It’s fall here in Texas. How do we know? Some of the leaves have turned from green to yellow, orange, or red and the weather tends to either resemble the steady movement toward colder temperatures or that of an early spring.
We’re used to that here in North Texas. Let’s face it, we’re thankful to have enough reason to put on a sweater from time to time.
One great advantage to this change, it lets us know Thanksgiving is upon us once again.
If you’re like me, Thanksgiving means tradition, family, and food . . . good food and lots of it.
Whether you have a large get-together or a small, quiet holiday planned, knowing you’ll have extra time together might make you wonder how to keep your kids entertained while enjoying the party yourself. Thanksgiving activities for kids will add to the festivities. You’ll want to keep those little hands and minds active during these festive times.
One way to mix all three together is to let the kiddo (or kiddos) take part in the preparation of the meal as well as preparing the house for guests. Not only can they learn something new that will stimulate their brains, but they also sense your nurturing hand helping them to complete each task. Their reward is something they can see, touch, and especially . . . taste (even for the pickiest of eaters).
This is great for building sensory memory.
Pre-Meal Preparation
There’s no one right way to “Thanksgiving”. Meals vary, and you may certainly have crowd favorites when it comes to dishes you prepare.
Cooking is a great opportunity to include little hands. Stirring, whisking, beating – these are all things that kids can do and love. If you’re adventurous, maybe pass off the business of cracking eggs to your school-aged child or preschooler. Always make sure they know the importance of washing their hands before and after helping with food preparation tasks. Little hands carry lots of germs and we don’t want to make grandma regret that she came to the celebration by getting her sick.
A great task for the littles is helping to arrange pre-meal snacks in a creative and colorful pattern. Possibly give that veggie tray a new makeover with the help of tiny fingers. Or have the kiddos arrange the charcuterie items in a fun turkey shape.
Remember, you might have a ready taste-tester when it comes to licking spoons of frosting while preparing desserts. Using sweets as bribes to get kids to eat their vegetables may or may not be pediatrician approved.
Table-Top Tasks
Setting a festive table is a great way to bring more tradition to your feast. Decorations can certainly add to the fun and excitement of the event.
Here’s where kids can get really creative. Paper pilgrims, turkeys, and leaves – these are just a few ideas to decorate the table and set the holiday ambiance prior to dinner.
Maybe they can help you create a cornucopia display or try out that latest Pinterest decorating idea. Here’s where their normal arts and crafts time can go to another level.
Think about tasking the kiddos with creating a Thanksgiving display and see what they envision and create. Give some guidance or just let them run with it.
It will keep their minds and hands working. You may want to make certain they have enough time to complete the task.
Post-Meal Pick Up
Here’s a great chance to reinforce serving each other after all the food is served. Family helping each other makes for good memories, and kids can definitely get involved.
Kids can help to gather dishes, napkins, and tablecloths, scrape their plates or even wipe down the table or counters. You can always let them know their help will get your tribe on to eating dessert that much faster.
Sweets for kids, in moderation, are always a good motivator.
This is not an exhaustive list of Thanksgiving activities for kids. Pinterest can certainly help you with that. As a pediatrician, I always like to think about purposeful activities for my kiddo. It keeps her engaged in the festivities while adding an element of fun to make the learning a lasting experience.
The Thanksgiving holiday is a great way to show gratitude. Especially this year, we all have a lot to be thankful for. Holiday family events provide a great way to help your kids feel part of the celebration. From meal prep to decorations to clean up, involving your kids is a great way to provide lasting memories of family traditions.
They will remember your gratitude for their help.
What a memory that will make.
