50 Thanksgiving Activities for Kids: Fun and Creative Ways to Celebrate the Holiday

Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and creating special memories. But with all the cooking and preparation, it can be challenging to keep the kids entertained.

These 50 Thanksgiving activities for kids are designed to be fun, educational, and perfect for getting everyone in the holiday spirit.

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Whether you’re looking for crafts, games, or simple ways to involve kids in the festivities, this list has you covered.

50 Thanksgiving Activities for Kids

1. DIY Handprint Turkeys

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• Materials: Construction paper, markers, paint, googly eyes.
• Instructions: Trace your child’s hand on construction paper. Let them decorate the handprint to look like a turkey by coloring the fingers as feathers and adding a beak, eyes, and legs. For an added touch, glue on googly eyes or use paint for a textured look.

2. Thankful Tree

• Materials: A large sheet of paper, construction paper in fall colors, scissors, glue, and markers.
• Instructions: Draw or print out a large tree trunk and branches. Cut out leaf shapes from construction paper. Throughout the day, have the kids write or draw something they’re thankful for on each leaf, then glue them onto the tree. This makes a beautiful and meaningful decoration for your home.

3. Pilgrim Hat Cookies

• Materials: Chocolate wafer cookies, large marshmallows, chocolate frosting, yellow icing or candies.
• Instructions: Place a large marshmallow on top of a chocolate wafer. Cover the marshmallow with chocolate frosting and add a small yellow candy or icing to the front as the hat’s buckle. These treats are as fun to make as they are to eat!

4. Turkey Trot

• Materials: None.
• Instructions: Before the big meal, gather the kids for a Turkey Trot race. Set up a course in the yard or local park, and have the kids run, walk, or even waddle like turkeys to the finish line. This is a great way to get some energy out before sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner.

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5. Thanksgiving Bingo

• Materials: Printable Thanksgiving Bingo cards, markers or buttons.
• Instructions: Create or print out Thanksgiving-themed Bingo cards. As you call out the items (like turkeys, pumpkins, or pie), kids can mark off their cards. The first to get five in a row wins a small prize, like a piece of candy or a small toy.

6. Scavenger Hunt

• Materials: A list of Thanksgiving-related items, baskets or bags.
• Instructions: Create a list of Thanksgiving-themed items (like acorns, leaves, small pumpkins, or pictures of turkeys) and hide them around your house or yard. Give each child a list and a basket to collect their items. The first to find everything on the list wins!

7. Pumpkin Decorating

• Materials: Small pumpkins, paints, markers, stickers, glitter.
• Instructions: Instead of carving pumpkins, which can be difficult for young children, let them decorate their own mini pumpkins with paints, markers, stickers, and glitter. They can create silly faces, patterns, or even turn their pumpkins into turkeys with paper feathers.

8. Storytime with Thanksgiving Books

• Materials: Thanksgiving-themed books.
• Instructions: Set up a cozy reading nook with pillows and blankets. Choose a selection of Thanksgiving books, such as “The Thankful Book“ by Todd Parr or “Turkey Trouble” by Wendi Silvano. Read together as a family or let the older kids take turns reading to the younger ones.

9. Gratitude Journals

• Materials: Blank notebooks, pens, stickers.
• Instructions: Give each child a notebook to use as a gratitude journal. Throughout the day, encourage them to write or draw pictures of things they’re thankful for. This activity not only keeps them busy but also helps cultivate a sense of gratitude.

10. Make a Thanksgiving Garland

• Materials: Construction paper, string, markers, scissors, glue.
• Instructions: Cut out leaf shapes from construction paper and write what each family member is thankful for on them. Punch a hole in each leaf and string them together to create a garland. Hang it across a mantel, doorway, or wall as a festive decoration.

11. Turkey Hats

• Materials: Construction paper, scissors, glue, markers.
• Instructions: Help the kids make their own turkey hats using construction paper. Cut out a strip of brown paper for the headband, and create colorful paper feathers to attach to the back. Add a paper turkey face to the front. The kids can wear these hats during the Thanksgiving meal.

12. Cornucopia Craft

• Materials: Brown construction paper, markers, glue, scissors, colorful paper for fruits and vegetables.
• Instructions: Roll a piece of brown construction paper into a cone shape to create the cornucopia. Have the kids cut out and color paper fruits and vegetables to fill the cornucopia. Glue or tape the fruits and veggies spilling out of the cornucopia for a beautiful harvest decoration.

