Looking for Thanksgiving activities for kids? Here are more than 30 Thanksgiving crafts, art activities, printables, recipes, and books for kids & families.
Once we get past the excitement of Halloween, November is both a settling down and a settling into colder weather.
The last of the autumn leaves fall off the trees, the autumn harvest is gathered, and the weather turns brisker.
We still get outside, still gather leaves and acorns and pinecones and listen to the sound of geese honking as they fly south in their V formations, but we also start spending more time indoors around the fire, whether real or metaphorical.
Thanksgiving is our big family celebration and holiday of the month and we like to focus on family and gratitude and, of course, turkeys and the bounty of the autumn harvest.
To continue my monthly activities lists, I’m putting together a list of Thanksgiving activities for kids that includes gratitude projects and exercises, creating with nature’s bounty, turkey arts and crafts, and a list of books about Thanksgiving.
Here goes…
30+ Thanksgiving Activities for Kids
Note: Please feel free to add your own favorite November and Thanksgiving activities in a comment below!
7 Turkey Arts and Crafts Activities
Because, let’s face it, the turkey ends up being the spokesbird for this holiday.
1) Experiment with different ways to draw turkeys
Hand turkeys are one way; but try some other ways, too!
2) How to draw and paint a turkey step-by-step (on Deep Space Sparkle)
3) Make playdough turkeys (on Mama Papa Bubba)
4) Set up an art invitation to create paper turkeys (on Paper and Glue)
5) Make pinecone turkeys (on a Pumpkin and a Prince)
6) Print turkey tracks for a fun Thanksgiving art activity (on Fun-a-Day)
7) Make autumn leaf feather turkeys (on BabyCenter)
7 Gratitude Activities for Families
Being grateful for what we have makes everything better. Here are some ways to begin to instill thankfulness in our kids this month (and a good reminder for us adults who may forget how important this can be!).
8) Make a thankful bunting as a family Thanksgiving art activity
Or make Thanksgiving Garlands for Kids with Finger Painted Hands
9) Make some gratitude rocks by starting with melted crayon rock art and using permanent markers to add words for what you are grateful for (like these DIY wishing stones)
10) Try these 10 gratitude drawing prompts for kids (on Let’s Lasso the Moon)
11) Do this thankful heart Thanksgiving kids activity (on Let’s Lasso the Moon)
12) Make a thankful table with the kids (on Art Bar)
13) Print out these gratitude conversation starters (on Creative Family Fun)
14) Create a Thanksgiving fall leaf garland
5 More Thanksgiving Activities for Kids
Here are some fun activities for this month and holiday. Some are especially good when you have a houseful of people!
15) Build towers and sculptures with toothpicks and cranberries
16) Try one or more of these 13 November crafts and activities for families
17) If you have family and friends around for Thanksgiving, try one of these 11 simple kids activities for mixed ages
18) Keep the kids engaged with some Thanksgiving Mad Libs
19) Tell some Thanksgiving jokes
4 Thanksgiving Printables for Kids
Some fun free printables for the holiday…
20) Use these printable Thanksgiving placemats + gratitude activity (on Mama Papa Bubba)
21) Find and count the turkeys and squirrels in this free Thanksgiving I Spy printable (on Parenting Chaos)
22) Play a game of Thanksgiving bingo (on Crazy Little Projects)
23) Go on a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt (with printables on The Dating Divas)
4 Nature Arts & Crafts
Use the autumn bounty to create art, crafts, and decorations this month.
24) Make some land art with autumn leaves, sticks, and stones
25) Paint pinecones and acorns
26) Create a simple DIY autumn leaf wreath
27) Make an autumn leaf crown (on Picklebums)
6 Thanksgiving Recipes to Cook Together
These are fun autumnal recipes to cook together as a family.
28) Make a delicious cranberry upside-down cake
29) Bake a tasty apple bundt cake
30) Bake some nutritious bread together
31) Assemble a Thanksgiving turkey veggie tray (on Eating Richly)
32) Bake a turkey crust pumpkin pie (on Kudos Kitchen by Renee)
33) Or whip up these easy pumpkin pie bites (on Sugar Apron)
Thanksgiving Books for Kids
34) Head to the library and check out some books about Thanksgiving and gratitude
Need some suggestions? Ask your children’s librarian or try some of these:
- Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving by Kimberly and James Dean
- Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland and Sonja Lamut
- The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing and Tammie Lyon
- Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes and Doris Barrette
- The Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross and Carolyn Croll
- 10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston and Rich Deas
- Thanksgiving in the Woods by Phyllis Alsdurf and Jenny Lovlie
- Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
- Thankful by Eileen Spinelli and Archie Preston
Would you like a printable version of 30 Thanksgiving Activities for Kids to hang on your fridge? You’re in luck! Just click the link below and get a PDF delivered straight to your inbox!
CLICK HERE for the printable list of 30 Thanksgiving Activities for Kids!
How about you? What are your favorite Thanksgiving activities for kids? Something from this list or something different? Please share in the comments!
Autumn Arts & Crafts Ideas & Supplies
See our FALL family fun list on my Amazon storefront!
It includes supplies for fall arts & crafts (including the best paper leaves for painting!), autumn toys, Halloween ideas, and picture books about autumn.
Plus, we have lists of the best kids art supplies, open-ended toys, children’s games, and more!
Get our new Autumn Arts & Crafts for Kids workshop!
This is an online workshop with 10 fun fall arts and crafts activities that your family can enjoy all autumn long. Use coupon code KASHALFOFF for half off!
Plus a bonus of 10 fall-themed drawing prompts!
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9 Comments
Betsy
November 2, 2017 at 6:10 pmSeveral of your books are new to me. Can’t wait to check them out from the library. I love these monthly lists of seasonal activities. Thank you!
Here are my favorite Thanksgiving/ gratitude books to read with students or my own kids: https://www.eco-novice.com/2017/10/10-thanksgiving-childrens-books.html
And here are a few favorite Thanksgiving projects (we do a gratitude tree and a real leaf banner every year — always looks gorgeous and so simple): https://www.eco-novice.com/2013/11/diy-fall-leaf-garland.html
https://www.eco-novice.com/2014/11/5-ways-to-practice-gratitude-with-kids.html
Tiffany
November 6, 2017 at 9:41 amLove the The Night Before Thanksgiving book. It’s definitely one of our favorite holiday books. Thanks for other suggestion as well.
Jean Van't Hul
November 8, 2017 at 5:46 amYou’re welcome, Tiffany!
Pratibha soni
October 29, 2018 at 3:23 amI love this website!!!
Thanks for all the helpful information.
Samantha Baker
November 19, 2018 at 5:13 amThese look like so much fun! I tackled a Thanksgiving turkey with my 9-year-old today and I can tell you it was so frustrating. It wasn’t any crafts on your post, but we really struggled to stick on feathers onto a cone-shaped turkey. After one turkey my daughter made a run for it haha.
Some of these on your list looks nice and easy, so might do a craft day take-2 and see if we can actually enjoy a turkey craft this time around.
Katie Chiavarone
October 22, 2019 at 10:22 amThese are really great ideas! Thanks for sharing.
Jean Van't Hul
November 15, 2019 at 5:01 amGlad you like them, Katie!
Lindsey
November 12, 2019 at 2:38 amWow, this is awesome. I love your blog. Such great activities for kids. Much better than having them in front of a screen for hours.
Jean Van't Hul
November 15, 2019 at 4:47 amThanks, Lindsey! I’m so glad you like my blog! And I agree about engaging and creative activities over screen time!