5 Thanksgiving Virtual Field Trips Your Kids Will Love

My family and I live in Spain, so we’re a world away from the US and Thanksgiving celebrations with our families. But the thing is, this year with the pandemic, everyone is a world away from their families -even those of you still in the US.

Which makes virtual field trips of any sort a well-needed resource. While you may choose how to teach Thanksgiving to your young ones, these Thanksgiving virtual field trips will add an air of authenticity and interest in the classroom or at home.

5 Thanksgiving Virtual Field Trips Your Kids Will Love

#1 Plimoth Plantation

First up on our Thanksgiving virtual field trip list is a look at both sides of the story with a visit to a Pilgrim-Esque 17th-century English village and a Native American-inspired Wampanoag Homesite presented by Plimoth Plantation.

Aside from the Pilgrim and Wampanoag visit above, Plimoth Plantation has a wide variety of virtual resources including an award-winning digital game, Pilgrim and Wampanoag recipes, kid-friendly articles on the history behind Thanksgiving, coloring pages, 17th-Century games, and more.

It’s all told with a keen eye to detail from both the Pilgrim and Wampanoag perspective and respect for both cultures.

#2 Scholastic’s The First Thanksgiving

Scholastic’s Thanksgiving virtual field trip includes videos, information on the Mayflower, lesson plans for PreK to 8th grade, printables, crafts, free clipart, and more.

Take a quick look through their site for a long list of resources. While not as beautifully laid-out as the Plimoth Plantation’s website, it will absolutely do the trick.

#3 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

No Thanksgiving virtual field trip would be complete without mentioning the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

They’ve announced their 2020 parade will be online this year from “9 am-noon in all time zones.” (I’m going to go on a limb here and say that’s US-specific.)

Before and after the parade you and your kids can check out their website to see the floats, balloons, lineup, and performers.

#4 Tour a Turkey Farm

Finally, you can round out your Thanksgiving virtual field trip with a trip to a turkey farm. This video by U.S. Poultry is a 360-degree virtual reality tour that allows students to move the camera while listening to information on what their turkeys eat and do all day.

For free-range version, check out this video:

Now, this might not be your cup of tea given that these turkeys will end up as someone’s dinner, but it does show students what turkeys actually look like (instead of the on-the-dinner-table or illustrated versions they’re more used to).

Note: the videos are not graphic. However, they are a great way to show real turkeys eating, chirping, and wandering around.

#5 Turkey Pardoning

Bonus! Check out the White House’s website for videos and stats on the two turkeys the President pardons every year.

Kids can learn more about the pardoned turkeys including their names, weight, wingspan, and a few of their favorite things. They can also read up on the history behind the Presidential turkey pardon.