13. Thanksgiving Puzzles

• Materials: Printable Thanksgiving puzzles or store-bought puzzles.
• Instructions: Print out Thanksgiving-themed puzzles or use store-bought ones. This activity is perfect for keeping kids entertained and helps develop problem-solving skills. For an added challenge, time the kids to see who can complete the puzzle the fastest.

14. Leaf Rubbing Art

• Materials: Leaves, crayons, paper.
• Instructions: Take the kids outside to collect different types of leaves. Place a leaf under a piece of paper and use the side of a crayon to rub over the paper, revealing the leaf’s pattern. This simple but beautiful activity is great for teaching kids about the different shapes and textures of leaves.

15. Pumpkin Bowling

• Materials: Small pumpkins, empty cans or plastic bottles.
• Instructions: Set up a bowling alley in your hallway or yard using empty cans or plastic bottles as pins. Use small pumpkins as bowling balls. The kids will have a blast trying to knock down the pins, and the pumpkins add a fun Thanksgiving twist to the game.

16. Native American Bead Necklaces

• Materials: Beads, string, scissors.
• Instructions: Teach kids about Native American culture by making bead necklaces. Use beads in different colors and shapes to create patterns. This is a great activity for developing fine motor skills, and the kids will love wearing their creations.

17. Create a Thanksgiving Playlist

• Materials: Music player, Thanksgiving or fall-themed songs.
• Instructions: Let the kids help create a Thanksgiving playlist. Include songs that are fun and festive, like “Over the River and Through the Woods” or “The Turkey Song.” Play the playlist throughout the day to keep everyone in a festive mood.

18. Bake Thanksgiving Cookies

• Materials: Cookie dough, cookie cutters, icing, sprinkles.
• Instructions: Get the kids involved in the kitchen by baking Thanksgiving-themed cookies. Use cookie cutters shaped like turkeys, leaves, or pumpkins. Once baked, let the kids decorate the cookies with icing and sprinkles. This is a delicious way to spend time together.

19. Turkey Puppets

• Materials: Paper bags or socks, construction paper, markers, glue, googly eyes.
• Instructions: Transform paper bags or old socks into adorable turkey puppets. Use construction paper to make the turkey’s feathers, beak, and wattle, and glue on googly eyes. Once the puppets are ready, the kids can put on a Thanksgiving-themed puppet show.

20. Pin the Feather on the Turkey

• Materials: Large turkey poster, paper feathers, blindfold, tape.
• Instructions: Create a large turkey poster and cut out colorful paper feathers. Blindfold each child, spin them around, and have them try to pin the feather as close to the turkey’s tail as possible. This game is a Thanksgiving twist on the classic “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” and is sure to be a hit.

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21. Thanksgiving Trivia

• Materials: List of Thanksgiving trivia questions.
• Instructions: Create a list of trivia questions about Thanksgiving history, traditions, and fun facts. Divide the kids into teams and ask the questions, giving points for correct answers. The team with the most points wins a small prize. This activity is both educational and entertaining.

22. DIY Thanksgiving Place Cards

• Materials: Construction paper, markers, stickers, and any other decorative materials.
• Instructions: Let the kids design and create personalized place cards for the Thanksgiving table. They can use construction paper, markers, stickers, and other craft supplies to decorate the cards with each guest’s name. This is a great way to involve the kids in preparing for the meal.

23. Coloring Pages

• Materials: Printable Thanksgiving coloring pages, crayons, markers.
• Instructions: Print out a variety of Thanksgiving-themed coloring pages featuring turkeys, pumpkins, and pilgrims. Set up a coloring station with crayons and markers, and let the kids get creative. Coloring is a relaxing activity that keeps kids entertained while the adults are busy.

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24. Thanksgiving Charades

• Materials: A 100 list of Thanksgiving-themed actions or phrases Free Printable, such as “carving the turkey,” “raking leaves,” or “eating pie.”
• Instructions: Write down different Thanksgiving-related activities or phrases on slips of paper and place them in a bowl. Have the kids take turns drawing a slip and acting out the phrase without speaking, while the others guess what it is. This game is sure to bring lots of laughter and energy to your Thanksgiving gathering.

25. Mini Pumpkin Hunt

• Materials: Small pumpkins or plastic pumpkin toys.
• Instructions: Hide mini pumpkins around your house or yard, and give the kids baskets or bags to collect them. This activity is similar to an Easter egg hunt, but with a Thanksgiving twist. To make it more challenging, you can paint the pumpkins different colors and assign each color to different age groups.

26. Apple Stamping

• Materials: Apples, paint, paper, plates.
• Instructions: Cut apples in half and dip the cut side into paint. Press the apple onto a piece of paper to create apple stamp prints. You can use different colors to make patterns or even create a Thanksgiving scene by adding other elements like leaves or pumpkins.

