🦃 How to Keep the Kids Happy on Thanksgiving
Because happy kids = happy hosts.
Moms, you know the drill — Thanksgiving is magical and a marathon. You’re juggling cooking, cleaning, hosting, and keeping tiny hands out of the mashed potatoes. It’s a full-time production with very little time to actually sit and enjoy it.
So this year, let’s make it a little easier. A little calmer. A little more fun.
Here are some simple, Oh So Fancy ideas to keep the kids happy and entertained — so you can focus on the food, the family, and maybe even finish a cup of coffee while it’s still hot.
🖍️ 1. Set Up a Kids’ Table They’ll Actually Love
Forget the folding chair in the corner. Give them their own space that feels fun and special. Cover the table with butcher paper so they can color, doodle, and decorate while they wait for dinner. Toss down a bucket of crayons, cute plates, and a few small snacks to keep them busy.
✨ Pro tip: Go easy on yourself and use disposable plates and cups — they look darling, and cleanup is done in minutes. You’ll thank yourself later.
It keeps them entertained and makes cleanup easy — a total win-win.
🎨 2. Let’s Get Crafty (Without the Chaos)
No glitter. No stress. Just fun.
The best activities are simple and meaningful:
🍂 Create a Thankful Tree — have each child write what they’re thankful for on paper leaves and tape or string them to a branch centerpiece.
🦃 Make Pinecone Turkeys — a classic craft with construction paper “feathers.”
🖍️ Print our Thanksgiving Coloring Page or create your own on ChatGBT — perfect for little ones who want to be part of the celebration.
Sometimes it’s the smallest things — like a few crayons and a quiet corner — that give you five extra minutes of peace (and the kids five minutes of happy).
🎬 3. Create a Cozy “Holiday Hangout”
When attention spans start to fade, move the fun to a comfy corner with pillows, blankets, and a good movie. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is always a favorite — something classic, calm, and cozy for everyone to enjoy.
* We like to watch Home Alone after dinner to kick off the Christmas season!
🎯 4. Turn Helping into a Game
Kids love to help — they just need the right job. Give them small tasks like setting the table, folding napkins, or making sure everyone’s drink is full.
Make it fun: let them earn “Helper Badges” or stickers for each job well done. They’ll feel important (and you’ll get a little help).
💃 5. End the Day with Movement and Memories
After dinner, step away from the table and get outside!
A neighborhood walk is the perfect way to walk off the heaviness of dinner and dessert, breathe in the crisp fall air, and make a memory together. It’s a tradition in our house — the quiet after the feast, full of laughter, leaves crunching, and that “we did it” feeling.
Or, if staying in is more your style, turn up the music for a quick family dance party to wrap up the day with smiles. Either way, it’s all about ending the night with joy and connection.
🧡 Closing Thought
You’re doing so much — the planning, the prepping, the everything. And even if the mashed potatoes are lumpy or the kids ONLY eat rolls for dinner, it’s okay. They’ll remember the laughter, the smell of pie, and the feeling of togetherness — not whether the napkins matched.
So this year, celebrate progress over perfection. Because when the kids are happy and you finally get to sit down — that’s a Thanksgiving worth being thankful for.
✨ Visit our Let’s Get Fancy Blog for more Thanksgiving hosting ideas, printables, and ways to make the season special — without the stress.
