20 Preschool Themes for November You’ll Love!

by | Nov 10, 2023

It’s November, and the holidays are approaching fast, but you might not want to jump right into Thanksgiving and the holidays for your preschool themes. There are plenty of other fun preschool themes for November to consider using.

When you’re coming up with themes, you can look at either standards that kids need to learn when in preschool, such as an understanding of their five senses and their bodies, or themes that follow the seasons and holidays.

Related: Thanksgiving Counting and Numbers Printables

20 Preschool Themes for November You’ll Love!

It’s fun coming up with preschool themes! If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are a few of my favorite ideas.

All About Me

Preschoolers love to learn about themselves and talk about themselves – it’s natural. So, everyone loves this preschool theme. It gives students a chance to talk about themselves, their interests, and find things they have in common with those around them.

You can do so many things with this theme, such as:

Related: 8 Ideas for Teaching Body Parts to Toddlers

Colonial History for Preschool Themes

Colonial history ties right into Thanksgiving for an easy preschool theme. Kids can learn about what life was like in the colonial times and read books about colonial life.

You can find all sorts of activities about colonial life that preschoolers will think are hilarious!

Corn Preschool Themes

Corn goes along with the vegetable preschool themes, but if you want to do something different, just use corn as your theme!

Crafts made with corn are fun to make in the fall; you can find all sorts of cute preschool art projects to make with it. You can make popcorn together, make popcorn slime, and create sensory activities with the kernels.

Cranberries Fun Theme

Cranberries are one of the fruits in season in November, so it makes sense to do a unit covering these tart little fruits.

Make cranberry sauce together this month. Kids love learning how to make different foods, and you can work on math as they measure the ingredients.

Kids love making cranberry fluffy slime or cranberry play dough as sensory experiences for your preschoolers.

Don’t forget to read Cranberry Thanksgiving with this fruity unit!

Dinosaur Theme

It’s hard to find preschoolers who don’t think dinosaurs are amazing; this is one of the most beloved of the preschool themes. Kids love everything to do with these prehistoric animals.

Read dinosaur books, learn about the different types of dinosaurs and their diets, and craft dinosaur crafts.

It’s Fall Theme

It is fall after all guys, so it makes sense that this belongs in the list of preschool themes for November. Preschoolers learn about the season changing, and you can do all sorts of educational or fun activities around the fall season.

Here are some ideas:

Related Post: 30 Fun and Simple Fall Activities

Fairy Tales & Fantasy

Some families don’t embrace Halloween, so instead of decorating your room with that theme, try fairy tales and fantasy as a preschool theme. This theme is perfect for dramatic play and make-believe activities.

On the Farm Theme

You’re headed down on the farm with this preschool theme. Farms are educational and great for sensory activities.

Use this time to teach children about all the farm animals and what they provide for us. You can look at different crops grown on the farm, read farm books, and count farm animals.

So much fun!

Related Post: Farm Scavenger Hunt

Forest Animals

This is a great time to teach your preschoolers all about forest animals, and it’s always a hit. Kids love to learn about furry friends like bears, squirrels, rabbits, and hedgehogs.

Kids can learn about why their favorite animals disappear in the winter months and hibernate. Read stories about the forest, make forest-themed art, and count forest friend toys.

Fruits & Vegetables

Doing a unit on just apples is adorable, but make it even more useful by using these as one of your preschool themes – fruits and vegetables.

Learn about all the different types of fruits and vegetables at the store, how to grow them, and why they’re good for your body. Since November is fall time, you can make a special focus on root vegetables, squash, and pumpkins.

Guy Fawkes Day

Guy Fawkes is famous in the UK, but that doesn’t mean November isn’t a great time to bring more history into your preschool class. Kids love all types of celebrations, and it’s important for them to learn about other holidays in different parts of the world.

Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated on November 5, commemorating the foiling of Guy Fawkes’ plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. It’s a huge celebration in the UK with fireworks.

The story of Guy Fawkes is quite dramatic, and it’s a good story to tell preschoolers at circle time.

Harvest Theme

November is the typical harvest time in many areas of the world, and it is the perfect time for us to remember to be thankful for all we have.

Preschoolers can learn about harvesting season – current and historical – comparing how we harvest foods today and how our ancestors did before. It’s an easy time to tie in activities about acorns, pumpkins, squash, and corn.

Harvest is one of the preschool themes for November you can tie into a Thanksgiving theme or use entirely separate.

Leaves Theme

Leaves are a fun preschool theme for November! During this time of the year, many trees are changing colors; it’s a magical time in nature. However, the spring is also a great time to talk about leaves.

You can try fun leaf science experiments, make leaf collages, and make leaf rubbings.

