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Top Ten Ways to Keep the Kids Happy on Turkey Day

By Dana Verhoff, PM Snoqualmie Valley & Issaquah, WA November 17, 2011
When I recall Thanksgivings from my childhood, I can’t help but think of sitting down for a delicious meal … at a wobbly card table with cold metal folding chairs.  Let’s just say, my cousins and I were not treated to the best seats in the house. It seemed we were more of an afterthought. While we always managed to have a very good time - telling jokes and remembering stories of holidays past, it seems to me
that a more kid-friendly approach is worth a try. This year incorporate a few of these entertainment options for the kiddie table into your celebration.

  • Use butcher paper as a table cloth, which creates an instant canvas for …artwork, word games, tic-tac-toe, and more.  This Colorful Turkey Caddy doubles as a centerpiece and marker storage.
  • You may also want to outline rectangle-shaped placemats right on the paper to give kids a designated place to draw.  Or print out this Activity Placemat for Thanksgiving.
  • Add a bit of history by making homemade paper pilgrim bonnets and pilgrim hats. Find the how-to tutorials for the pilgrim bonnets at Skip to My Lou and for the pilgrim hats at Family Fun.
  • Have the kids write down what they're thankful for this year on stamped tags, then tie to the branches of fall foliage. Or try this Thanksgiving Tree Craft.
  • Get nostalgic and get a few giggles … set out a box of old family photos – the older the better – and have the kids try to identify aunts, uncles and grandparents!
  • Scatter pretty fall leaves across the table for decoration, then let the kids make leaf colorings by putting paper on top and rubbing a crayon over it.
  • Make a simple snack mix of candy corn, sunflower seeds, pretzels, bugles, and dried fruit. Kids can sort the mix on their plates, make patterns, and of course, snack!
  • Color pasta and have kids make {Macaroni Kid-inspired} Noodle Necklaces. Directions found here.