Cooking activities are a wonderful way for students with disabilities to practice communication, motor skills, following directions, and teamwork—all while having fun! This series of Fall/Thanksgiving-themed recipes is designed with classroom participation in mind, offering simple, step-by-step tasks that learners of all ability levels can enjoy. Each recipe encourages engagement, builds independence, and adds a festive touch to your fall lessons—because every student deserves the chance to take part in the seasonal fun!

 This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I may receive a commission on qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Some images were created using ChatGPT to illustrate some concepts visually.

 

 🥣 Set up Ingredients

Dump each ingredient into its own bowl, this makes it easier/more accessible for students to scoop ingredients into their bags. Better yet, have students practice pouring the ingredients into the bowls without spilling or overspilling. Depending on the ingredient, pair it with tongs or spoons for serving. For example, you might use tongs to pick up the pretzels & bugels, and a spoon for the craisins and pumpkin seeds. The great thing about trail mix is that you can add or omit ingredients to make your perfect tasty snack!

⚠️ Caution: Make sure there are no peanut allergies if you decide to use nuts.

🥪 Serve & Enjoy!

Place a small amount of each ingredient into a sandwich bag — and that’s it! Your tasty trail mix is ready to enjoy.

While this recipe seems simple, it offers many valuable skill-building opportunities for students. Using tongs or a spoon to scoop ingredients without spilling helps strengthen fine motor control and coordination. Students can also practice safe and sanitary food handling by avoiding touching food directly with their hands, preventing cross contamination (a good habit even when it’s not a health risk), and returning utensils to their proper places.

Finally, sealing the sandwich bag provides another chance to work on fine motor skills. This easy recipe not only makes a fun snack but also reinforces important skills for future cooking lessons and independent living.

✏️Recipe Comprehension

Extend the cooking lesson with a comprehension activity to check for understanding and build additional skills such as reading a recipe, vocabulary, and sequencing. This resource includes differentiated, visual worksheets and a digital slides version that can be used for whole-group instruction or as visual support for students completing their worksheets.

Cooking activities like this are a fun and engaging way to bring seasonal excitement into your classroom while supporting important life skills. From following directions to making choices and practicing fine motor skills, every step offers a meaningful learning opportunity. Whether your students are building independence or simply enjoying the sensory experience, this recipe is sure to be a classroom favorite. Happy Thanksgiving, and happy cooking!

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Life Skills Thanksgiving Themed Activities