15 Fun Thanksgiving Activities for Kids

How to Keep Kids Entertained While Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is one of those special times of the year when the kitchen is filled with delicious smells, family members are gathering, and everyone is getting ready to enjoy a wonderful holiday meal. But if you’re a parent, you know there’s one little challenge that comes with all the excitement: keeping the kids entertained while you’re trying to cook Thanksgiving dinner!

Between preparing the turkey, baking pies, setting the table, and getting everything ready for guests, keeping little hands busy can feel like another full-time job.

The good news? You don’t need expensive toys, complicated crafts, or hours of preparation to keep children happy and entertained.

With a little creativity and a few simple Thanksgiving activities, you can turn the hours before dinner into a fun-filled holiday adventure for the whole family.

Here are 15 easy Thanksgiving activities to keep kids entertained while you prepare your holiday meal.

1. Set Up a Thanksgiving Coloring Station

A coloring station is one of the easiest ways to keep little ones occupied while you work in the kitchen.

Gather crayons, colored pencils, markers, and Thanksgiving coloring pages featuring turkeys, pumpkins, fall leaves, and adorable woodland animals.

Grab Squeaky’s Thanksgiving Adventure Pack with Timothy the Turkey!

Give children their own little space at the table where they can color and create their Thanksgiving masterpieces.

Parent tip: Keep a basket of coloring supplies ready so children can get started without needing much help.

2. Create a Thanksgiving Activity Basket

Put together a special Thanksgiving activity basket filled with things children can explore independently.

Include:

Thanksgiving coloring pages
Crayons and washable markers
Thanksgiving-themed puzzles
Stickers
Activity sheets
Simple matching games

You can even surprise children by bringing out a new activity every 20–30 minutes.

3. Play a Thanksgiving I Spy Game

Turn your home into a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt! Ask children to find things around the house that remind them of Thanksgiving.

Find things like:

Find something orange.
Find something shaped like a leaf.
Find something that reminds you of a turkey.
Find something soft and cozy.
Find something you are thankful for.

This is a simple way to encourage observation skills while keeping children moving.

Safety tip: Keep the scavenger hunt away from the kitchen, hot appliances, and areas where adults are carrying food.

4. Make a Thankful Tree

Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to help children think about gratitude. Draw a simple tree on a large piece of paper. Cut out colorful paper leaves and ask children to write or draw something they are thankful for on each leaf.

They might choose:

Family
Friends
Pets
Favorite toys
Their home
Favorite foods

Attach the leaves to the tree and display it for everyone to enjoy during Thanksgiving dinner.

5. Try a Thanksgiving Puzzle Challenge

Puzzles are a wonderful way to keep children thinking and entertained. Choose Thanksgiving-themed puzzles, word searches, matching activities, or simple mazes based on your child’s age.

For younger children, try picture matching. Older children may enjoy word searches and more challenging puzzles.

6. Have a Thanksgiving Dance Party

Sometimes children simply need to move! Create a Thanksgiving playlist with cheerful children’s songs and let them have a little dance party in a safe space away from the kitchen.

You can even play a game of freeze dance. When the music stops, everyone freezes like a turkey! It’s a fun way to burn off some extra energy before dinner.

7. Create a Turkey Craft

Get creative with a simple turkey craft. Provide construction paper, glue sticks, crayons, and pre-cut feathers. Children can decorate their own turkeys using different colors and patterns.

For younger children, prepare the pieces ahead of time to make the activity easier.

Parent tip: Use washable, child-friendly supplies and supervise scissors and small craft materials.

8. Let Kids Help Set the Thanksgiving Table

Children love feeling included in holiday preparations. Give them simple, age-appropriate jobs such as:

Placing napkins at each seat.
Making homemade place cards.
Decorating the table with paper leaves.
Counting plates and cups.
Creating little Thanksgiving decorations.

These small responsibilities help children feel like an important part of the celebration. Keep children away from hot dishes, sharp utensils, and breakable items.

9. Play Thanksgiving Bingo

Thanksgiving bingo is a fun activity for children of different ages. Create bingo cards featuring pictures of turkeys, pumpkins, pies, corn, leaves, and other Thanksgiving favorites. Use small paper markers or child-safe bingo pieces.

