Sometimes with all the preparation that goes into Thanksgiving dinner the kids can get pushed to the side. So how do we keep them involved? There are small things they can do to help with the preparation depending on their age. If they are old enough to help with the cooking then get them in there cutting, chopping and dicing. If they are younger, they should be able to color some great Thanksgiving decorations or maybe help set the table. Below are some awesome Thanksgiving themed games and crafts to help you bond with your children this upcoming Turkey Day.
1) Pass the Spoon – Grab up a cute little wooden spoon and get your children talking. Whoever has the spoon can talk about a topic that you chose. You might try having them share what they are thankful for or shake it up a bit and have them talk about a favorite memory that they have.
2) Turkey run – Grab the nearest ball that you have and make it look somewhat like a turkey using construction paper. Make 2 teams and have the first person hold the ball and run to a designated location and run back passing the ball to the next player. The first team to complete running the course will get to be the turkey kings or queens for the day! Make it even better by saying they have to have them gobble like a turkey while running! This will help them run off all those extra calories they ate at mealtime.
3) Pumpkin Roll – Grab a couple pumpkins or gourds and a couple of brooms and set up a race. Make a starting line and see who can roll their gourd/pumpkin to the finish line first.
4) Find the Turkey – Grab a turkey stuffed animal or print off a picture of one online and play hide and seek. The first person to find the turkey gets to…… wash the dishes! I’m kidding! The first person to find the turkey can hide the turkey for the next group.
5) Scavenger Hunt – Everyone can get up after a short rest and work off some of those calories on a long scavenger hunt walk. Compile a list of anything fall related. You could search for different colored leaves, a pine cone, an acorn, or a holly berry. Take a walk around your neighborhood ahead of time and you will see plenty to add to your scavenger hunt list.
6) Turkey Egg Hunt – Take a hard boiled egg and have someone pretend to be the farmer. The farmer needs to leave the room while the other players decide where to hide the egg. When the farmer returns you can give him clues by gobbling very quietly when he is far away from the egg and louder when he is closer to the egg. I guarantee the gobbling will make everyone giggle.
7) Thankful Tree – Make a tree on the wall using construction paper. Cut out construction paper leaves (hand prints look super cute), have your family write what they are thankful for on the leaves and then tape them onto the tree.
8) Turkey Toilet Paper Roll – Grab an empty toilet paper roll and using construction paper (and some imagination), make it look like a turkey as best you can. Trace your child’s hand onto different colored construction paper and cut them out to use as the feathers on the back of the bird.
These games will have everyone taking part of the fun and enjoying the holiday together.
What’s your favorite game to play with the kids for holiday family time?
[…] Sometimes with all the preparation that goes into Thanksgiving dinner the kids can get pushed to the side. So how do we keep them involved? There are small things they can do to help with the preparation depending on their age. If they are old enough …read more […]