25 Fun Thanksgiving Activities for Kids That Make Family Time Special
Thanksgiving activities for kids are a great way to make the holiday feel like more than just a big meal. Whether you’re looking for something to keep kids busy while dinner is being prepared, a simple family game, a creative project, or a new tradition to start together, these ideas give children something fun to do and remember.
The best part is that you don’t need expensive supplies or complicated preparation. Most of these Thanksgiving activities use things you already have at home, and many can be adapted for different ages.
From Thanksgiving scavenger hunts and mystery games to gratitude activities, crafts, and kid-friendly food projects, here are 25 fun Thanksgiving activities for kids that families can actually enjoy together.
1. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
Turn Thanksgiving Day into a little adventure with a scavenger hunt around the house or backyard.
What You’ll Need
- Paper and pen
- Small prizes or treats (optional)
- Thanksgiving-themed objects or clues
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
Create a list of things the kids need to find. You can use simple clues such as:
- Find something orange.
- Find a leaf.
- Find something that reminds you of fall.
- Find something that starts with the letter T.
- Find something that makes you thankful.
- Find a pumpkin.
- Find something soft and brown.
For older children, hide clues around the house that lead from one location to the next.
Make It Your Own
Divide children into teams or give each child their own list. For younger kids, use pictures instead of written clues.
Helpful tip: Don’t make the hunt too competitive. The goal is to get kids moving and exploring while giving the family something fun to do together.
2. Thanksgiving Mystery Box
This is a simple guessing game that can keep kids curious for surprisingly long.
What You’ll Need
- A cardboard box or paper bag
- A towel or cloth
- 8–10 familiar objects
Time
15–20 minutes
How to Do It
Place one object inside the box without letting the children see it.
Have them reach inside and feel the object without looking. They can describe what they feel and guess what it is.
Try objects such as:
- A small pumpkin
- Pinecone
- Spoon
- Apple
- Measuring cup
- Leaf
- Wooden spoon
- Napkin
- Toy turkey
Make It Your Own
For older kids, turn it into a Thanksgiving guessing competition. Give everyone one point for a correct answer.
3. Make a Thanksgiving Gratitude Tree
Create a simple family decoration that can become part of your Thanksgiving tradition.
What You’ll Need
- A few small branches
- A jar or vase
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Markers
- Tape or string
Time
30–45 minutes
How to Do It
- Place several small branches in a jar or vase.
- Cut leaf shapes from red, orange, yellow, and brown paper.
- Give everyone several paper leaves.
- Ask each person to write something they are thankful for on each leaf.
- Hang the leaves from the branches.
- Read some of them aloud as a family.
Make It Your Own
Add new leaves every Thanksgiving. Over the years, your family can build a collection of memories and things you’re grateful for.
4. Thanksgiving Charades
Put a Thanksgiving spin on a classic family game.
What You’ll Need
- Small pieces of paper
- A bowl
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
Write Thanksgiving-related actions on pieces of paper.
Try:
- Eating pumpkin pie
- Cooking turkey
- Picking apples
- Decorating the table
- Watching a parade
- Baking cookies
- Raking leaves
- Building a scarecrow
- Eating mashed potatoes
Fold the papers and put them in a bowl.
One player chooses a card and acts it out without speaking while everyone else tries to guess.
Helpful Tip
Let younger children act with a parent or older sibling if they aren’t comfortable performing alone.
5. Let the Kids Make Thanksgiving Snack Boards
Thanksgiving food can become an activity instead of something kids simply wait to eat.
What You’ll Need
- A large plate or board
- Fruit
- Crackers
- Cheese
- Pretzels
- Grapes or berries
- Other kid-friendly foods
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
Give children a selection of prepared ingredients and let them arrange their own Thanksgiving-inspired snack board.
They can make:
- A turkey shape
- A pumpkin
- A fall leaf
- A colorful pattern
- Their own creative design
Make It Your Own
Let everyone create a mini snack board and have a family “design reveal” before eating.
Safety note: An adult should handle knives and supervise young children around foods that may be choking hazards.
6. Thanksgiving Turkey Says
Give “Simon Says” a Thanksgiving makeover.
Time
10–15 minutes
How to Play
One person becomes the “Thanksgiving Turkey.”
They give commands such as:
- “Turkey says flap your wings!”
- “Turkey says walk like a turkey!”
- “Turkey says freeze!”
- “Turkey says gobble three times!”
Players should only follow commands that begin with “Turkey says.”
If the leader gives a command without saying “Turkey says,” players shouldn’t move.
Make It Your Own
Let children take turns being the Thanksgiving Turkey.
7. Create Thanksgiving Conversation Cards
Give the family something interesting to talk about around the table.
