Thanksgiving is just around the corner. As always, there’s a lot to do. Consider your guest list, grocery list, decorations, and more. Instead of exhausting yourself, why not let your kids help?
Children will be happy to help you prepare for your big day and learn something along the way. Read books about Thanksgiving, learn about the origins of the holiday, and get your mind back on track. You can develop organizational skills by helping your child create a shopping list. Letting them help in the kitchen helps them learn math skills, hygiene rules, and develops fine motor skills.
There are many ways people of all ages can get involved and help. Here are some ideas to get you started.
What children can do to help:
1. Decorate the table
You’ll probably want the kids to sit at their own table. Purchase paper tablecloths for Thanksgiving activities for kids at Walmart and let the kids color them. Placing another plastic tablecloth under the table to catch any spills or drips will make things a lot easier. When you’re done, roll it up and throw it in the trash.
2. Make table decorations
There are lots of ideas online for Thanksgiving table decorations. Have your kids create decorations for each place setting.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Mkovalevskaya
3. Make the centerpiece
If your table is relatively small, look for craft centerpieces and make two, one for the children’s table and one for the main table. Children love crafting and decorating.
4. Roll
If you have crescent rolls for dinner, spread out the triangles on a baking sheet and have the kids roll them. If you’re making traditional rolls, you can also have someone help you put the dough into the mold. Make it even more fun by competing to see who can roll it the fastest.
5. Make dessert
Let your kids choose a no-bake dessert for the holidays and help them make it together. This way, kids can learn something and have fun, but don’t have to worry about spilling something hot or burning their fingers.
6. Make a gratitude list
Ask children (young and old) to write a list of things they are grateful for and share it at the dinner table. It’s easy for all of us to get caught up in what we don’t have and not be able to stop and think about and appreciate what we do have.
7. Break the wishbone
Once you take out the wishbone, have your child break it together and make a wish come true.
8. Helping in the kitchen
Have them mash potatoes, tear lettuce for a salad, or wash vegetables in a colander.
9. Decorate according to nature
Have your child collect items from nature to decorate and decorate the table.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/StefaNikolic
10. Take a photo of the Mayflower
Find a large photo of the Mayflower online, print it, and head to your local Hobby Lobby’s Thanksgiving section. You’ll find packs of foam stickers depicting pilgrims, Indians, and more. Have the children color the Mayflower picture and add stickers. Then hang it somewhere in your house.
11. Explore flavor profiles
Mix and match your menu. Instead of regular mashed potatoes, make ranch mashed potatoes or cheese mashed potatoes. Make sweet potato toffee pie instead of pumpkin pie, or use gingersnap dough instead of traditional dough to make pumpkin pie. Instead of regular green bean casserole, make cheesy mushroom green bean casserole. Explore and enjoy variations on your favorite Thanksgiving dishes. Let your kids choose these dishes and have fun.
12. Food Scavenger Hunt
Take out all the ingredients needed for each recipe and remove the perishables. Then give the recipes to the children and ask them to gather the exact ingredients needed to make each dish.
13. Shop for groceries together
Bring the kids along when shopping for Thanksgiving meals. If you want to feel even more special, head to the farmers market to pick up fresh produce for your meals. You’re sure to make some great purchases while supporting your local farming community.
14. Read a book
A few weeks in advance, read a book about the first Thanksgiving with your children and teach them what this holiday is about. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of food, soccer, and shopping surrounding this holiday and forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
15. After-dinner entertainment
Have your children tell the Thanksgiving story, read it from a book, read it in their own words, or act it out after dinner.
16. Make order kids responsible
Ask someone to help you look at the clock so you know when to check for birds. You can also help prepare side dishes and supervise the work of younger children on holidays.
Older children can also help younger children craft holiday decorations.
17. Let the kids choose the atmosphere
Three months to a few weeks before the holiday, have the kids decide on the decorations they want to make, food recipes, and ideas for music and color schemes to create a relaxing and fun meal.
18. Set the table
Have the children set the table before dinner.
19. Create a guest list
Sit down with your older children and ask them to help you make the guest list.
20. Make a grocery list
Sit down with your kids and ask them to help you make a shopping list.
21. Create Thanksgiving Invitations
Gather construction paper, markers, glitter, glue, and crayons and have the kids make Thanksgiving dinner invitations and mail them a few weeks in advance.
22.Sous Chef
Let your older child be the sous chef by peeling potatoes, chopping vegetables, and gathering ingredients from the pantry.
23. Cleanup
After dinner, ask older children to help clear the table. They can also help you fill up containers with leftovers and wash pots and pans.
24. Serve others
Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving with your family, volunteer at a soup kitchen and feed the less fortunate.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/BiserkaStojanovic
25. Volunteer at a food pantry
This is another great way to volunteer to help others and instill in your children a sense of gratitude for all that they have.
Volunteering at a soup kitchen or food pantry will open children’s eyes, help them realize how blessed they are, and instill a spirit of love, compassion, and empathy.
26. Donate items
Have children research their clothes, toys, books, movies, etc. and donate them to local charities, such as homeless shelters or children’s group homes. These organizations will appreciate your donation, and your children will feel good knowing they are helping others. Residents will be excited and grateful for the new items.
27. Invite guests personally
Have the children call each guest and ask them to come over for dinner.
28. Take your leftovers to your neighborhood.
If you have elderly neighbors or people living alone, bring the kids with you and bring a few plates of leftovers and dessert.
When I was a teenager and my aunt was alive, she always sent leftover plates to one of my co-workers at my first job. Since Patti lived alone and didn’t have any family nearby, we always brought her a plate of Thanksgiving food and some desserts we had on hand. She was always grateful for a home-cooked meal and that someone remembered her.
29. Write a Thanksgiving Blessing
Instead of the traditional blessings before a meal, have the children write their own version of grace to thank the Lord for all they have. If you have a mix of younger and older children, make it a group project where everyone adds a line to the prayer.
If you are an only child (depending on age), sit down and help write a prayer.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Santi Vedri
30. Assign “non-holiday” chores
When the holidays get busy, it’s easy to forget the ordinary things of everyday life. Encourage older children to feed and walk the animals, do their own laundry, and load and unload the dishwasher. Make sure each person has an “assigned” task during Thanksgiving week so things don’t get out of hand.
There are many ways your child can participate in Thanksgiving. Sit down with your child and decide how they want to participate. Maybe your 9-year-old wants to help in the kitchen, or your 5-year-old might want to make invitations. If possible, try to line up their contributions and talents. They will be happy to participate and make it the best Thanksgiving ever.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Filadendron
Carrie Laurence is a freelance writer and author. Her work has been featured in Crosswalk, iBelieve, Huffington Post, and The Penny Hoarder. She is also the author of three children’s books, three pretty romance books, one romance novel, three poetry collections, and one nonfiction book. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, baking, reading, and spending time with her husband and cute cat, Cupcake. For more information about Carrie and her writing, please visit www.carrielowrance.com.
