11 Homeschool Ideas for a Thanksgiving Filled with Connection
11 Thanksgiving Activities: Engage Kids and Create Lasting Memories
Thanksgiving is a time to gather, reflect, and celebrate. But with so much going on, keeping kids active and engaged—especially off their screens—can feel like a challenge. Whether hosting a gathering or traveling, these hands-on activities & ideas can help involve kids of all ages. Foster deeper connections and even make some new traditions this Thanksgiving.
Download Activity List - Short Version
🖌️ 1. Create a Thankful Table Runner 🎨
Turn your table into a centerpiece of gratitude! Roll out brown parchment paper as a table runner and provide pens, markers, or crayons. Encourage kids to decorate it with drawings, write what they’re thankful for, or pose fun prompts like:
- What’s the funniest thing that happened this year?
- What do you like about Thanksgiving?
- What is your favorite dessert?
- If you could invite anyone (Alive or No longer with us) to Thanksgiving - who would it be?
This interactive runner keeps kids entertained before and during the meal and creates a meaningful keepsake.
Parent-POV: The Thankful Table Runner was a lifesaver! My kids stayed busy decorating it and it sparked such sweet conversations during dinner. – Amanda, mom of three
🦃 2. DIY Thanksgiving Place Cards & Thank You Cards
Let kids take charge of making creative place cards for each guest. Also older kids could write thank you cards and have the young ones draw pictures and sign them for the guests who travel.
You’ll need:
Construction paper, markers, and stickers to create designs like turkeys, fall leaves, or pilgrim hats.
Or order a simple blank card set from Amazon or Craft or Dollar Stores.
For an educational twist: Ask them to include a fun fact about Thanksgiving history or something they appreciate about each guest. Kids can also be silly and answers what year "they think" Thanksgiving was created or why we celebrate.
🥧 3. Junior Chefs in the Kitchen 👨🍳
Get kids involved in meal prep by assigning them simple tasks:
- Mixing ingredients for pumpkin pie.
- Washing vegetables.
- Rolling out dough for biscuits.
- Be a Barista! Create a coffee/tea/cider or cocoa bar.
Not only does this teach practical life skills, but it also creates shared moments in the kitchen.
Parent-tested idea: See if older children want to set up a ‘Coffee/Tea Station’ to be included and helpful, AND they may love pretending to be a Barista for the day!
📜 4. Storytime and Thanksgiving History Lesson 🎥
Set aside time for storytelling about the origins of Thanksgiving. Kids can:
- Read books like “Squanto’s Journey” or “Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving.”
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Create a skit reenacting the first Thanksgiving with homemade costumes.
For younger children, simplify the narrative while focusing on themes of gratitude, cooperation, and diversity.
🌳 5. Craft a Gratitude Tree/Whiteboard or Poster board.
Help kids design a “Thankful Tree” using a bare branch as the centerpiece. Provide paper cutouts of leaves for family members to write what they’re thankful for and hang them on the tree, a whiteboard, or a poster board.
“Building a Gratitude Tree became a tradition for us. Now we save the leaves from each year and read them together to remember what we’ve been thankful for over time.” – Laura, family of five
🗺️ 6. Design a Thanksgiving Travel Kit
If you’re traveling, keep kids engaged with a DIY travel kit:
- Include printouts of Thanksgiving-themed scavenger hunts or coloring pages.
- Add Mad Libs for a dose of humor and creativity.
- Include a small notebook for kids to jot down “thankful moments” they notice during the trip.
- Play would you rather…….these are always funny!
🏆 7. Host a Thanksgiving Quiz Bowl
Create a family-friendly trivia game with questions about Thanksgiving history, traditions, and fun facts. Divide into teams and let kids write some of the questions to involve them in the preparation.
Rewards Idea: Include silly questions like, “How many pounds of mashed potatoes do you think we make? Whoever guesses gets to choose movie for family movie night.
🌽 8. Play “Harvest Relay” Games or Other Board game Ideas!