What You’ll Need
- Cardstock or paper
- Markers
- Scissors
Time
20 minutes to make
How to Do It
Cut paper into small cards and write questions such as:
- What made you smile this year?
- What’s something you’re proud of?
- What’s your favorite family memory?
- If you could start a new family tradition, what would it be?
- What’s one thing you’re thankful for today?
- What was the funniest thing that happened this year?
- What’s something you’d like to learn?
Place the cards in a bowl and let each person choose one.
Helpful Tip
Don’t force children to answer every question. Keep it relaxed and conversational.
8. Make a Thanksgiving Gratitude Jar
A gratitude jar is easy to make and can continue beyond Thanksgiving.
What You’ll Need
- A clean jar
- Small pieces of paper
- Pens or markers
- Ribbon or stickers (optional)
Time
15–20 minutes
How to Do It
Decorate the jar together.
Throughout Thanksgiving Day, everyone writes down things they’re thankful for and places them inside.
At dinner, choose a few notes to read aloud.
Make It Your Own
Keep the jar somewhere visible and continue adding notes throughout the year.
9. Thanksgiving Leaf People
Turn colorful fall leaves into funny little characters.
What You’ll Need
- Clean, dry leaves
- Paper
- Glue
- Markers
- Googly eyes (optional)
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
- Collect several interesting leaves.
- Arrange them on paper to create people, animals, or funny characters.
- Add paper eyes, arms, hats, or other details.
- Glue the pieces down.
- Give each character a name and a story.
Make It Your Own
Have everyone create a character and then make up a short Thanksgiving story using all of them.
10. Thanksgiving Family Trivia
Test everyone’s Thanksgiving knowledge with a simple family quiz.
What You’ll Need
- Paper
- Pen
- Optional small prizes
Time
15–20 minutes
How to Play
Prepare questions appropriate for your family.
You could ask:
- What color is a typical pumpkin?
- Name three foods commonly served at Thanksgiving.
- What season is Thanksgiving celebrated in?
- Name something people often decorate with during fall.
- What is your family’s favorite Thanksgiving dessert?
Mix easy questions with funny family-specific ones.
Make It Your Own
Include questions about your own family, such as:
“Who always asks for seconds?”
That usually gets more laughs than a serious quiz.
11. Make a Thanksgiving Placemat
Let kids create something that can actually be used during the family meal.
What You’ll Need
- Cardstock or construction paper
- Crayons or markers
- Stickers
- Leaves
- Glue
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
Give each child a piece of cardstock.
They can decorate it with:
- Turkeys
- Pumpkins
- Leaves
- Their name
- Things they’re thankful for
- A Thanksgiving message
Cover the finished placemat with clear contact paper if you want to reuse it.
12. Thanksgiving Photo Challenge
Turn the day into a family photography game.
Time
30–60 minutes
How to Play
Give kids a list of photos to capture with a parent’s phone.
Ideas:
- Something orange
- The biggest pumpkin
- A funny family face
- Your Thanksgiving table
- Something you’re thankful for
- Your favorite dessert
- A beautiful fall decoration
- Everyone making a silly face
Helpful Tip
For younger children, let them choose what to photograph while an adult handles the phone.
13. Build a Thanksgiving Table Centerpiece
Give children a job to help prepare the family table.
What You’ll Need
- Small pumpkins
- Leaves
- Pinecones
- Fall-colored paper
- A basket or tray
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
Give kids a safe collection of decorations and let them arrange them into a centerpiece.
Encourage them to experiment with height, shapes, and colors.
Make It Your Own
Add small handwritten gratitude cards around the centerpiece.
Safety note: Keep candles, hot dishes, and other heat sources away from children. Use battery-powered lights if you want a glow.
14. Thanksgiving Obstacle Course
Burn off some energy before or after the big meal.
What You’ll Need
Household objects such as:
- Pillows
- Chairs
- Blankets
- Cones or cups
- Soft balls
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
Create a simple course with challenges such as:
- Walk around the “pumpkin patch.”
- Crawl under a blanket tunnel.
- Hop between pillows.
- Carry a soft “turkey” to the finish line.
- Freeze when someone shouts “Turkey!”
Helpful Tip
Use soft objects and keep the course away from stairs, sharp furniture, and hot cooking areas.
15. Make a Family Thankful Banner
Create a decoration that everyone contributes to.
What You’ll Need
- Paper
- String
- Markers
- Hole punch
- Tape
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
Cut paper into triangles, rectangles, or leaf shapes.
Each person writes something they’re thankful for on one piece.
Attach the pieces to string and hang the finished banner somewhere the whole family can see it.
16. Decorate Thanksgiving Cookies Together
Turn dessert preparation into a family activity.
