Thanksgiving Day Crafts

Trout Lodge offers fine family mini-vacation that's close to home

IF YOU GO

How much • The summer rates are $149 for a guest room, $169 for a loft room or $299 for a cabin like we stayed in, but those prices are just for one adult. You have to pay $69 for each additional adult or $49 for each child ages 6-17; kids under 6 are free. The rates include three meals a day and most activities (some activities have a small fee and require advance reservations).

More info • ymcaoftheozarks.org

With gas prices high and air travel becoming less and less affordable, families are looking for fun, inexpensive "mini-vacations" close to home. They need look no farther than 90 miles southwest of St. Louis in Potosi, Mo., home of YMCA of the Ozarks' Trout Lodge.

This rustic lodge and conference center, nestled in the Missouri wilderness on the banks of beautiful, man-made Sunnen Lake is the perfect place to get back to nature and have fun with the whole family. There is something for everyone to enjoy with a full list of regular activities offered weekly as well as special themed weekend getaways throughout the year.

Inspired by my happy childhood memories of summer camp and family camping trips, my husband and I loaded our kids (ages 2 and 6) in the car for a weekend escape to celebrate the start of summer. We arrived at Trout Lodge on a rainy Friday night just in time for the clouds to part and to see a rainbow spill over the lake outside our room's walkout patio.

The lodge's rustic but clean and comfortable accommodations include three full meals a day (in timed shifts), and the food is actually quite good. They offer a full fresh salad and fruit bar (for those seeking a healthful option) to complement a rotating buffet of home-cooked favorites such as biscuits and gravy, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fried catfish and pork tenderloin. There is even a mini-buffet just for kids that is at their height, filled with the foods they love such as homemade mac and cheese, chicken fingers and French fries (my kids got a kick out of getting their own trays and food). A daily selection of freshly baked cakes, cookies and pies rounds out the meal.

KIDS ACTIVITIES

With all those calories being consumed at breakfast, lunch and dinner, it's great that Trout Lodge has a seemingly endless array of activities to keep everyone moving and busy throughout the day.

We started our Saturday by taking a short drive up the road to the Triangle Y Ranch for pony rides for the kids. Fitted with child-size helmets, the ranch hands helped them into the saddles and led them on a quick walk around the ring. The ride was brief, but my 2-year-old enjoyed her first time on horseback. My 6-year-old would probably have preferred a longer trail ride, which I would definitely plan ahead for when we visit again.

Thanksgiving Crafts and Lesson Plans for Elementary Students Using ...

Thanksgiving crafts are perfect for lesson plans for elementary students, and there are many great thanksgiving crafts that will provide fun lesson plans for elementary students using collage. This article will discuss three Thanksgiving crafts and lesson plans that using collage that are perfect for elementary students.

The first project is a cornucopia collage craft and lesson plan that will help elementary students understand the meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday. For this craft you will need old magazines, glue, scissors, a piece of construction paper, and a yellow or brown piece of paper. Help the elementary students cut the brown paper into a horn or cornucopia shape. Have the elementary students cut images out of the cornucopia that reminds them of what they are thankful for. Glue the horn to the paper and glue the images inside and spilling out of the cornucopia. This Thanksgiving craft and lesson plan features collage, and it is great for elementary school students.

Another fun lesson plan and craft that is wonderful for Thanksgiving is a Thanksgiving dinner collage. You will need old magazines, glue, scissors, and a paper plate for this craft and lesson plan. Explain to the elementary students how important the Thanksgiving Day meal is to the students, and help them cut images of Thanksgiving Day dinner out of the magazines. Allow the students to decorate the edges of the paper plates with crayons or markers, and help the elementary students glue the images to the paper plate. This Thanksgiving craft and lesson plan is a great way to get elementary kids involved in learning the important of Thanksgiving.

For a fun lesson plan and craft project that can help kids learn the Thanksgiving idea of sharing and working together by using this Thanksgiving Day turkey collage. You will need multiple sheets of construction paper in orange, yellow, red, and brown. You will also need scissors, a pencil, and glue for this craft and lesson plan. Have all of the elementary students trace their hands on the construction paper, and help them cut the hand shapes out. Also cut a turkey body out of brown paper and add a face and a wattle to the turkey. Explain the importance of working together to the children as you create this project, and have the elementary students glue the hand prints around the turkey like feathers. This collage craft and lesson plan is fun for elementary students.

Collage is a great medium for crafts and lesson plans, and this Thanksgiving day lesson plan is easy and perfect for elementary students during the Thanksgiving season.

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