The Mayflower was an English ship that is famous for transporting the first Puritans- known today as Pilgrims, from Plymouth to the US in 1620. Mayflower Day is celebrated annually on September 16th to reminisce about the history of the journey that helped to shape the modern-day States. We’ve sourced 20 informative and engaging activities for your kiddos to enjoy. Fun crafts, writing tasks, quizzes, and more will guide them through learning about this momentous voyage in history.
1. Mayflower Paper Plate Craft
For the younger students, this hands-on craft brings the Mayflower to life, using paper plates, markers, glue, chopsticks, and paper. Students are required to cut a paper plate in half and decorate it with a wood-style pattern to represent an old ship. They can then cut paper sails in any design and stick them to the lolly sticks. These can then be added to the ship to create a replica of the Mayflower.
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2. Moving Mayflower
Amaze young learners by creating a moveable Mayflower using paper plates and lolly sticks. Glue on pieces of blue construction paper to represent waves. Add a small slit to push the lolly stick through, and your students will be able to sail their very own Mayflower replica.
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3. Simple Reading Comprehension
Use this reading comprehension as a quick filler activity or a short introduction to a unit about the Pilgrims. It has easy-to-read language and simple questions for students to learn the basic facts about the journey to America.
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4. 3D Paper Craft
This no-prep activity requires you to print templates of the Mayflower. Students can then color, cut and assemble them using the handy tabs and glue. This activity can then be expanded to discuss the parts of the Mayflower as a labeling activity.
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5. Milk Carton Mayflower
Cut the side off of an empty milk carton and carefully glue different-sized lolly sticks onto it to mimic the old wooden design of the Mayflower. Attach paper sails to straws to complete the look and carefully glue them to the bottom of the boat.
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6. Mayflower Word Search
This no prep word search has key terminology linked to the Mayflower and the Pilgrim’s journey. Use it as an early finisher activity or as a short introduction to the topic.
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7. Label the Mayflower
This is a great live worksheet resource! This interactive activity prompts learners to label parts of the Mayflower ship using a drag-and-drop system. Not only will they be able to learn about old ships and compare them with the ships of today, but they’ll also understand more about the perilous voyage the pilgrims took!
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8. Using Geography Skills
This activity allows your students to plot and mark the journey the pilgrims took on a map; learning more about key geographical landmarks along the way.
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9. Watch a Video
This PBS video provides a short but succinct explanation of the Mayflower and why it was important. Use the video as an introductory resource in your history classes to engage learners from the get-go!
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10. Pilgrim Bingo
Who doesn’t love a quick game of bingo? This pilgrim-inspired bingo sheet has a range of keywords for students to cross off and complete the grid. Up the stakes by describing an item and having the children guess what you’re describing before crossing it off!
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11. How To Draw the Ship
For budding young artists, this user-friendly worksheet will show your older students how to draw an artistic sketch of the Mayflower. You could add colors in different mediums and create an art wall in your classroom that depicts the Mayflower voyage.
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12. Draw the Mayflower
Similar to the above idea, use a simpler version for younger students or those not as confident with drawing. This step-by-step visual guide, paired with an informative video, will help your students draw and bring their own Mayflower to life.
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13. Coloring Pages
Perfect for younger students- this Mayflower coloring page will keep them occupied and entertained. It’s easy to download and print, and then you simply need to equip your students with coloring pencils to get to work!
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14. True or False?
Check your student’s knowledge with this short comprehension and true or false activity. This resource is a great consolidation activity or can alternatively be used by students as a quick self-assessment tool.
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15. Create a Mayflower Flip Book
This Mayflower craft allows your students to turn a simple cut out of a ship into a fun flip book; complete with all of the new information they have learned about the Mayflower and the Pilgrim’s journey. Students can re-write the main events of the voyage on pieces of paper and decorate them with small pictures. These can then be stuck to the paper boat templates and turned into a storybook.
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16. Learn a Song
Perfect for kindergarteners! This simple song, sung to the tune of twinkle twinkle little star, will have your students learning about the past whilst having fun!
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17. Mayflower Handprints
A definite hands-on activity! Using brown paint and handprints, students can create a print of the Mayflower and decorate it with sails and cotton wool clouds to represent the ship at sea.
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18. 3D Construction Ship
Whilst this takes a little more time to prepare the results are outstanding! Students will love building their own Mayflower ship from paper, twigs, cardboard tubes, putty, paint, glue, and tissue paper. They will start by constructing the cardboard tube into a ship-shape and attaching the twig sails. Adding additional extras and creating an ocean from a paper plate will really bring this ship to life!
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19. Mayflower Lesson Plan
This fully comprehensive and interactive Mayflower lesson will save a huge amount of prep time for teachers and tutors alike. This activity uses a short 15-minute film in a 360 degrees style to fully immerse students into what it was like aboard the Mayflower. They can rotate the camera too if watching on a handheld device for a more authentic experience. Teachers can find questions to support this to ask the students their reflections later on.
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20. Paint-by-Fractions
This fun math activity invites students to complete a paint-by-fractions worksheet. Each color corresponds to a fraction and students must color parts of the ship. Once complete, the Mayflower will be revealed!
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