27. Thanksgiving Story Writing

• Materials: Paper, pencils, crayons.
• Instructions: Encourage older kids to write their own Thanksgiving stories. They can create stories about the first Thanksgiving, a turkey trying to avoid becoming dinner, or a family coming together for the holiday. After they’ve finished writing, let them illustrate their stories and share them with the family.

28. Turkey Ring Toss

• Materials: A large turkey-shaped target (made from cardboard or a stuffed toy), rings (can be made from paper plates with the centers cut out).
• Instructions: Set up a turkey-shaped target at a distance and give each child a set of rings. The goal is to toss the rings onto the turkey’s neck. This game can be played indoors or outdoors and is a fun challenge for kids of all ages.

29. Harvest Sensory Bin

• Materials: A large bin, dried corn kernels, leaves, mini pumpkins, acorns, scoops, and small containers.
• Instructions: Fill a large bin with dried corn kernels and other fall items like leaves, mini pumpkins, and acorns. Add scoops and small containers for the kids to explore and play with. This sensory bin is not only fun but also helps develop fine motor skills and encourages imaginative play.

30. Thanksgiving Parade Floats

• Materials: Shoeboxes, construction paper, markers, small toys, glue, and tape.
• Instructions: While watching the Thanksgiving parade on TV, let the kids create their own mini parade floats using shoeboxes and craft supplies. They can decorate the floats with Thanksgiving themes, like turkeys or pilgrims, and use small toys as the characters on the float. After the floats are finished, have your own mini parade at home.

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31. Nature Walk

• Materials: None (optional: bags for collecting items).
• Instructions: Take the kids on a nature walk to enjoy the crisp fall air. As you walk, collect natural items like colorful leaves, acorns, pinecones, and sticks. When you return home, you can use these items for crafts, such as making a nature collage or decorating a Thanksgiving table centerpiece.

32. Cranberry Counting

• Materials: Fresh cranberries, small bowls or cups.
• Instructions: Pour cranberries into small bowls or cups and use them for counting activities. You can ask younger kids to count out specific numbers of cranberries, sort them by size, or create patterns. This activity is simple but helps with number recognition and basic math skills.

33. Build a Marshmallow Tower

• Materials: Mini marshmallows, toothpicks.
• Instructions: Challenge the kids to build the tallest tower they can using only mini marshmallows and toothpicks. This activity is not only fun but also encourages creativity, problem-solving, and fine motor skills. You can turn it into a friendly competition to see who can build the most stable structure.

34. Gratitude Rocks

• Materials: Smooth rocks, paint, markers.
• Instructions: Have the kids collect smooth rocks from outside or use store-bought ones. Let them paint the rocks and write words of gratitude on them, such as “family,” “love,” or “happiness.” Once the rocks are dry, you can place them around your home as reminders of what you’re thankful for, or hide them in the neighborhood for others to find.

35. Create a Thankful Chain

• Materials: Construction paper, scissors, markers, glue or tape.
• Instructions: Cut construction paper into strips and have the kids write something they’re thankful for on each strip. Link the strips together to create a chain. You can hang the thankful chain as a decoration, and as it grows longer, it serves as a visual representation of all the blessings in your life.

36. Turkey Feather Relay

• Materials: Paper feathers, a basket, or bucket.
• Instructions: Set up a relay race where the kids must transport paper feathers from one side of the yard (or room) to a basket on the other side. To make it more challenging, you can have the kids carry the feathers on a spoon or balance them on their heads. This game is a fun way to burn off some energy and get everyone moving.

37. Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe

• Materials: Mini pumpkins, a large piece of cardboard or a wooden board, tape or paint.
• Instructions: Create a tic-tac-toe board on a large piece of cardboard or wood. Use mini pumpkins as the game pieces, with one set of pumpkins marked with an “X” and the other set with an “O.” The kids can play tic-tac-toe as usual, with the added fun of using pumpkins instead of traditional game pieces.

38. Homemade Butter

• Materials: Heavy cream, a small jar with a tight lid, salt (optional).
• Instructions: Teach the kids how to make butter by filling a small jar halfway with heavy cream. Seal the jar tightly and have the kids take turns shaking it. After a few minutes, the cream will turn into butter. You can add a pinch of salt for flavor. Spread the homemade butter on bread or crackers and enjoy a delicious snack that the kids made themselves.