Children can play together while adults finish preparing dinner.

10. Read a Thanksgiving Story Together

Take a few minutes to slow down and enjoy a Thanksgiving story. Choose a colorful picture book about gratitude, family traditions, friendship, or Thanksgiving celebrations.

Reading together is a wonderful way to encourage language development while creating special holiday memories.

11. Start a Thanksgiving Drawing Contest

Give children paper and crayons and challenge them to draw their favorite Thanksgiving things.

Possible drawing themes include:

Draw the biggest Thanksgiving turkey.
Draw your dream Thanksgiving dessert.
Draw your favorite family tradition.
Draw a silly turkey wearing a hat.

Display everyone’s artwork around the house for guests to admire.

12. Have a Thanksgiving Counting Challenge

Turn Thanksgiving into a fun learning opportunity! Ask younger children to count:

Five pumpkins.
Ten colorful leaves.
Three turkeys.
Six pieces of pretend corn.

You can also practice number recognition, shapes, and simple addition using Thanksgiving pictures.

13. Make Homemade Thanksgiving Place Cards

Let children become the holiday table designers! Give them cardstock, crayons, stickers, and markers.

Ask them to create special name cards for each family member or guest. This simple activity encourages creativity, handwriting practice, and fine motor skills.

14. Play a Thanksgiving Would You Rather Game

Get everyone laughing with silly Thanksgiving questions.

Here are a few to get started:

Would you rather eat pumpkin pie or apple pie?
Would you rather be a turkey or a squirrel?
Would you rather jump into a pile of leaves or roll down a grassy hill?
Would you rather eat Thanksgiving dinner with talking animals or flying turkeys?
Would you rather have a giant pumpkin or a giant turkey?

Let children explain their answers. You might be surprised by their imagination!

15. Give Kids Their Own Thanksgiving Adventure Pack

Sometimes the easiest way to keep children entertained is to have a collection of activities ready to go.

That’s why we created Squeaky’s Thanksgiving Activity Adventure at Squeaky Squirrel Schoolhouse!

Designed to bring holiday fun and learning together, this printable digital download gives little learners a special Thanksgiving-themed adventure to enjoy.

Children can explore fun activities while practicing important early learning skills and enjoying the excitement of the holiday season.

It’s a helpful resource for:

Busy parents preparing Thanksgiving dinner.
Homeschool families looking for seasonal learning activities.
Preschool and kindergarten teachers.
Daycare providers.
Grandparents and caregivers.

Instead of searching for individual activities, you can have a Thanksgiving-themed collection ready to print and enjoy!

Make this Thanksgiving extra special with Squeaky’s Thanksgiving Activity Adventure.

Go Grab Squeaky’s Thanksgiving Activity Adventure Pack today!

Tips for Keeping Kids Happy While You Cook

A little preparation can make Thanksgiving Day much easier for everyone.

Here are five simple tips to remember:

1. Prepare activities ahead of time. Set out coloring pages, puzzles, crayons, and crafts before the busy part of the day begins.

2. Rotate activities. Children may lose interest in one activity, so have several options ready.

3. Create a designated activity area. Set up a child-friendly table away from the kitchen and cooking equipment.

4. Give children small jobs. Let them participate in safe ways so they feel included.

5. Don’t aim for perfection. Thanksgiving is about spending time together. A little mess, laughter, and creativity are all part of the fun!

Make Thanksgiving Memories That Last

Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be stressful when you have a few fun activities planned for the children.

From coloring and puzzles to gratitude trees and silly turkey games, there are so many ways to keep little ones entertained while you prepare your holiday feast.

Remember, children don’t need elaborate entertainment to have a wonderful time. Sometimes the simplest activities create the biggest smiles.

And if you’re looking for an easy way to add even more holiday fun, don’t forget to check out Squeaky’s Thanksgiving Activity Adventure from Squeaky Squirrel Schoolhouse.

We hope your Thanksgiving is filled with laughter, learning, creativity, and plenty of happy memories!

Happy Thanksgiving from Squeaky Squirrel Schoolhouse!

Where little learners discover big adventures!