Thanksgiving Balloon Feast

This one is always a big hit--what kid doesn't like making loud noises at church? This is what I always do for the Singing Time either before or after Thanksgiving, so I use a lot of the "gratitude" songs we don't normally sing. But don't worry--they're all extremely short and easy to remember for the little ones.

Supplies needed:

• 10-20 balloons (10 if you only do one singing time, 20 if your Junior and Senior are separate)
• 11 pins (for pinning balloons to the board/wall, plus one for popping with)
• list of ten questions (shown below)
• sharpie marker (for drawing on balloons)
• list of ten corresponding songs (the ones I use are shown below)

List of Ten Questions:

(and yes, the first two questions are supposed to be the same)

   1.What are you most grateful for?

2. What are you most grateful for?

3. Why are you grateful for your dad?

4. Why are you grateful for your body?

5. What is your favorite thing about Christmas?

6. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

7. What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?

8. What are you grateful for in your home?

9. Why are you grateful for your mom?

10.        What makes you happiest?

List of Ten Songs:

  1. TURKEY—Thanks to our Father (20)

2. PUMPKIN PIE—A Song of Thanks (20)

3. STUFFING—Daddy’s Homecoming (210)
4. ROLLS—Do As I’m Doing (276)
5. POTATOES—Picture a Christmas (50)
6. GRAVY—Away in a Manger (42)

         7. GREEN BEANS—For Health & Strength (21)

8. CORN—I Am Glad for Many Things (151)

9. HAM—Mother Dear (206)

     10. CRANBERRY JELLO—If You’re Happy (266)

Set up:

1. Print out out the list of ten questions shown above.
2. Cut each question out and roll into a tube small enough to fit inside the neck of a balloon.
3. Stuff one question into each balloon, then inflate (I wait until I get to church to inflate).
4. Pin to the wall/board, then use your skills of an artist to draw various food items on the balloons (the ones I chose are listed with the ten songs, but you can do whatever you want).

Game play:

1. Choose a child to come up and pop one of the balloons. (Make sure you keep tabs on the pins--they tend to go flying when the balloon is popped).
2. Have the child answer the question inside, then sing the corresponding song (question 10 goes with song 10, etc.)