This Mayflower Craft is easy to make and will serve a dual purpose as a craft and Thanksgiving activity for your family and guests to enjoy. As the holiday season approaches it's difficult to keep the focus on our blessings, but when you turn this Mayflower Craft into a family activity you'll find it's a great way to kick-off the season. For several days before the Thanksgiving holiday, encourage your family to use the slips of colored paper and pencils to count their blessings. Don't forget to help the younger children. On Thanksgiving day, read the messages aloud and see if the kids can guess the author.

Materials

• clean cardboard milk carton
• brown paper bag
• construction or cardstock paper (white and various colors)
• glue sticks
• wood dowel

• 2 apples
• scissors
• tape
• pens or pencils

Instructions

1. Cut one side from the milk carton and cover the inside and outside with the paper from the brown paper bag. Secure with a stapler and glue stick.

2. Using the white paper, cut two large rectangles and two small rectangles for the sails. Using the white or colored paper cut two triangles flags for the top of your masts.

3. You'll need two pieces of dowel for your masts; mine are 18 inches each. Poke the dowel through the top and bottom of the sails (you can use a hole punch first if you'd rather).

4. Now that your sails are prepared, place the apples into the ship (the open side) and stick the masts into the apples so that they stand up.

5. Fill your new Mayflower with slips of colored paper and pencils.

Tips

• We used our ship as a table centerpiece when the children were too young for a fancy set table.
• Providing paper and pencil for your guests will allow them to join in on the ship of Thanksgiving.