Before I show some activities I know the kiddos would love, I want to add in some non-activity thoughts! First, holidays can be stressful and kids can add to that when they try to help. Try to be as patient as possible with them. You don't want to hurt their feelings just because you are hurried. You don't want your child to remember you yelling at them on Thanksgiving. Second, let your kids help! It doesn't have to be fancy, they can help stir something, or even do some small cleaning tasks. Finally, I think it is a wise idea to have a kids table all prepared for the kids. Take some wallpaper from the thrift store and put it pattern side down and tape it down to your kid table. The backside is white and nice a thick, perfect for drawing or coloring on! We used to do this all the time growing up (better yet, just unroll the wallpaper on the floor and draw on it that way!). Have crayons and colored and regular pencils laying out. Oh, and some of these activities are sure to be a hit!
This is a nice, simple activity for kids. A color by number turkey! The benefit to this activity is it's easy, not a lot of mess made, and fun. Oh, and you'll get a cute keepsake from it! Source.
I love this! It's like a color by number but with simple words. Being as this is just coloring, it's another easy craft for the kids. Source.
This is a great little printable for kids to write out what they are thankful for. Younger children could also draw a picture if they couldn't spell. It would also be totally cute to save what they make, and put it in a scrapbook to look back on years from now! Source.
This is such a cute idea, and one I had never heard of before! It's a game that only requires something to draw with and some dice. You draw part of the turkey that corresponds with the number on the dice! This would is still something simple, but a little more time consuming than just coloring! Source.
This would require some supervision and could be a little messier. The children write on the feathers what they are thankful for, color everything, then cut the feathers, hat, feet out and glue them to the turkey! Cute, fun, and keeps them busy! Source.
This is a super cute turkey made from construction paper hand cut outs! Glue together with some wiggly eyes, and you've got an adorable gobbler! Source.
If the weather is fair, and you have a good outdoor area available, why not a scavenger hunt? You could have some small prize for when they get finished, and they could search quite awhile for some of the things on the list. Source.
This is the best out of all of these crafts in my opinion. Now, it will take some extra preparation, and could be a little time consuming, but I think it could really be worth it! This fabulous lady created a Mr. Potato Head turkey. You print out the basic turkey (like the one above) and then she has all these great printable faces, clothes, and feathers for him! You can laminate so they are more durable, or glue them together to be more permanent. Source.
I hope this has sparked some ideas and creativity for Thanksgiving day activities for your kiddos! If you have any other ideas or activities you think kids would like, feel free to share in the comments section!
More in this series:
2012 Thanksgiving Guide: Being a Good Host
2012 Thanksgiving Guide: Menu Planning
2012 Thanksgiving Guide: Setting the Tone
2012 Thanksgiving Guide: Fun for Kids
2012 Thanksgiving Guide: Recipes and Time Management
2012 Thanksgiving Guide: Tips and Tricks
2012 Thanksgiving Guide: Resources and Reminders
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