Thanksgiving Activities

A collection of Thanksgiving activities for kids, and easy Thanksgiving crafts to decorate your home, your table, or just keep the kids busy while you cook.

Thanksgiving at our house has always been a day of sleeping in, old movies, crafts, games, planning Black Friday shopping, and a traditional but simple Thanksgiving dinner.

Every family has their own traditions and sometimes all that family, cooking, and kids full of energy can lead to chaos and stress. Here are some tips to get everyone involved and keep the mood festive.

Thanksgiving Activities for Kitchen Helpers

• Folding napkins, mixing iced tea, and sorting utensils are helpful jobs that can keep little hands busy.
• Have the kids fill the salt and pepper shakers, and put the butter and other condiments in their serving dishes.
• Choose a place card design. Lay out all the supplies and let the kids make one for each guest.
• If you're making some easy thanksgiving recipes, let the kids help measure, pour and mix ingredients.
• Buy some ready-made sugar cookie dough. Roll it out and let the kids cut thanksgiving cookie shapes and decorate with sugar crystals.
• Designate the kids as greeters. Let them greet the guests, hang coats, and pass out trays of before dinner munchies.
• Put out family scapbooks and photo albums for guests to browse. You can also bring out simple games like checkers or cards for those who aren't football fans. :-)

Frugal and Easy Thanksgiving Crafts

Thankful Turkey: My favorite turkey. Check out the photo at the top of the page to see this fine bird. Have everyone write what they're most thankful for on his colorful feathers! This fabulous photo was provided by www.crafts-for-all-seasons.com. Follow the link to see how to make this great gobbler, and find other great Thanksgiving activities.

Hands and Feet Turkey: Very nice variation of the "hand cut out" turkey. This one uses a foot too!

Pine Cone Turkeys: A fun and colorful table decoration your kids can make the day before the big dinner.

Turkey Treat Holder: These look great on the table with AFTER dinner sweets tucked inside.

Beaded Indian Corn: Very easy beading craft. Makes a nice grandparent gift as a lapel pin with one, or a brooch with a cluster of two or three.

Pine Cone Trees: This very simple craft can produce some very unique looking results. After Thanksgiving add ribbon and use them as tree or wreath ornaments.

Fall Leaf Turkey: All you need handy are construction paper, glue, and wiggly eyes. Send the kids outside to hunt leaves and pine cones. Then let them put together as many of these cute turkeys as they can.

Free Place Cards and Thanksgiving Printables

Pilgrim Mouse Printable Place Card: Cute little mouse in a pilgrim hat. Perfect for a relaxed family gathering.

Autumn Place Cards: One sheet of cardstock will get you 10 autumn leaf Thanksgiving place cards.

Cornucopia Place Cards: If you've got some time, have the kids help you make this very clever place card. You'll need a bag of Bugle snacks.

Floral Cornucopia Place Cards: A quick solution for an elegant table when you're running short on time. To save paper, copy and paste the graphic several times onto one Word document.

Pilgrim Place Cards: A nice pilgrim hat with a "Happy Thanksgiving" message.