Activities to Entertain all Ages while the Thanksgiving Meal Cooks
Once Thanksgiving comes around, you’ll probably have spent the past two weeks planning the perfect Thanksgiving feast. You’ve figured out how much food you’ll need to feed your entire crew of guests, you’ve diced and prepped every accompanying side dish, and now there is only one thing left to do: wait. With a houseful of hungry guests, you’ll be in need of some fun and festive activities to distract from the delicious aromas wafting through your home.
Entertaining the Little Ones
- Dedicate a table to Holiday crafts
The younger kids may be small, but they pack quite the burst of energy in those little bodies of theirs. In order to keep the noise from escalating and the kitchen from becoming too crowded with rambunctious children, encourage them to focus their attention on creating art! There are loads of Thanksgiving centered crafts to choose from that will be sure to hold their attention until the food is served.
- Make the Exception and Allow Screen TIme
Bringing TV into the mix may be counterproductive to the spirit of the holiday. After all, Thanksgiving is about being in the moment and spending quality time with those you love. Little ones, however, typically have difficulty managing their shorter attention span. Putting on a holiday movie is great for keeping their otherwise fidgety bodies still for two hours while the turkey gets perfectly golden and juicy. There are tons of Christian movies to choose from that will engage your kids in the true meaning of the season. Having wholesome content available will also allow the adults to set the table and catch up without fear of accidentally showing inappropriate themes.
Entertaining the Tweens and Teens
Decorate cookies
The night before, bake a tray of sugar and gingerbread cookies. Make a batch of decorating icing and separate it into batches with dye to create different hues. While the food is cooking, task the older kids (ahem, young adults) with decorating the cookies for a festive post-turkey dessert! Not only will this task provide them with a sense of proud responsibility for the night’s sweetest treat, but will also distract them from the inevitable grumbling in their stomachs.
- Do it for the Christmas-gram
If your teenager has a smartphone, they probably are engaging with picture sharing applications like Instagram. Set up a “photo shoot” complete with cute holiday signs and gear that will help them stage festive photos worthy of sharing with all of their followers! They’ll have a blast goofing off with their loved ones as they try to capture the perfect holiday memories. With the advancements of mobile phone cameras, a professional shooter won’t be needed!
Entertaining all Ages
- Have a holiday sing-off
Get your entire guest list into the spirit by playing some contemporary covers of your favorite holiday songs. Really embrace the tunes by trying to harmonize or outdo one another with dancing. By the end of the first song, your guests will surely be full of Holiday cheer!
Get competitive by buying small prizes to award to the best performer. Award a five or ten dollar gift card to a local cafe to the winner, and festive goodie bags to the runner-ups.
- Holiday versions of classic games
Games are a great way of including everyone while simultaneously wasting time while waiting for dinner. Give your pre-dinner gaming session a holiday edge by making it seasonally themed. Play a round of Pictionary, only allowing for holiday ideas to be drawn. For charades, only act out titles to classic carols or winter activities!
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