Organizing a Thanksgiving dinner in your home? Create some craft stations for kids. Put craft supplies in large bowls and cover the table with newspaper. To entertain a large group of kids, set up a few tables with different activities at each table. Several activities can help keep children busy so you can finish your cooking without distraction.

Thanksgiving Painting Activities

Create a painting station for kids. Mom blogger BlogMeMom shows that kids can work with multiple family members to create a hand print family portrait. With a jumbo piece of paper, all of the kids could make one large portrait of the children’s hands. Another idea is that as adults take turns supervising the kids, children could work on creating a handprint family tree of the entire family. Finger painting can be fun for kids, although you may need to supervise younger children who will make a mess.

Finger Puppet Fun

Encourage storytelling and creativity as you set up a finger puppet station. Kids can use felt to create finger puppets with a Thanksgiving theme. For instance, create a turkey and pilgrims. Follow online patterns from Frog Prince Paperie to make the finger puppets. Children who are old enough or the adults can sew the material together. After creating the puppet, read the children a book about the pilgrims’ Thanksgiving, and ask the children to recreate the story with the finger puppets. As a teacher, I recommend Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving by James Dean and Kimberly Dean.

Thanksgiving Coloring Pages

Thanksgiving coloring pages can keep kids of any age busy. Print coloring worksheets from Busy Bee Kids Printables. Put out enough crayons for all of the children. You can leave any extra craft supplies at the coloring station. Googly eyes and sparkly glitter glue can be an interesting addition to a coloring page. Some worksheets make excellent games. Kids can do word searches and mad libs. Another idea is to print a Thanksgiving activity placemat to keep kids entertained at the table. Coloring placemat printables have space to color a turkey, complete a maze, and write about what you are thankful for on the mat.