Thanksgiving means families and friends spending time together which usually implies parents bringing their children to the party. Use the opportunity to connect with your kid during the holiday weekend - you can tell them more about Thanksgiving traditions, work on decorations together, and figure out effective ways to boost the creative thinking of the child.
Besides, fun Thanksgiving activities do not have an age limit - you can actively participate in different games. Even the busiest parents can manage to organize a feast for the guests and entertain their kids at the same time especially if the children are expressing a wish to take a more active role in celebrations.
What to Do With Kids on Thanksgiving?
Follow our advice to guarantee the children are not left behind before and during the Thanksgiving weekend:
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Allow the kids to cook . It does not mean the child will be responsible for a roast turkey - small treats, appetizers, cupcakes, and cookies the kid can cover with glaze or shape to their liking will introduce them to the culinary art and spark their interest in more sophisticated recipes for the future.
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Involve the kids in the decorating process - little children can assist you in making your house or front yard more festive. For example, a Pumpkin Cut-Out template can be reproduced and painted with different colors to make your residence cheerful, not only for Thanksgiving but also for the entire fall season.
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While you may be familiar with mad libs - a word game that has attained cult status - you might believe it is too complex for children; however, Thanksgiving Mad Libs for the kids is the perfect choice for parents that want to introduce some humor and a bit of chaos to the party.
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Crowds of all ages will enjoy a trivia evening - you can test the guests' knowledge regarding the Thanksgiving traditions and facts and a variety of other topics. Make it competitive, announce the winner at the end of the night, and award them with a well-deserved prize.
How to Teach Kids About Thanksgiving?
Parents should take advantage of the opportunity to educate their children about one of the most significant national holidays - here are some Thanksgiving Activities for Kids that serve an educational purpose and build a closer rapport with them:
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Share cautionary tales and fables passed down from generation to generation in your family . Try to remember what your own parents and grandparents were telling you about when you were a kid and you spent Thanksgiving dinners together - by giving your children a chance to know your family history via Thanksgiving stories for kids, you can help them to grow a connection to their roots and develop a better understanding of culture.
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Opt for a more socially inclusive approach when talking to your children about the holiday and its place in American history . Focus on the Native perspective, pay tribute to indigenous people, and honor the real story of Thanksgiving. Nevertheless, even if you are holding strong views, do your best to make your narrative age-appropriate.
How to Make Thanksgiving Fun for Kids?
Whether you want to distract your children long enough to watch a movie in peace or entertain them by means of kids' Thanksgiving crafts, it is important to engage the children in meaningful activities that will be memorable for a long time:
- Young children will benefit from Thanksgiving Activity Sheets - worksheets aimed to help the kids consolidate their knowledge through play. After you spend an hour talking about the symbols of the holiday and the ways to celebrate it in your country and abroad, give the children puzzles and quizzes to let them answer questions and find solutions to riddles on their own or together.
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There are numerous easy Thanksgiving crafts - all you will need is to provide the children with paper, carton, glue, child-safe scissors, paint, and crayons . Set no limit for their imaginative interpretation of the holiday and encourage them to color or make paper crafts that depict fall and yellow leaves, pumpkins, turkeys, or harvest. For instance, a Hand Turkey template can be customized and connected to other similar decorations to turn them into a wreath you display in a visible place.
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Make sure the children are entertained when the adults are busy - whether you are cooking or watching a football game, you need to find something safe the kids will be able to do indoors . You can give them Thanksgiving Coloring Pages - a great leisure activity that also helps the participants showcase their artistic skills, rent out Thanksgiving-themed costumes so that the children can play dress up, arrange a scavenger hunt inside your own house, or hire a babysitter to spend time with the kids for a few hours.
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