Free Printable Thanksgiving Roll a Story Writing Activity

Grab this Free Printable Thanksgiving Roll a Story for kids! Just roll the dice to spark creative writing and keep little ones busy while the turkey cooks. Thanksgiving Free Printables make for a fun & budget-friendly holiday.

Thanksgiving week is busy, right? 🦃 Between the grocery runs and the pie baking, the kids always end up bored in the kitchen. That’s exactly why I made this free Thanksgiving Roll a Story printable. Grab a die, roll a few times, and watch your kids write the silliest turkey tales ever!

What Is a Roll a Story Printable?

A roll a story is a simple dice game for writing. Kids roll a die three times to pick a character, a setting, and a problem. Then they turn those three pieces into their very own story. It works like a story starter, but it’s way more fun because the dice make every choice.

The choices are pure Thanksgiving fun. Kids might roll a silly turkey, a friendly scarecrow, or even a talking pumpkin. Then maybe the pie disappears at Grandma’s house, or a surprise arrives at the Thanksgiving parade. You just never know what story you’ll get!

This set comes with everything you need. There’s no prep beyond hitting print. Here’s what’s inside:

• Roll chart: You get a full-color version and a black-and-white version. The ink-saver copy doubles as a coloring page too!
• Story planner: Kids write down their character, setting, and problem. Then they map out the beginning, middle, and end.
• Writing pages: There are four different pages to choose from. Some have a big drawing box, and each style comes with primary dashed lines or regular lines.

Why You’ll Love This Idea

Honestly, this one is a lifesaver for me. My two kids get restless while we wait for the big meal. However, hand them a die and a pencil, and suddenly the room goes quiet. Okay, mostly quiet, since there’s usually giggling. It keeps little hands busy without a screen in sight.

Teachers will love it too! It works as a quick creative writing activity for the week before break. Kids practice narrative writing, but it feels like a game. Best of all, it’s free and takes about two seconds to print. You know I’m all about easy wins this time of year!

How to Use Your Thanksgiving Roll a Story Printable

Getting started is super simple. You don’t need any fancy supplies. Here’s what to do.

What You’ll Need

• The free printable (to download head to the end of the post and enter your name & email in the dark green download box)
• One die (or a dice app)
• Pencils and crayons

Steps

1. Print the roll chart, story planner, and your favorite writing page.
2. Roll the die for a character and write it on the planner.
3. Roll again for a setting, then once more for a problem.
4. Plan the beginning, middle, and end in the planner boxes.
5. Write the final story on a writing page and add a picture.

For younger kids, grab a page with primary dashed lines and a big drawing box. Older kids can use the regular lined pages for longer stories. Either way, the goal is fun first!

Fun Ways to Use the Printable 🍂

This printable works in so many places! You can use it at home, at school, or even in the car. Here are some of my favorite ideas.

• Kids’ table activity: Set a few copies at the kids’ table. They’ll stay busy until the turkey comes out of the oven.
• Classroom writing center: Add it to your writing center the week of Thanksgiving. It makes a great early finisher activity too.
• Road trip fun: Heading to Grandma’s house? Toss a chart and a die in a bag for the car.
• Family game night: Everyone rolls, and everyone writes. Then read your stories out loud and vote for the funniest!

Variations to Try

Want to mix things up? These twists keep it fresh. Try one, or try them all!

Make It a Group Story

Each person adds one sentence at a time. Then pass the paper to the next person. The ending always surprises everyone!

Draw It Instead

Little ones who aren’t writing yet can draw their story in the picture box. Afterward, have them tell you what’s happening. It’s a sweet way to build storytelling skills.

Add a Gratitude Twist

Ask kids to end their story with something the character feels thankful for. It’s a gentle way to talk about gratitude. Plus, the answers are usually adorable. 🥹

Pick Your Own Problem

Let kids roll for a character and setting only. Then they invent their own problem. This challenge works great for older kids who love to get creative!

Common Questions

What age is this printable best for?

It works well for kids ages 5 to 10. The different writing pages make it easy to match each child’s level. Younger kids can also tell their stories out loud while you write.

Do I need special dice?

Nope! Any standard six-sided die works. You can even use a free dice app on your phone. I’ve also borrowed dice from our board games in a pinch.

Can I save ink when printing?

Yes! Just print the black-and-white roll chart instead of the color one. Kids can color it in before they start rolling.

How long does it take?

Most kids finish a story in 15 to 20 minutes. However, some kids love to keep going. Let them run with it!

My Favorite Printable Supplies:

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• Printer: I love my HP Home Printer, it prints beautifully everytime no matter what projects I am working on.
• Paper: Depending on the durability you want with your printables, consider printing on white card stock or high quality paper.
• Laminator: For printables you are planning to use over and over again, simply laminate and use dry erase markers to mark up the printables.
• Paper Cutter: I love my CARL Paper Cutter. It makes trimming and cutting out printables a breeze.
• Sticker Paper: When printing tags or other free printables, sticker paper can make it easy to attach to gifts, boxes, or to make your own stickers.
• Cutting Supplies: You’ll want a great pair of paper cutting scissors and I love using an Xacto Knife for intricate details.
• Pens and Coloring Supplies: Here are some of my favorite writing tools for pencils and pens. Coloring supplies that I love to use in my own home: colored pencils, crayons, markers for adults, and markers for kids.

Download the Free Thanksgiving Roll a Story Printable Here

Please remember my printables are free for classroom use or personal use only. You may not sell or distribute the printable or digital file. If you wish to share the digital files, please refer friends to the link of this blog post where they can sign up to receive the free printable directly in their inbox.

Be sure to check your printer settings before printing, I generally make sure that the scale to fit option is selected to make sure all of the printables fit on the page.

To ensure emails for printables are received in your inbox add hello@thebensonstreet.com to your email contacts. Also check your promotions, updates, spam, junk or other folders if you do not see the email in inbox. Also for educators, consider using your personal email as many school districts block the emails or downloading of files.

Let’s Get Rolling! 🎲

I hope this printable adds a little extra fun to your holiday. After all, the best Thanksgiving memories often happen before anyone sits down to eat. Grab your free Thanksgiving Roll a Story below and let the storytelling begin. Why did the turkey join the band? Because it had the drumsticks! 🥁

Don’t forget to save this post to your favorite Pinterest board. That way, you can find it again next November. And while you’re here, join my email list for more free Thanksgiving printables, recipes, and seasonal fun delivered right to your inbox! 💌

More Printables for The Thanksgiving Season:

• Thanksgiving Cards to Color
• Thanksgiving Thankful Turkey
• Thanksgiving Doodle Challenge
• The First Thanksgiving Story Printable
• Thanksgiving Connect the Dots
• Thanksgiving Coloring Pages
• Thankful Turkey Printable
• Thanksgiving Thankful Tree Printable
• Turkey Handprint Poem Printable
• Paper Plate Turkey
• Turkey Crafts for Kids
• Disguise a Turkey Printable Outfits
• Thanksgiving Tracing Worksheets
• Thanksgiving Direct Drawing Sheets
• Thanksgiving Mazes
• Thanksgiving Blessing Mix Poem

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