39. Thanksgiving Movie Marathon

• Materials: Thanksgiving-themed movies, snacks, blankets, and pillows.
• Instructions: Set up a cozy movie-watching area with blankets, pillows, and snacks like popcorn or apple slices. Choose a selection of family-friendly Thanksgiving movies, such as “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” or “Free Birds.” Spend the afternoon or evening relaxing and enjoying the films together.

40. Turkey Balloon Rockets

• Materials: Balloons, string, tape, construction paper, straws.
• Instructions: Create turkey decorations using construction paper and attach them to balloons. Thread a piece of string through a straw and tape the straw to the balloon. Stretch the string across the room and let the kids blow up the balloons (without tying them). When they release the balloons, they’ll shoot across the string like a rocket, bringing the turkey decorations to life in a fun and exciting way.

41. Corn Husk Dolls

• Materials: Dried corn husks, string, scissors, markers.
• Instructions: Teach the kids how to make traditional corn husk dolls, a craft inspired by Native American culture. Soak the corn husks in water to make them pliable, then fold and tie them into the shape of a doll. The kids can use markers to draw faces and add other decorative touches like clothing made from fabric scraps.

42. Fruit Cornucopia Snacks

• Materials: Waffle cones, fresh fruit, yogurt.
• Instructions: Turn waffle cones into mini cornucopias by filling them with a variety of fresh fruit like grapes, berries, and apple slices. For an added treat, you can serve the fruit cornucopias with a side of yogurt for dipping. This healthy and festive snack is perfect for a mid-afternoon treat.

43. Thanksgiving Mad Libs

• Materials: Printable Thanksgiving-themed Mad Libs.
• Instructions: Print out Thanksgiving-themed Mad Libs, where the kids can fill in the blanks with nouns, verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech to create hilarious and nonsensical stories. This activity is great for older kids and can lead to lots of giggles as you read the completed stories aloud.

44. Decorate a Thanksgiving Tablecloth

• Materials: A plain white tablecloth, fabric markers, stencils (optional).
• Instructions: Spread out a plain white tablecloth and let the kids go to town decorating it with fabric markers. They can draw turkeys, leaves, and other Thanksgiving-themed designs. You can also use stencils to help guide their drawings. This tablecloth can be used year after year as a special Thanksgiving tradition.

45. Thanksgiving Pictionary

• Materials: Whiteboard or paper, markers, 100 list of Thanksgiving-themed words (Free Printable).
• Instructions: Play a game of Pictionary with Thanksgiving-themed words like “pumpkin pie,” “turkey,” or “cornucopia.” Divide the kids into teams and have one person from each team draw the word while their teammates try to guess what it is. This game is a fun way to get everyone involved and using their creative skills.

46. Create Thanksgiving Cards

• Materials: Construction paper, markers, stickers, glue, and any other decorative materials.
• Instructions: Set up a card-making station where the kids can create Thanksgiving cards to give to family members or friends. They can write messages of gratitude and decorate the cards with fall-themed designs. These handmade cards are a thoughtful way for the kids to express their thanks and spread holiday cheer.

47. Thanksgiving Word Search

• Materials: Printable Thanksgiving word search puzzles, pens or pencils.
• Instructions: Print out Thanksgiving-themed word search puzzles and set up a quiet space for the kids to work on them. Word searches are a great way to keep kids occupied while also helping them improve their spelling and vocabulary skills.

48. Pie in the Face Game

• Materials: Whipped cream, pie tins, plastic table cover (for easy cleanup).
• Instructions: Play a silly game of “Pie in the Face” where the kids (or adults!) get a face full of whipped cream if they lose a round of trivia or another challenge. This messy but hilarious activity is sure to bring lots of laughs and is a great way to keep the mood light and fun.

49. Build a Thanksgiving Fort

• Materials: Blankets, pillows, chairs, string lights (optional).
• Instructions: Let the kids build a cozy fort using blankets, pillows, and chairs. Once the fort is complete, they can play games, read books, or just relax inside. Adding string lights can make the fort even more magical. This is a perfect indoor activity, especially if the weather is chilly outside.

50. DIY Thanksgiving Ornaments

• Materials: Clear plastic ornaments, fall-colored paint, glitter, ribbon, leaves, or other small decorations.
• Instructions: Let the kids create their own Thanksgiving ornaments by filling clear plastic ornaments with fall-themed items like paint, glitter, or small leaves. They can also tie ribbons around the top for hanging. These ornaments can be used to decorate the house or even given as gifts to family members.

These 50 Thanksgiving activities for kids will help make your holiday celebration fun, memorable, and stress-free.

Whether you’re hosting a large family gathering or having a quiet day at home, these ideas will keep the little ones entertained and engaged in the spirit of Thanksgiving.