What You’ll Need
- Plain cookies
- Icing
- Sprinkles
- Edible decorations
Time
30–45 minutes
How to Do It
Give each child a cookie and let them decorate it.
Try Thanksgiving designs such as:
- Turkeys
- Pumpkins
- Leaves
- Acorns
- Fall colors
Make It Your Own
Create a “silliest turkey” or “most creative cookie” challenge.
Safety note: An adult should handle the oven and hot baking trays. Check ingredients for allergies before serving.
17. Thanksgiving Story Circle
Create a silly family story one sentence at a time.
Time
15–20 minutes
How to Play
One person starts with:
“On Thanksgiving morning, a very unusual turkey knocked on our door…”
The next person adds another sentence.
Continue around the family until you’ve created a complete story.
Make It Your Own
Let children choose three random objects that must appear in the story.
For example:
a pumpkin + a bicycle + a giant spoon.
The stranger the combination, the better.
18. Make a Thanksgiving Memory Box
Create a small collection of memories from the day.
What You’ll Need
- A shoebox or small box
- Paper
- Pens
- Photos or small keepsakes
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
Decorate the outside of the box together.
During Thanksgiving, add:
- A family photo
- Children’s drawings
- Gratitude notes
- A favorite recipe card
- A small decoration
- A note about the funniest moment of the day
Make It Your Own
Make one box every year and open the old ones together on future Thanksgivings.
19. Thanksgiving “Would You Rather?”
This requires almost no preparation and works especially well around the dinner table.
Time
10–20 minutes
How to Play
Take turns asking silly Thanksgiving questions.
For example:
- Would you rather eat only mashed potatoes or only pumpkin pie?
- Would you rather have turkey wings or turkey feet?
- Would you rather cook Thanksgiving dinner or wash all the dishes?
- Would you rather have a pumpkin as big as a car or a turkey as big as a horse?
- Would you rather live inside a pumpkin or a giant pie?
Make It Your Own
Let children invent their own questions.
20. Create a Thanksgiving Family Recipe Card
Turn a favorite family recipe into a keepsake.
What You’ll Need
- Cardstock
- Markers
- A family recipe
- Optional decorations
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
Write down a favorite Thanksgiving recipe together.
Kids can decorate the card with drawings of pumpkins, leaves, turkeys, or other fall designs.
Add the date and the names of everyone who helped make it.
Make It Your Own
Make a new card every year and create a small family recipe collection.
21. Turkey Balloon Challenge
A few balloons can turn into a surprisingly fun Thanksgiving game.
What You’ll Need
- Balloons
- Marker
- Optional paper feathers
Time
15–20 minutes
How to Play
Draw a turkey face on a balloon.
The goal is to keep the “turkey” from touching the ground.
Players can only use their hands, elbows, heads, or another agreed-upon body part.
Make It Your Own
Create two teams and see which team can keep their turkey in the air the longest.
Safety note: Keep popped balloon pieces away from young children.
22. Create a Thanksgiving Family Time Capsule
Ask everyone to record a few memories from this year’s Thanksgiving.
What You’ll Need
- Paper
- Pens
- An envelope or box
Time
20–30 minutes
How to Do It
Ask each family member to answer:
- My favorite part of today was…
- Something funny that happened was…
- My favorite food was…
- Something I’m thankful for is…
- Next Thanksgiving I hope…
Put all the answers into an envelope or box.
Make It Your Own
Open the previous year’s time capsule before writing the new one.
23. Thanksgiving “Find Someone Who…”
This is a great activity when several family members or children are together.
What You’ll Need
- Paper
- Pencil
Time
15–20 minutes
How to Play
Create a list such as:
Find someone who…
- Has baked something this week.
- Loves pumpkin pie.
- Has a pet.
- Likes mashed potatoes.
- Has traveled this year.
- Is wearing something orange.
- Has a favorite fall activity.
- Is thankful for a family member.
Kids walk around asking questions until they find someone who matches each description.
Make It Your Own
Add family-specific questions that will encourage conversations between relatives who don’t see each other often.
24. Make a Thanksgiving Thankful Dinner Plate
Turn an ordinary paper plate into a gratitude activity.
What You’ll Need
- Paper plates
- Markers or crayons
- Stickers
- Optional fall decorations
Time
15–20 minutes
How to Do It
Give each child a plate and divide it into sections.
They can write or draw:
- Someone they’re thankful for
- Something they love
- A favorite memory
- Something they’re proud of
- Something they’re looking forward to
Make It Your Own
Display everyone’s finished plates during Thanksgiving dinner.
25. Start a New Thanksgiving Family Tradition
Sometimes the best Thanksgiving activity isn’t a craft or game. It’s something your family decides to do every year.
Time
30 minutes or longer
How to Do It
Sit together and ask:
“What is one thing we could do every Thanksgiving from now on?”
