Thanksgiving Day Crafts & Activities
The turkey is in the oven, the pumpkin pie is cooling, and little fingers are picking mini marshmallows off the top of the yams. Approximately 280 million turkeys are sold for the Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States. That’s a lot of turkey! Now even though it’s called ‘turkey day’, cooking isn’t the only fun activity your family can do on this day of thanks. Besides eating, Thanksgiving is a great holiday to discuss family traditions, connect with extended family, and show your appreciation and gratitude.
Here are some kid-friendly activities for the whole family as you await the bird in the oven:
1. Leaf Hunt!
Search for some colorful fall leaves outside or print and color some Chipper Fall Leaves or Helping Hands. Then hide them around the house! Make it a treasure hunt by giving clues of thanksgiving related items! Here are a few example hints to get your started:
- Pumpkin Pie is really great and very yummy. What do I need to help me eat and put it in my tummy? (Answer: The Silverware Drawer)
- Turkey, Potatoes, Green Beans on my plate. This is where we eat the turkey dinner, it tastes so great! (Answer: The Dining Room Table)
- Family time and meet and greet! When we relax together, this is our seat! (Answer: The Living Room Couch)
Happy Hunting! You can also create gorgeous cards (or see the craft below!) and name tags for your Turkey dinner using your leaves and mod podge after your game:
2. Turkey Run!
The mountains of food seems endless on Thanksgiving Day, and so do the cravings for more than one slice of pumpkin pie; but not if your family works up an appetite! ‘Turkey Trots’ are very popular and can help raise funds for a good cause. Take a look at this website and see how you can join a “Turkey Trot” near you! Or take a stroll around the block with the whole family after dinner to help digest the big meal. a simple walk is a great opportunity for some great family conversation!
3. Let’s Learn About Our Family!
What better time for kids to learn about the family history than on Thanksgiving, when the entire family is gathered together! Print out a Chipper Family Tree and have the kids interact with each family member to see where they belong on the tree. When dinner is finally ready, bring out the completed tree and have each member tell a family story!
4. Thanksgiving Day Placemat!
Print out our complimentary and have your little ones color and fill it out. It’s a great way to keep the kiddos occupied while also teaching them about healthy eating habits and what they are thankful for! Click here or on the image below to download and print (please use legal paper or print on two letter sized paper and tape together).
5. Recycle Craft Turkeys!
Create a cute centerpiece for your table or use them as name tags for your Thanksgiving feast seating!
Materials:
- Recycled Toilet Paper Roll
- Tape or Glue (we love double stick tape!)
- Markers or colored pencils
- Pipe Cleaners or some Fall Leaves
- Googly Eyes (optional)
- Recycled paper colored or construction paper and some scissors (optional)
- Popsicle stick and square of paper if making name tag for table
Directions:
- Start with your Turkey face! Draw eyes, a neck waddle, a beak or use googly eyes, cut a triangle from construction paper for the beak and waddle.
- Draw on some wings and feathers with markers or colored pencils.
- Now add your tail feathers! Find some colorful fall leaves outdoors and glue or tape on to the back of your roll. Or curl some pipe cleaners with your fingers and glue or tape on. Add feet with folded pipe cleaners or cut some out of paper and attach to the bottom of your turkey with glue or tape.
- If you are creating a name tag, cut out a small rectangle of white paper, write on your name, then attach to your popsicle stick with glue or tape. Then attach to your turkey, sticking it to the inside back end of your toilet toll with glue or tape.
- Add to your table so everyone know where to sit! Or just place in the center or around the house for some fun decorations. You can even use them as napkin holders! Just fold your napkin through the center of the roll.
EXTRA CRAFT: If you find some pinecones outside while searching for leaves, add some googly eyes, paper beaks, and feathers with hot glue (with supervision) to create festive table decorations!
For more fun Thanksgiving activities, visit our Thanksgiving Pinterest Board! Please share your crafts with us in the comments below. Have a Fall-tastic Thanksgiving! Gobble Gobble 🙂
