Get Ready to Gobble: 10 Thanksgiving Activities for Kids

Thanksgiving is a major holiday during which many families get together to spend time together and count their blessings. As you mark the day, indulge in the following fun Thanksgiving activities for kids. Even after the big turkey lunch or dinner, you can continue to enjoy fall with these fun activities.

1. Tidy up the yard

Falling leaves will pile up all over the yard. Make a game of tidying them where you identify the leaves of different trees, then rake them up and bin them. Create two teams and see who can pick up the more leaves faster. Of course, do the traditional jump into the leaf file.

2. Get sporty

Go out and enjoy a game the whole family loves or pile everyone into the car to go and support a member of the family who is playing in a game. You can also go to the park and let the young ones run free while the weather still allows it.

3. Go hiking

Another thing you can do in fall is taking a hike. Pack a picnic, dress warmly and head for the hills, or the woods. Just be sure to plan a day's hike that will allow you to head home before dark falls and before it becomes really chilly.

4. Light things up

Most people have travel plans for Christmas, the next big holiday after Thanksgiving. Organize a bonfire with neighbors, family, and friends to get together with everyone before they all go in different directions.

5. Get the blooms ready

Get your garden ready for planting flowers and herbs for the season. Come spring; you will have a lush and fragrant garden.

6. Go hunting 

Come up with a list of items to go hunting for. Add some common items like yellow leaves and crabapples for the sake of young ones. You can also make it more challenging by adding in items that will take some time to search for. Come up with prizes for the winner or winning team. 

7. Spend time on a farm or at the zoo

Young ones are fascinated by animals. Take them to see wild ones at the zoo and perhaps pet them and at another time, take them to a farm where they can get up close and pet farm animals. Some farms have a variety of fun activities like fun rides, harvesting fruits, milking cows and churning butter.

8. Make warming foods

Things like apple pie are warming comfort foods that are such a treat in fall. Take your harvest of apples or buy some at the farmer's market and get the whole family involved in making a hearty apple pie to enjoy, perhaps with some hot cocoa. Something else that is available in fall is a pumpkin. Get some too and have fun carving them and baking pumpkin pies.

9. Get away

During winter, travel becomes a challenge because of the snow and extreme cold. Get away for a mini-break for a weekend or a few days.  To ensure there are fun Thanksgiving activities for kids, choose a place that has amenities for activities that the family likes.

10. Capture the moments

Enjoy capturing the family's fun and special moments. Take videos and photos as you enjoy different Thanksgiving activities for kids. Frame the best photos and save the rest in a digital photo frame. When the holidays come around, you will ready photos to use to make personalized cards.

Lastly, remember the less fortunate and teach the kids a lesson in giving. As part of Thanksgiving activities for kids declutter the house and give away things that are no longer used to the less fortunate.