream

In a saucepan over medium heat add all ingredients except for the milk. Beat thoroughly. Pour in milk slowly, stirring continuously until the mixture begins to thicken.
Pour into an ovenproof casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar if desired.


CROCK POT INDIAN PUDDING  

3 c. milk
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1/3 c. molasses
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger

Lightly grease crock. Preheat on high for 20 minutes. Meanwhile bring milk, cornmeal and salt to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Cover and simmer an additional 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Gradually beat in hot cornmeal mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour into crock and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.


November 14 is National American TEDDY BEAR DAY! Visit the Bear Theme and Bear Jokes! Not only ideas for Pre-K to Grade 1–but also for school age children…


NOVEMBER 16 IS BUTTON DAY!

Two cute ‘Button Ideas’ from familyfun.go

JAZZ UP A WINDOW
A button mosaic becomes a cheery sun catcher when it’s sandwiched between layers of clear Con-Tact paper.

1. To make one, cut out a square of Con-Tact paper, remove its backing, and lay it sticky-side up. (If you like, slide a drawing beneath the square as a guide.)
2. Place buttons on the square to create a shape, leaving at least a 1-inch border on all sides.
3. When you’re done, cover the mosaic with a second Con-Tact paper square.
4. Smooth the edges with a cotton swab and cut out the mosaic, leaving a -inch border on all sides.
5. Stick your creation to a window with glue dots or tape.

BUTTON BOOKMARKS
These are fun and easy for kids to create.

Simply cut lengths of ribbon (these are 12 to 14 inches long, to fit a standard-size hardcover book), then attach buttons to the ends using tacky glue or a glue gun.
Shown here are just a few of the decorating options: sandwiching the ribbon’s ends between two buttons; stacking smaller atop larger buttons; and grouping several small buttons in a pattern.


Make a GUMBALL MACHINE using buttons for the gumballs.

Put out paper plates, buttons, markers, and white heavy paper/construction paper. See what the kids come up with. Kids also just may turn their project into a ‘button collage’! (This sample is made by a 1st grader (student of Shannon Stewart) at Stetson Hills School in Phoenix, Arizona. See other images of student art work in the Grades 1-3 Gallery Category.


NOVER 20TH IS PEANUTBUTTER FUDGE DAY. Check out these two super easy microwave recipes! Both are yummy and easy to make with kids! This will also work to celebrate Peanutbutter Lover’s Month…or ‘Candy Day on November 4th!

EASY PEANUTBUTTER FUDGE #1

Ingredients
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 heaping Tbs peanut butter

Put chocolate chips and sweetened-condensed milk in microwave safe bowl.

Cook on high for 5 minutes.
Remove from microwave, stir in peanut butter.
Spread in pan.
Cool and cut. Enjoy!

EASY PEANUTBUTTER FUDGE #2
Ingredients
1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high.
2. Stir and then microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon.
3. Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with waxed paper. Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool.
Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week.


*LEARN TO SAY “HELLO” in as many different languages as  you can for ‘WORLD HELLO DAY’ ON THE 21st…

For example:

  • Arabic: Marhabah (mar-ha-bah)
  • French: Bonjour (bone-joor)
  • Hebrew: Shalom (shah-lome)
  • Italian: Buon giorno (bone-zhee-or-no)
  • Mandarin Chinese: Nea how (nee-how)
  • Russian: Priviet (pri-vee-et)
  • Spanish: Hola (oh-la)
  • Swahili: Jambo (zham-boh)

WORLD HELLO DAY is an observance started by brothers Brian and Michael McCormack. The McCormacks created “World Hello Day” in response to the 1973 conflict between Egypt and Israel.
Anyone can participate in ‘World Hello Day’ simply by saying “Hello” to ten people.

According to the McCormacks’ “People around the world use the occasion of World Hello Day as an opportunity to express their concern for world peace. Beginning with a simple greeting on World Hello Day, their activities send a message to leaders, encouraging them to use communication rather than force to settle conflicts.”

Naturally, encourage the children in your program to say “hello” to at least 10 people on the 21st. Saying HELLO  IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES can heighten cross-cultural awareness, celebrate cross-cultural knowledge, As well as learning to say “hello” in many different languages. This can be used as a warm-up, get-to-know-you activity with a cross-cultural theme. Within a group, you may be surprised how much knowledge there is of different languages for basic phrases. (This tip from schoolagenote of the day)


NOVEMBER IS DRUM MONTH! 

DRUM IDEAS

BONGO DRUM

  • Cut two pieces of paper to fit around two cardboard oatmeal containers with lids.
  • Decorate the paper with crayons and markers.
  • Attach the paper around both containers with tape.
  • Set the containers side by side and tie them together with two long pieces of string or yarn.
  • Tie one piece of string around the upper section of the containers and the other around the lower section.
  • Place a dab of glue under the string in several spots to hold it in place. Play your bongos by tapping on the tops with your fingertips

BASE DRUM
Turn a cooking pan over and beat on the bottom of it with a wooden spoon.

__________

BELT DRUM
Collect a round box, such as an oatmeal box or a potato chip container. Carefully make two small slits, about 2 inches apart, near the top of the box. Thread the box onto a child’s belt (or a shortened adult belt).


DRUM STICK IDEAS 
Use hands to tap on the drums— a wooden spoon, metal spoon, rubber spatula, whisk or a basting brush. Make drumsticks with two unsharpened pencils with erasers. Or…Attach an empty thread spool on one end of the pencils or wrap a thick rubber band around one end of each pencil. Have children experiment with the variety of sounds and tones they can make.

Cut a piece of paper to fit around a CAN with a plastic lid; large coffee cans work well, but any size can be used. Decorate the paper with crayons and markers–Attach the paper around the can with tape.
You can also use an empty PLASTIC JUG, or WOODEN BOWL turned upside down or metal POT or BOWL.


There you have it, a collection of fun November activities for kids. These are great ideas to build curriculum around or get kids involved in different projects.

Thanksgiving Snacks and Goodies

SOME OTHER IDEAS FOR NOVEMBER!  •Autumn Apple Theme   •Farm & Harvest Theme   •Easy Candy Recipes and Snack Mix Recipes  (Get ready for the Holidays!)   •Fall and Winter Snacks   •Mixing Geography and Fun (For Geography Awareness Week)   •Teddy Bear and Other Bears Theme (Teddy Bear Day– in November)

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