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This Thanksgiving dinner show your kids the power of gratitude with a few of these fun kid-oriented activities. Adding a few special touches to help children have fun, show creativity and express what they feel grateful for is a great way to add that memorable holiday touch to your festivities.

Thanksgiving Story Time Suggestions

Turkey Trouble, by Wendi Silvano and Illustrated by Lee Harper

This fun addition to your holiday collection will have children rolling with laughter as they follow along with this turkey who is in serious trouble. Turkey’s story goes about devising a plan to escape his fate to end up on the Thanksgiving dinner table. With colorful, humorous illustrations to go along with the clever story, this is a great book to keep kids entertained during the holiday!

Scarecrows, by Cynthia Ryant

Here is a story that helps readers understand the importance of acknowledging others in their lives and showing gratitude for all they do to help us. From the perspective of seemingly unimportant scarecrows who watch quietly over the crops, we see that everyone has a special role to play. Children will love the wonderful illustrations to go along with this captivating story that is sure to touch young and old hearts alike.  

Author Cynthia Rylant is a Newbery medalist and the author of many recognized books for young readers.  Illustrated by Lauren Stringer, also an award-winning author and illustrator, the combined efforts of these two artists create a masterpiece worth sharing.

Make Meal Time Extra Special With These Fun Activities

Fun, Decorative Table Cloth for the Kid’s Table

1-Instead of using a regular cloth to cover the table, create an artistic environment where the children can think about and express the things they appreciate in life. Take a roll of white or brown packaging paper, available at most shipping stores or even the dollar store. Line the table with the blank paper, taping down edges if needed.

3-Place tin cans or mason jars full of coloring supplies, markers, crayons, color pencils or whatever you have on hand in the center of the table.

4-Before children sit down to eat, allow them to decorate the tablecloth with colorful drawings of the things they feel grateful for today!

Showing Gratitude with a Thankful Tree Centerpiece

1- Have the children go outside and gather a handful of tree limbs, small enough to fit inside a vase or large mason jar. Remove any leaves or debris. Choose fun, festive colors like gold, silver, white or red and spray paint the tips of the limbs. Place them in the vase or mason jar and arrange them to look like a tree coming out of the jar.

2- On the kid’s table have a bowl of paper tags in the shape of leaves. Encourage the children to write or draw pictures on the tags of all the things they are grateful for. Hang the tags on the tree for decorations.

3- Before children eat Thanksgiving dinner, read aloud the items children wrote on their leaves.
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