Strategies for Kid-proofing Your Cooking Space:
As the festive season approaches, families are gearing up for the annual Thanksgiving celebrations. To keep the little ones entertained while you prepare the feast, here are several fun and easy Thanksgiving crafts and activities that will keep them happily occupied.
One of the simplest and most engaging crafts is decorating tablecloths. Provide plain paper tablecloths and washable markers or crayons for the kids to draw Thanksgiving-themed designs, turkeys, leaves, or write messages of thanks.
Another adorable Thanksgiving craft is creating Paper Bag Turkey Puppets. Using brown paper lunch bags, kids can transform these into turkeys by adding colored paper feathers, googly eyes, and beaks. This hands-on craft encourages creativity and fine motor skills.
If you're looking for a classic craft, Painted Hand Turkeys are a great option. Kids paint their hand and thumb to form the turkey’s body and feathers, then add facial details once dry. This keepsake craft combines art with motor practice.
For a more sensory-friendly craft, consider Popcorn Turkeys. Assemble a simple turkey by gluing popcorn onto a cardstock turkey shape or paper plate as feathers. This edible craft is both fun and engaging.
Colouring pages are also an option, offering a calm and creative activity for various ages. Thanksgiving-themed colouring sheets featuring turkeys, pumpkins, or fall scenes can be found online or in craft stores.
To add a touch of fun and physical activity, consider setting up a Turkey Bowling game. Use plastic bottles decorated as turkeys and a soft ball for a game that provides both physical movement and festive fun.
Baking mini cornbread bites together is both an activity and a snack preparation that kids can help with, offering a sensory and culinary experience.
Additional craft ideas include turkey headbands, paper plate turkeys, and pin-the-beak-on-the-turkey games that blend fun with Thanksgiving themes. These activities are easy to prepare with common household or craft materials and cover a range of interests and developmental levels to keep kids engaged during meal prep.
So, whether you're looking for a quiet activity or something more active, there's a Thanksgiving craft or activity to suit every child's tastes. Happy crafting and a happy Thanksgiving!
After the preparation for the feast, consider setting up a DIY home-and-garden project involving the kids - decorating a Thanksgiving-themed tablecloth using washable markers or crayons. For a more lasting craft, you could also create Paper Bag Turkey Puppets, which are both adorable and engaging.