Ideas include:
- A family walk
- Taking the same family photo every year
- Making a special dessert together
- Writing gratitude notes
- Playing the same family game
- Watching a favorite movie
- Making a Thanksgiving time capsule
- Volunteering together
- Sharing one favorite memory from the year
Choose one tradition and give it a name.
Make It Your Own
Write down your new tradition and the year you started it. The goal isn’t to create something elaborate. It’s to create something your children will remember.
How to Make Thanksgiving More Fun for Kids
Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be packed with activities from morning until night. In fact, trying to organize too many things can make the day more stressful for everyone.
Instead, choose two or three activities that fit your family’s schedule.
For example:
Before dinner
Try a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt or obstacle course to give kids something active to do.
While dinner is being prepared
Set up a gratitude tree, Thanksgiving snack board, or leaf people activity.
Around the dinner table
Use conversation cards, Would You Rather, or family trivia.
After dinner
Try a family walk, story circle, photo challenge, or time capsule.
The best Thanksgiving activities are the ones that give children a chance to participate rather than simply keeping them occupied.
Easy Thanksgiving Supplies to Keep on Hand
If you want to be prepared for several of these activities, gather a small Thanksgiving activity box with:
- Construction paper
- Cardstock
- Markers
- Crayons
- Child-safe scissors
- Glue
- Tape
- String
- Googly eyes
- Paper plates
- Balloons
- Colored pencils
- Fall leaves
- Small pumpkins
- Pinecones
- Jars
- Cardboard boxes
You don’t need everything on this list. Many activities can be adapted using whatever you already have at home.
How to Choose the Right Thanksgiving Activity
The best activity depends on your child’s age, energy level, and how much preparation you want to do.
For younger kids
Choose simple activities such as:
- Leaf people
- Thanksgiving placemats
- Thankful plates
- Balloon games
- Simple scavenger hunts
For school-age kids
Try:
- Mystery boxes
- Thanksgiving trivia
- Charades
- Scavenger hunts
- Obstacle courses
- Food activities
For the whole family
Choose:
- Conversation cards
- Family traditions
- Memory boxes
- Story circles
- Time capsules
- Thanksgiving trivia
And remember: an activity doesn’t have to be complicated to become a favorite family tradition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some fun Thanksgiving activities for kids?
Some fun Thanksgiving activities for kids include scavenger hunts, mystery games, gratitude trees, charades, family trivia, Thanksgiving crafts, food activities, obstacle courses, and family storytelling. Choose activities that let children participate rather than simply watch.
What can kids do on Thanksgiving while adults are cooking?
Kids can make Thanksgiving placemats, create gratitude cards, play a scavenger hunt, decorate cookies, build a snack board, make leaf characters, or participate in a Thanksgiving mystery game while adults prepare the meal.
What Thanksgiving activities can the whole family do together?
Families can enjoy Thanksgiving charades, trivia, conversation cards, scavenger hunts, story circles, family walks, gratitude activities, and creating a new Thanksgiving tradition together.
How can I keep kids entertained on Thanksgiving without screens?
Set up a few simple screen-free activities before Thanksgiving Day begins. Scavenger hunts, crafts, family games, cooking projects, gratitude activities, and outdoor challenges can keep kids involved without relying on phones, tablets, or television.
What food can kids help make on Thanksgiving?
Depending on their age, children can help assemble snack boards, decorate cookies, arrange fruit, mix simple ingredients, decorate desserts, or prepare other age-appropriate foods with an adult. Young children should always be supervised around knives, hot surfaces, and potential choking hazards.
How do I make Thanksgiving more meaningful for children?
Give children an active role in the celebration. Let them help prepare food, decorate the table, create family traditions, share what they’re thankful for, and participate in games and conversations with relatives.
Final Thoughts
Thanksgiving is about food, but it doesn’t have to be only about food.
For children, some of the best memories may come from making a silly turkey game, decorating a cookie with a parent, finding clues around the house, laughing during family trivia, or writing down something they’re thankful for.
You don’t need to plan a perfect Thanksgiving or fill every hour with activities. Pick a few ideas that fit your family and let the rest of the day unfold naturally.
And if you’re looking for more ways to keep kids busy without screens, explore our [20 Screen-Free Activities for Kids to Do at Home] for more simple ideas the whole family can enjoy.
For more seasonal Halloween fun, check out our [30 Halloween Activities for Kids That Make October More Fun] and [25 Easy Halloween Crafts for Kids That Are Actually Fun to Make].
Most importantly, enjoy the little moments. Years from now, your children may not remember every dish that was on the table—but they may remember the Thanksgiving game everyone played, the cookies they decorated, or the family tradition you started together.
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