Depending on the ages of your kids and the household hosting Thanksgiving dinner, the event can be a little less than exciting for some kids. So why not plan ahead and pack a few activities to keep them busy — and even encourage cross-generational interaction? If they become engaged in an intense game of Uno instead, no worries. But if you hear that loathsome sing-song phrase “I’m bored,” you’ll have a few tricks up your sleeve that can help your child do more than pass the time before the turkey dinner begins — or everyone is ready to go their separate ways.
Thanksgiving B-I-N-G-O
Maybe Grandma will even want to get in on this classic game! Just print a few sets of these Thanksgiving BINGO cards, cut apart the calling pieces, grab a bag of holiday candy, and you’re set! I like the DIY option because the kids get to make their own, letting the game take more time, too! But if you don’t want to bother with the scissors and glue, you can print the set of 8 ready-made BINGO sheets. (For a middle-of-the-road approach, you could print the DIY version and cut them out ahead of time and then provide each player with a blank sheet, squares to arrange, and a strip of glue dots or some sticky tack.) Because this set has pictures and no words, they’re great for any age.
Thanksgiving I-Spy
These too are great for pre-readers as well as older kids. Even though the author’s intentions are for these to be used in a classroom setting, why not print some to take to Thanksgiving dinner?! There’s usually some down time before it’s time to eat, and there’s nothing like a little contest to keep them from getting frustrated at the wait.
Thanksgiving Activity Placemats
Complete with a word search, these placemats are definitely geared more toward readers. You could put one at each place at the “Kids’ Table” along with some crayons or writing implements. Here’s another placemat option to help remind your kids how to set the table – and maybe draw pictures of their food before it’s ready.
Thanksgiving Mad Libs
These would be great for getting your kids to interact with some of their relatives. If they can read, they can ask others to provide the words they need, and these things are always great for a laugh! It’s always fun to compare the different stories that can be concocted starting with the same basic page. You can download printable Thanksgiving Mad Libs here & here.
Thanksgiving Cootie Catchers
Am I the only one who loved these as a kid? My guess is no. I love these well-designed Thanksgiving Cootie Catchers, and one of them is even a little educational!
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