Some fun Thanksgiving activities for kids are the secret ingredient to keeping the peace while the turkey takes its sweet time in the oven.
We all know that kids aren’t exactly famous for their patience, and “just wait until dinner” isn’t going to cut it when everyone else is buzzing around the kitchen.
That’s why I’ve rounded up 20 fun, free, and totally stress-busting ideas to keep little hands busy and big imaginations happy.

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From silly games and printable crafts to sweet traditions that celebrate gratitude, these activities are all about making memories (and maybe buying parents an extra five minutes of quiet).
The best part?
They’re simple, budget-friendly, and don’t require a craft closet worthy of Pinterest royalty.
Whether you’ve got preschoolers itching to help or older kids looking for a challenge, these Thanksgiving activities will keep them entertained, engaged, and smiling all day long.
Because coloring a turkey is quieter than chasing one.
And if you’re planning a bigger celebration, you can also check out my Thanksgiving party ideas for even more holiday fun!
More Thanksgiving fun for kids
Keep little turkeys busy with easy printables and quick crafts the whole table will love.
🍁 Fall Printable Activities – Quick-print fun for the whole season.
🎲 Thanksgiving Printable Games – Party-ready games to play while the turkey roasts.
🍄 Mushrooms Coloring Book – Whimsical pages for cozy fall coloring time.
🦃 Turkey Crafts for Kids – A big list of adorable turkeys to make and display.
🖍️ Thanksgiving Coloring Placemats – Keep hands busy at dinner with colorable placemats.
Keep the Gobblers Busy: Free Thanksgiving Activities for Kids
Thankful Turkey Printable Craft Template
A thankful turkey is a classic children’s craft/activity for Thanksgiving.
Use the printable template provided to help them with this craft without adding extra work for parents.
Thanksgiving Scattergories Game
Since Thanksgiving is all about family, it’s a good idea to have a few family games on hand.
This Scattergories printable is quick, simple to set up, and Thanksgiving-themed.
Build A Scarecrow Printable
Here’s a simple way to keep kids occupied while Mom is busy making sure everything is just right for Thanksgiving.
The printable template gives them all the parts to color, cut out, and build their own scarecrow.
Thankful Tree (+ Free Printable Thankful Leaves)
An option to help kids with mindfulness around Thanksgiving is a thankful tree.
Luckily, this printable has everything needed to make this fun family activity a reality.
Turkey in Disguise Printable
Here’s a printable kit that gives parents the setup for a fun little Thanksgiving craft for kids.
They can disguise their turkey as all sorts of things, and there is space for them to write about the disguise.
Free Printable Thankful Dice
Instead of going around the table having everyone say something they’re thankful for this year, try thankful dice instead.
The printable dice set has multiple prompts, each of which center around mindfulness/thankfulness.
Free Printable Turkey Trivia Cards
Here’s another great family activity for Thanksgiving.
These printable turkey trivia cards have loads of questions so family members can quiz each other or even turn it into a game.
Printable Thanksgiving Taboo Cards
Taboo is another great family game where players try to get others to guess a word without saying it alongside a list of other words that are also taboo.
These printable game cards all have a Thanksgiving theme, perfect for anyone who’s still awake after dessert.
Turkey Lacing Cards
Lacing cards are a perfect combination of fine motor skills and fun for kids.
These printable turkey lacing cards are easy for parents to set up, and kids can happily thread them over and over again.
Pin The Feather Game
Here’s another Thanksgiving spin on an age-old party game.
Instead of pinning a tail on a donkey, the printable lets kids try their hand at pinning the feather on the turkey.
Free Printable Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher
A cootie catcher is another great way for kids to have fun and build fine motor skills at the same time.
This printable is all decked out in Thanksgiving decor and trivia, so it’s perfect for kids waiting around on dinner.
Thanksgiving Memory Game Printable
Kids love Memory and are usually ridiculously good at it.
This printable has a Thanksgiving theme, so it’s a great way to occupy the kids while adults get everything ready.
Catch the Turkey – a Thanksgiving Counting Game
Catch the turkey is a fun, fast-paced game that is designed for preschoolers to have a blast while learning.
The best part is that all you need to play is to print out the template provided.
Thanksgiving Roll a Turkey Dice Game
Here’s a printable game that combines number recognition, counting, color recognition, and candy.
Kids will love rolling dice, trying to fill in their turkey before anyone else.
Thanksgiving Handprint Art Activities
Thanksgiving is all about memories, so this printable pack is the perfect craft for that.
Capture kids’ handprints to look back to and see how much they’ve grown, year after year.
Thanksgiving Turkey Feather Count & Sort Activity
Kids can learn about counting and color sorting with this fun printable turkey feather count & sort activity.
Laminate the pieces for durability and add in play dough for even more fun.
Free Printable Thanksgiving Mazes
This printable pack offers several delicious options to keep kids busy.
Each one features a common Thanksgiving food that has been turned into a maze.
Build a Cornucopia
Kids can cut, color, and contribute to the fall decor with this printable craft.
They have all the parts they need to make their own creative cornucopia.
Pattern Block Turkeys
This is such a fun pattern-matching activity for little ones, perfect for Thanksgiving.
They can use pattern (aka tangram) blocks to match the printable turkey templates and build their own little gobblers.
Thanksgiving Sudoku
Sudoku is a fun logic game that is perfect for any little thinkers out there.
These printable number puzzles are accented with cute fall/Thanksgiving animals, as a bonus.
Don’t forget to pin these Thanksgiving activities for kids:





