Related Post 7 Simple Leaf Activities

Native Americans

Thanksgiving would never have happened if it wasn’t for the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. So, it’s important to honor the Native Americans, learning about their history and culture. It’s a great preschool theme that goes along with Thanksgiving perfectly.

However, if you cover Native Americans, be sure you are doing so accurately. We see a lot of inaccuracies when teachers cover tribes and the Native American’s way of life. Use this time to be sure you are giving accurate, truthful information to your preschoolers.

Nocturnal Animals Theme

Nocturnal animals are fun to study, such as bats, owls, cats, hedgehogs, and raccoons. In November, study and explore all of these nocturnal animals and learn more about these creatures.

Pie Month Theme

Who doesn’t love pie? Some save this theme for March when you celebrate Pie Day, but November is a great month as well. The temperatures are getting colder, and you need some warm and cozy feelings. Plus, Thanksgiving and pie goes hand in hand!

This is definitely one of the fun preschool themes in November. You can make pretend pies with felt or Play-Doh.

All About Pumpkins Theme

Pumpkins are one of the fun preschool themes for November; they’re perfect for the fall since families often visit pumpkin patches and carve pumpkins during Halloween. It’s easy to incorporate different activities with this theme.

Start reading some pumpkin books, pumpkin crafts, and projects. You can even try sprouting pumpkin seeds with your kids.

Related: 21 Pumpkin Books for Preschool Read-Alouds

Spooky Spiders Theme

Instead of a Halloween theme, use a spooky spider theme for your preschoolers. Spiders may seem spooky, but they are also useful in the world.

Learn about why spiders have so many legs and eyes; kids love fun spider facts. You also can put spiders into sensory activities as well!

Related: Halloween Activities and Crafts to Keep Your Preschoolers Engaged This Fall

Thanksgiving

The most common of the preschool themes for November is Thanksgiving, a United States holiday full of history. Teach children about historical facts and focus on thankfulness and sharing.

Read books for kids about thanksgiving and make crafts to celebrate this day. Talk about traditional foods enjoyed during this holiday. Kids can create a Thanksgiving theme meal by drawing their favorite foods on paper plates!

Related: Feed the Turkey Thanksgiving Toddler Activity

Veteran’s Day Theme

When you’re picking preschool themes for November, another relevant topic is Veteran’s Day. If you have students who have military family members or know veterans, this is a great time to invite them to speak to your preschoolers.

You can make thank you notes and send them to your local Veteran’s Association or make a class flag.

Weather Wonders Theme

Explore the changing weather patterns in November. Discuss rain, wind, and cooler temperatures. Engage in weather-related crafts and activities such as making rain sticks or windsock.

Related Post: Weather Printables for Preschool

Exploring the Ocean Theme

Dive into the world of oceans and marine life. Learn about different sea creatures, create ocean-themed crafts, and discuss the importance of taking care of our oceans.

Related Post: 50 Ocean Themed Activities for Preschoolers

More Ocean Activities and Printables

Ocean Dot Activities

Ocean Theme Jello Sensory Dig

Transportation Adventures Theme

Take a journey into the world of transportation. Explore various modes of transportation, from cars to airplanes. Create crafts like paper plate cars and enjoy transportation-themed activities.

Space Exploration Theme

Blast off into space with a space exploration theme. Learn about the stars, planets, and astronauts. Engage in space-related crafts and activities, such as creating paper plate UFOs or astronaut helmets.

Superheroes in November

Celebrate everyday heroes and superheroes. Discuss community helpers, make superhero capes, and engage in activities that highlight the importance of helping others.

Related Post: Community Helpers Activities for Preschoolers

Manners and Gratitude Theme

Focus on teaching preschoolers about manners and gratitude. Engage in activities that promote kindness, sharing, and expressing thanks. Create a “gratitude tree” where children can add leaves with things they are thankful for.

Related Post: Thankful Turkey Activity

Insects and Bugs Theme

Explore the tiny world of insects and bugs. Learn about different insects, their habitats, and their roles in nature. Create insect crafts and engage in bug-related sensory activities.

Healthy Habits Theme

Promote a healthy lifestyle with a theme centered around good habits. Discuss the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, staying active, and getting enough sleep. Create a “healthy habits chart” with the children.

Construction Zone Theme

Build excitement with a construction-themed month. Learn about different construction vehicles, discuss building structures, and engage in construction-themed crafts and activities.

Around the World Theme

Take a journey around the world to explore different cultures. Learn about traditions, clothing, and customs from various countries. Engage in multicultural crafts and activities to celebrate diversity.


Whether you want to use Thanksgiving or pumpkins as your preschool themes, little kids love focusing on a specific theme for their lessons. Make it fun, and they’ll love whatever you create for them!