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We all have our Thanksgiving traditions & favorite dishes but do you also have some memorable games & activities? If you’re looking to add some more activities or themed joy to your celebration, these are some of our tried & tested ideas! From simple table-top ideas to keep the kids seated & entertained throughout the meal to full themed parties with decorations, games, activities & more, these ideas are sure to bring some more smiles and laughter to the day!
And if you’re looking for a fresh theme for your Thanksgiving Celebration and don’t want to re-hash the turkey vibes, we’ve got you covered there too! We’ve includes some unique themes that are set in autumn, have autmn feels, and have TONS of food to match any Thanksgiving feast 🙂
Read on to check themout!
AN EASY, LOW-PREP TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING PARTY!
In a rush??? We all have those last minute panics where we’re suddenly hosting the party (or assigned to activities) and we don’t have anything planned! This party is FULL of easy, low-prep ideas and links to items that are perfect for a traditional Thanksgiving! Click here to check it out!
TRUCKLOADS OF THANKSGIVING FUN
Decorations and crafts with beautiful red trucks are all around in the fall season! For this party, we picked up all our favorite tableware, decorations, and items to create a fun-filled Truckloads of Fun Thanksgiving Party! Click here to check it out!
FALLING FOR FALL LEAVES
For this Thanksgiving party, we brought on the fall leaves and autumn decorations! Full Fall Vibes!!! With some easy to find party supplies, ready made craft kits, and low-prep activities, this one was a hit! Read on to check out the funClick here to check it out!
WOODLAND ANIMAL ADVENTURE
So, you may not immediately think ‘woodland animals’ when you think of Thanksgiving, but the forest and adorable woodland animals make a great fit for autumn (and Thanksgiving)! This adorable party will surely make your little ones smile – who can resist adorable foxes, deer, and more! Click here to check it out!
A GILMORE GIRLS EXTRAVAGANZA
No one can deny that the Gilmore Girls seemlingly always have food around them – in fact, in one Thanksgiving episide, they actually go to not one, not two, not three, but FOUR Thanksgiving meals!!! That’s a lot of feasting!!! And if you’re a fan, you’ll know (or probably partake) in the annual fall rewatch, huddled in blankets with warm hot chocolate as the leaves fall down! If so, a Gilmore Girls Thanksgiving may just be the theme for you! While ours was more autumn-themed than set up for Thanksgiving, this fall party is definetly works for Thanksgiving too (after all, they went to FOUR Thanksgiving meals!!!) Plust, there are TONS of Gilmore Girls Inspired activities to keep the family entertained after the big meal! Click here to check it out!
THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW
While the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, or the story of the famed Headless Horseman, may conjure up more spooky, Halloween imagery, the bountiful tables of food rival any Thanksgiving spread! And, with all the falling leaves, this theme works just as well for Thanksgiving as it does for Halloween. So, if you’re looking to add a bit of literary flair to your Thanksgiving, check out our autumn-set Legend of the Sleepy Hollow Party! Click here to check it out!
A HOBBIT-WORTHY FEAST
Plan a Thanksgiving meal worthy of the Hobbits! For creatures that eat several times a day, Thanksgiving would definitely be a Holiday they would appreciate, so why not create a unique Thanksgiving Celebration themed to the Shire & Middle Earth!!! For our Lord of the Rings Party, we had no shortage of roasted meats, po-ta-toe sides, and sweet treats! Complete with two tables – one for the kiddoes & one for the adults AND a whole host of games for after the big meal, this party was definitely a hit! Click here to check it out!
A COLLECTION OF FUN-FILLED TABLETOP ACTIVITIES
And if you just need a few extra activities for the kids-table to keep them entertained throughout the meal, these easy additions are sure to keep them seated throughout dinner & dessert! Alternatively, these games and activities can be played after the meal if that works better 🙂
THE CRAYONS & PLACEMAT TABLE
This table has a few activities kids might already be familiar with – crayons & placemats to color! We also added in some turkey cutouts where they could write what they were thankful for in the past year. Each kid also had a Candy Filled Turkey Legs that they could tear open after they’ve eaten all their veggies!
- Color Your Own I’m Thankful For Placemats
- Turkey Bulletin Board Cutouts
- Mini Crayon Boxes
- Candy Filled Turkey Legs – They may think they’re just decorations but wait til after dinner and let them open these up!
A BLANK CANVAS
Instead of letting the kiddos color on a single placement, let them go crazy on the entire table! If they’re the creative types, opt for a blank white or brown kraft paper. For an additional twist, add some ‘challenge cards’ with drawing challenges – like draw a pie, draw a pumpkin, draw a dancing turkey with a top hat. Have fun with it and let them add their own as they go 🙂
A COLOR YOUR OWN TABLE
If your little ones need a little more guidance on what to color or games to play, pick up a Color Your Own Tablecloth! Layout a few markers, crayons, and/or color pencils and let them create a masterpiece!
STICKING TO THE TABLE – STICKERS GALORE 😉
If your kiddos LOVE stickers, this is the table for them! With fall woodland sticker sheets, mini turkeys, and extra large sticker scenes, and funny turkey stickers, your kids will definitely stick to their seats (for a bit of time maybe?? 🙂 )
TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING TRIVIA
Challenge your guests to a bit of trivia – Keep score or just guess for fun 🙂 You can always read through some Thanksgiving History or Fun Facts and create your own trivia cards, but if you’re in a pinch, there are quite a few printables you can find online these days. The one on this table comes from craftaholicsanonymous: Thanksgiving Table Craft: Turkey Trivia.
A TWIST ON TRIVIA – FAMILY FUN FACTS
IF you’ve got the time, it might be fun to add some family trivia (in addition to or instead of the traditional trivia). You can easily make your own on some index cards or pieces of paper , but if you’re in need a quick set to set up your family table, feel free to use ours here. 🙂
BUILDING THE SUSPENSE – A TABLETOP THANKSGIVING TREASURE HUNT!
If your kiddos love puzzles & prizes, this is the table for them! Scatter some clues around the table, have them work together or as a race, and end up a treasure at the end! Check out our Tabletop Thanksgiving Treasure Hunt for clues & other ideas!
THANK YOU!!!
Thank you so much for checking out our Thanksgiving article. We hope this has helped with your holiday planning and maybe even inspired more ideas!
If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving Ideas, feel free to check out our other posts here and follow us on Pinterest.
Happy Thanksgiving!
