There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey! by Lucille Colandro: Book-Based Activities & Printables

 

Laughter has a special place in early childhood.

Some of the books children remember most aren't the quiet ones—they're the stories that make them giggle before you've even finished turning the page. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey! by Lucille Colandro is one of those joyful read-alouds. With its playful rhymes, outrageous surprises, and silly Thanksgiving adventure, it's nearly impossible to read without hearing children laugh, predict, and eagerly shout what they think the Old Lady will swallow next.

Like the other books in Lucille Colandro's beloved series, this story invites children to join in, repeat familiar phrases, and embrace the wonderfully ridiculous. At the same time, it creates natural opportunities to explore sequencing, rhyming, vocabulary, and Thanksgiving traditions through play rather than worksheets.

Whether you're celebrating Thanksgiving in the classroom, reading together at home, or looking for an engaging seasonal story that children will ask for again and again, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey! is sure to become a favorite.

What Is There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey! About?

It all begins with an unbelievable idea.

The Old Lady swallows a turkey—and from there, things become even sillier. One by one, she swallows a collection of Thanksgiving-themed objects, each one stranger than the last. As children listen, they begin wondering how everything could possibly fit inside her belly and eagerly anticipate the hilarious surprise waiting at the end of the story.

Its cumulative structure and rhythmic text encourage children to participate from the very beginning, making it an ideal read-aloud for preschool and the early elementary years.

Why Children Never Stop Laughing

Children love stories that surprise them.

Every page of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey! by Lucille Colandro invites them to predict the next impossible object while delighting in the growing absurdity of the tale. They know the story doesn't make sense—and that's exactly what makes it so much fun.

Humor also helps children become more confident readers. Because the pattern repeats throughout the story, they quickly begin joining in with familiar phrases, anticipating what comes next, and building fluency without even realizing they're practicing.

Sometimes laughter is one of the best ways to learn.

Bringing the Story Into Thanksgiving Traditions

One of my favorite things about this book is that it naturally sparks conversations about Thanksgiving without feeling like a history lesson.

As children notice the foods, decorations, and symbols woven throughout the story, they begin sharing their own family traditions. Some talk about helping bake pies. Others describe gathering with grandparents, setting the table, or enjoying favorite holiday recipes.

Those personal connections make the story feel even more meaningful.

If you'd like to continue the fun after reading together, these playful invitations fit beautifully with the spirit of the book.

Try These Book-Based Activities

• Pack the Old Lady's Belly. Draw or create a large paper outline of the Old Lady and invite children to "feed" her laminated Thanksgiving objects from the story. As they add each item, encourage them to retell the sequence using their own words.

• Create a Thanksgiving Mystery Bag. Fill a cloth bag with seasonal objects like a feather, a tiny pumpkin, a corn cob, a leaf, a pie tin, or a turkey figurine. Children reach inside, describe what they feel, and guess the object before pulling it out. Afterwards, challenge them to invent a silly story explaining why the Old Lady might swallow it.

• Host a Silly Thanksgiving Feast. Set up a dramatic play table with pretend Thanksgiving foods, aprons, menus, and serving dishes. Children can become chefs, waiters, or even the Old Lady herself, creating their own outrageous holiday menu.

• Design the Next Book. Ask children what the Old Lady should swallow next. A snowman? A dinosaur? A birthday cake? Invite them to draw a new cover and dictate or write a few pages for their own version of the story.

• Create a Rhyming Turkey. Cut out a large turkey and write a simple word on each feather. Children add matching rhyming words to new feathers, building phonological awareness while decorating their Thanksgiving bird.

These playful activities encourage storytelling, creativity, language development, and plenty of laughter—the perfect combination for meaningful holiday learning.

The Joy of Predictable Stories

One of the reasons cumulative stories remain so popular is that children quickly become active participants.

By the second or third page, they're already predicting what might happen next. Soon they're laughing before you've even finished reading because they understand the pattern and are excited to see how the author will surprise them.

That growing confidence is incredibly valuable.

Children begin recognizing story structure, anticipating events, and experimenting with language in ways that feel playful instead of academic.

Celebrating Thanksgiving Through Stories

Thanksgiving offers many opportunities to slow down and talk about gratitude, family, generosity, and togetherness.

Stories like There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey! add another important ingredient to the celebration: joy.

Not every holiday book needs to teach a serious lesson. Sometimes sharing laughter together creates the strongest memories.

After reading, invite children to talk about their favorite Thanksgiving traditions, the foods they hope to eat, or something they're especially thankful for this year. Those conversations help connect the story to children's own lives while encouraging thoughtful reflection.

Growing Language Through Rhythm and Rhyme

Lucille Colandro's playful writing naturally supports early literacy.

Its repeated phrases, predictable structure, and catchy rhymes encourage children to listen carefully to sounds, recognize patterns, and experiment with language themselves.

One of my favorite extensions is inviting children to invent their own silly rhyming verses. They don't need to match the original story perfectly. The fun comes from playing with words, trying new ideas, and discovering that language can be wonderfully creative.

Books that make children laugh often become the books that make them love reading.

Extending the Learning with a Book Companion

Holiday stories often become annual traditions, and each rereading offers new opportunities for learning.

My There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey! Book Companion extends the fun through literacy activities, sequencing, comprehension, vocabulary, writing prompts, rhyming practice, and hands-on Thanksgiving extensions that help children revisit the story while strengthening essential early learning skills.

Because the best seasonal books don't only celebrate a holiday.

They create joyful learning experiences children look forward to every year.

Final Thoughts

Few picture books capture the playful excitement of Thanksgiving quite like There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey!

Its outrageous humor, familiar rhythm, and delightful surprises encourage children to laugh, participate, and predict from beginning to end. More importantly, it reminds us that some of the most memorable learning happens when children are having fun.

Long after the holiday decorations have been packed away, they'll still remember the impossible things the Old Lady swallowed—and the laughter they shared while reading about them.

It's more than a funny Thanksgiving story.

It's an invitation to celebrate language, imagination, and the simple joy of reading together.