Easy, screen-free Thanksgiving activities for toddlers

1. Coloring page placemats

Print a coloring page on regular paper and use it as a placemat at the kids table. Put a few crayons in a cup and let little ones color while the grown ups finish cooking. It buys real time, and the pages go in the fridge door afterwards.

You can print a free turkey page from this site and see if your child likes it before buying anything.

2. A leaf hunt

Give each child a small bag or a bowl and send them to find leaves of different colors. Back inside, sort them by color or size, or tape them to paper to make a collage. Stay close with children under 3 and keep small items away from their mouth.

3. A thankful chat

At the table, take turns saying one thing you are thankful for. For toddlers it can be a person, a toy or a food. Some families write each answer on a paper leaf and tape it on the wall.

4. A kids table activity box

Fill a small box with a few items that are only for Thanksgiving day: a coloring book, a handful of crayons, a few stickers and a small puzzle. Because it only comes out once a year, it feels special and keeps little ones busy during the long wait for dinner.

5. Turkey handprint cards

Trace a child's hand on paper and add feathers, a face and a name. These make simple place cards for relatives and are a keepsake to date and save.

Questions

Books mentioned

ThanksgivingAges 2 to 5

Thanksgiving Coloring Book for Toddlers

Turkeys, pies and fall fun. Big shapes, one word under every picture.

Color a pageAmazon