If you have outdoor space, organize a relay race where kids carry small pumpkins, ears of corn, or a basket of “harvest” items.
- Add obstacles like weaving through cones or balancing items on a spoon.
- The age-old Thanksgiving football family game, soccer, or even baseball - if the weather allows.
- Even indoor picnics with fruits and vegies or building a blanket fort with story time.
- If the weather is not cooperating can have a game night like charades, trivia, or other favorite family board games.
- Teens can host a trivia game or other favorite board games, scrabble, charades, and Pictionary.
EDU Tip: Tie it to history by discussing how early settlers harvested crops to prepare for winter.
📸 9. Funny Family Story Corner
Create a space where everyone can share their funniest family stories. Give kids a prompt like:
- "What’s the most hilarious Thanksgiving mishap you remember?"
-
"What’s the funniest thing Grandma says every year?"
This activity is, not only screen-free but also a great way to celebrate family traditions and humor.
🖍️ 10. Decorate a “Friendsgiving” Banner
For Friendsgiving or casual celebrations, let kids design a banner with the words “Happy Thanksgiving” or “Welcome Friends!” Use craft supplies like stamps, glitter, and ribbons.
Educational Idea: Teach them a simple phrase in a different language (e.g., “Gracias” or “Merci”) to include cultural learning about gratitude. Interested in how other countries celebrate this time of year? Country Living’s Article.
📷 11. Create a Thankful Photo or Video Booth
Set up a photo station with fall-themed props like turkey hats, pilgrim collars, or speech bubbles saying, “I’m thankful for…” Encourage kids to take pictures of everyone and create a mini scrapbook to look back on.
Bonus: Talk about the importance of documenting family moments and how photos preserve history and traditions.
- Teens can be the videographer and host the storytelling time for anyone who wants to tell some stories of past Thanksgiving/holiday memories.
- Kids get to create funny props and snap pictures of everyone, even pets, and use their phone skills & talents to create memories/ stories, videos, and photo albums.
Parent-Idea for the ones that can’t be w/o their phones: Engage older kids to set up a Thankful Photo Booth and create a memories album on phones. Text the stories and albums to family members to look through later!
Why Do We Celebrate Thanksgiving? A Teaching Moment
Thanksgiving is more than just turkey and pie. Families can use this week to teach kids about its historical and cultural significance:
- The First Thanksgiving: Discuss how Native Americans and Pilgrims shared a harvest meal in 1621, emphasizing themes of cooperation and gratitude.
- Evolving Traditions: Explore how the holiday has grown to include parades, football, and community service.
- Gratitude Across Cultures: Share how other cultures celebrate gratitude, like harvest festivals in India or Japan.
Encourage kids to ask questions and reflect on what Thanksgiving means to them.
Riddle Me THIS Anyone?? No Google allowed!
Wrap up your Thanksgiving conversations during clean-up with family-friendly riddles. Riddles are fun for kids and grown-ups alike—perfect for sparking laughter and curiosity during Thanksgiving!
I’m something everyone has, but no one can lose. I can be shared; the more I am, the happier people feel. What am I?
(Answer: Gratitude!)
I’m something you eat, but I always leave crumbs. I can be sweet or savory, and everyone loves me at Thanksgiving. What am I?
(Answer: Pie!)
I’m full of stuffing but not the kind you eat. I fly high on Thanksgiving morning but never leave the ground. What am I?
(Answer: A parade balloon!)
Prize: Whoever solves first gets a free pass from doing the dishes.
Celebrating Togetherness and Gratitude
We hope you found some ideas that help keep families engaged, reduce screen time, and make meaningful family traditions. Whether crafting, cooking, or competing, may your moments together create memories, lasting far beyond the holiday.
Want to Gamify any Activity?
Turn the entire list into a Thanksgiving challenge, where families aim to complete as many activities as possible over the holiday.
Our family celebrated and drove the distance to visit family out of town. I thank my Aunties and cousins for making our Thanksgiving time full of memories, stories, and charades! - Shea Park
Get the short version here!
