Keep Those Little Turkeys Busy This Thanksgiving!

As Thanksgiving day approaches, I know we are all busy planning our meals and getting ready for friends and family to come and spend the day with us.  Need something to keep your little turkeys occupied while prepping for the Thanksgiving Feast?  Here are a few activities that you can easily prepare for them before hand

Instead of using this picture, use blank card stock and have them write a name and add a Thanksgiving sticker

1.  Thanksgiving Placecards-Do you have a child who needs to work on handwriting?  Put them in charge of making the Thanksgiving placecards.  Provide them with a list of names to copy and some stickers to decorate the placecards with.  

*works on improving graphomotor, grasping, visual perceptual and organizational skills.  Better than all that though is how proud your little one will feel when they look around the table and see everyone sitting behind the placecard they created especially for them

2.  Create a Thanksgiving Thankful Tree-have your kids cut out leaves (that you have already drawn out on construction paper) and have them write down what they are thankful for.  Give your children the job of going around to all of your guests and having them write down what they are thankful for as well.  Using Crayola Window Markers, draw a tree on a large window or a glass door and have your children tape them on the tree.  

*works on improving graphomotor, grasping, visual motor/perceptual skills, improves speech and language skills (asking people to fill out their leaves) and improves organizational skills

I love this traditional hand Thanksgiving turkey….brings back so many early memories

3.  Handprint Thanksgiving Turkey-I vividly remember this arts and craft project from my childhood and since becoming an OT, I have done it with my kids at work year after year.  Depending on the age and skill level of the child, I change the expectations.  For my younger children, I will trace their hand and assign a color for each finger/feather.  For my older children, I make they trace their own hand and then figure out what colors they want to use.  They can cut the handprint and then glue it onto a piece of paper.  If you have a houseful of guests coming and need your little ones occupied for a bit, give them each a handful of names and ask them to make them special holiday cards that they can hand out to your guests as they arrive.
*works on fine motor, coloring, cutting, graphomotor, bilateral coordination and visual motor/perceptual skills

I love these napkin rings made from empty toilet paper tubes.  They use buttons but you can use any odds and ends kind of materials to make something special for your guests.

4.  Homemade Napkin Rings-if you have some empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls lying around, reuse and recycle them to make some homemade napkin rings for your Thanksgiving table.  The possibilities are endless and you can let your children’s imagination run wild by providing them with the correct supplies.  Use stickers, markers, buttons, glue, tissue paper, etc. to create unique and special napkin rings for each of your guests.
*works on improving fine motor, grasping, graphomotor, bilateral coordination and visual motor/perceptual skills.  Again, your children will feel so proud when they look around that table filled with all the people they love

Again, I wish you and yours a very happy and healthy holiday season.  I can already feel the excitement in all of the children I work with and look forward to the upcoming weeks.  Do you have any wonderful holiday craft ideas to share with me or my readers?  I know we are all looking for ways to keep our kids involved in the holiday season and would love to hear from my readers with any ideas they would like to share with me.  I am just a click away and can’t wait to test out some of the great ideas you have!