Large holidays meals can be a wonderful way to enjoy a feast with family and friends. However, it’s a long time for young children to sit at the table. Here are 5 ideas to make long meals enjoyable for even the squirmiest kids:

1. Fun Drinks. Set out special colored glasses or cups, perhaps plastic would work well, and outfit them with crazy straws, umbrellas, fruit, and ice cubes with holiday gummies frozen inside.  The kids will be delighted with the fun drinks.

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Spending time with family is an essential part of the Thanksgiving holiday. When you’re not cooking up a delicious meal or sitting around the table, why not play games kids and adults can enjoy together? Like family game night with a Thanksgiving twist, these activities from Karen Perkins of Celebrations.com Karen Perkins encourage interaction and bonding. A few of them may even help work off some of the turkey, stuffing and pie you’ve just consumed!

Thanksgiving Games & Tips

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There are many kids who are little chefs in disguise … and even if they aren’t, come Thanksgiving, when everyone is in the kitchen, the kids will appreciate helping you out!  It’s a great way to get them involved in the excitement of the big meal.  Kids will appreciate contributing in any way that they can.

When thinking about some tasks they can do, keep in mind both the kid’s age and the amount of time a task takes to do.  Make sure that the kitchen fun is age-appropriate, i.e kids should not be using knives or other sharp objects preparing food, and these types of objects should be out of reach so no accidents take place.  You may want to provide an apron to your little sous-chef, to protect clothes and help them get in the mood. Also, remember that kids will not want to be in the kitchen the whole day, as there are parades to watch, the football to throw, perhaps a turkey craft to do.  So, keep their time in the kitchen limited to keep them excited, but not bored and restless.

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If you’re planning a Thanksgiving day or President’s Day celebration, it might be fun to have some colonial games and treats. This might work especially well if your child loves colonial history and you would like to throw a party based on the days of old. Check out these ideas:

• Have kids come dressed in colonial attire.
• Have the kids write their names using a quill pen and parchment paper.
• Have sack races using traditional burlap bags.
• Play marbles, or have a marbles tournament.
• Make paper dolls.
• Play “Scotch-Hoppers” or as we know it, Hopscotch!
• Play Leap Frog.
• If it is a windy day, fly some kites.
• Spin tops.
• Play Cat’s Cradle.
• Play Tag.
• Play Hide and Seek.
• Make Cornhusk Dolls.

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Looking for a fun way to keep the kids busy during the Thanksgiving holiday? Celebrations.com expert Jeanne Benedict shares two of her favorite ideas on how to decorate cookies creatively with kids. Celebrate Thanksgiving and keep those little hands occupied by making cookies decorated with colorful candy that look like turkeys and pilgrim hats!

Craft: Thanksgiving Turkey Cookies

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Well, we are into November now and that means the Pilgrims and Indians are beginning to gather to prepare for the big feast later this month. If you are looking to get into the spirit with your kids and want to make some fun snacks/treats along the Thanksgiving season, have a look below:

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Gobble, gobble!

Looking for a quick craft to enjoy with your kids this month, and to keep with the Thanksgiving spirit?

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