It’s that time of year when we reflect on what we’re thankful for… family, friends, and our awesome God! These Thanksgiving games and activities will help kids recognize and express gratitude in creative ways.

It’s easy to forget to stop and think what the holiday season is truly about when it seems like there are a million things going on. Be sure to slow down long enough to be thankful and express gratitude.

These Thanksgiving games and activities will help your kids (and you!) do just that!

girl holding 'I'm thankful' sign and looking at camera during Thanksgiving meal with her parents
Image Credit: skynesher/E+/Getty Images

Be sure to slow down long enough to be thankful and express gratitude.

Turkey Crafts

What’s more Thanksgiving-y than handmade turkeys?? These crafts will help get your students in the Thanksgiving spirit!

  1. This cute Thanksgiving turkey puppet not only makes something fun for kids to play with, it’s also a great way to exercise gratitude!
  2. Kids can make this adorable turkey ring with only a pom ball, googly eyes, fuzzy sticks, and pieces of foam! Because they are easy to make, kids can make one for a friend too.
  3. These vibrant coffee filter turkeys are easy to make and fun to look at, so kids will be excited to share them. Get the directions.
  4. Turkey Day favors are a fun craft to make for kids to keep for themselves or give to a friend! Because giving to others is a great thing to learn to do!
  5. Use your student’s handprints to create turkey feathers and pin them to a headband that kids can run around in! And because running around is fun, they are sure to be a hit! Find out how to make the Thanksgiving headbands here.
  6. This turkey craft only takes some simple cutting and coloring to turn regular paper into an awesome sitting turkey, so this craft is a keeper.
  7. Try this sponge painting technique to make turkeys out of paper plates! Here are the instructions.

Crafts Full of Gratitude

Thanksgiving isn’t just a time to stuff yourself with food, it’s also a time to give thanks for those you love. For that reason, these crafts will help get kids thinking about everything they are grateful for!

  1. This fun Thanksgiving tree allows kids to add leaves to the tree as they think of things they can thank God for. We love this activity because it helps kids visualize all the gifts God has given them. Excerpted from Big Book of Bible Lessons for Crafty Kids.
  2. Here’s another Thankful Tree craft that uses only a few simple supplies!
  3. Gratitude stones are a good activity for any time of the year, but easily transform this in to a Thanksgiving craft by using them to teach kids what it means to be thankful.
  4. This garland will help your children count their blessings as they thank God for everything He gives to them. Here are the instructions excerpted from HeartShaper Holiday Helps.
  5. This “Thankfulness to God” Wreath Craft Project is a fun craft to make with kids while also discussing thankfulness.
  6. Gratitude turkeys offer a fun way to get kids to think past the simple friends, family, and health answers to the question, “What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?”
  7. This is a great idea that you can use throughout the month of November, so kids can share thanks all month long. Get the instructions to make these thankful turkey boxes here.
  8. Create this fun place mat and add to the list of blessings each time you sit down to eat a meal. Excerpted from HeartShaper Holiday Helps.
Small girl having fun while about to bite a roasted turkey on Thanksgiving
Image Credit: skynesher/E+/Getty Images

Thanksgiving Games

Get some energy out with these fun Thanksgiving games, and give kids an opportunity to give thanks!

Inside Games

  1. Hot Potato with a thankful twist! Get the directions.
  2. Thanksgiving Pictionary will provide lots of laughs while kids learn more about Thanksgiving traditions!
  3. Each time a kid picks up a stick, have them name something they are grateful for in order to get them thinking about thankfulness in different ways with this fun version of pick-up sticks.
  4. Thanksgiving Bingo will get kids talking about what they are thankful for. This article also has great ideas about how to teach gratitude while playing the Thanksgiving game.
  5. Roll-A-Turkey is a fun game that doubles as a yummy snack! You can practice math skills with your kids while getting rid of some Halloween candy.

Outside Games

  1. This active Thanksgiving game will get kids moving and giving thanks to God for the great things He has given them. Excerpted from the Big Book collection.
  2. Stuffing the turkey can be as hard or as easy as you want to make it with this fun game, so you better check it out!
  3. Turkey Tag! Get some energy out with this fun turkey-themed tag game.
  4. What’s more fun than a turkey-waddle relay race? This game can be fun for a small group or the whole class to play!

Snacks

Students will want to gobble up these yummy snacks because they are THAT good!

  1. Turkey pretzel rod treats will get you in the Thanksgiving spirit!
  2. Another yummy chocolate pretzel treat that is cute to look at and even more fun to eat for Thanksgiving.
  3. After making a fun cornucopia craft, give kids a cornucopia they can eat! Find the ingredients here.
  4. Turkey popcorn treat bags give kids the ability to make whatever color turkey they want to eat! If they don’t finish the snack in class, they can take it home with them!
  5. Kids can create their own fall snack mix to eat now or later! Here are the ingredients that you can get to put in your snack mix.
  6. These candy pretzel turkey bites take a little time to prepare, but they are adorable and delicious for Thanksgiving!

More Crafts!

Looking for more Thanksgiving crafts? Look no further!

  1. Cornucopias are traditionally filled with lots of nuts and vegetables to show the good food God gives us to eat. With this craft, students will fill their cornucopias with some of the good things for which they’re thankful to God. Excerpted from the Big Book collection.
  2. Paper plate pilgrims are a fun craft that also help teach the history of Thanksgiving to your students, which is important for them to know and understand.
  3. This article has five different crafts that help teach kids thankfulness. It includes Bible verses that you can discuss with your students while they are creating their crafts, because it is important to know Scripture!
  4. Who knew a toilet paper roll could turn into such a cute pumpkin stamp?! These stamps can be used for many different crafts.
  5. This printable page is a simple, easy Thanksgiving craft to do with kids, especially if you don’t have much time to prepare. Excerpted from the Big Book collection.
  6. Use this fun craft to help kids appreciate God’s blessings and share those blessings with others. Excerpted from HeartShaper Holiday Helps.

These Thanksgiving games and crafts will hopefully help your kids take a minute to reflect on all the amazing things God has blessed us with.

For crafts, games, and holiday ideas, check out these Ministry Spark articles and resources:

Want kids to remember the lessons they are taught at church? Each of David C Cook’s curriculum lines includes resources to help you accomplish just that!

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Your heart beats for kids to know, love, and follow Jesus. And ours does too. Try any or all of our programs and lessons before you commit to buying. Check them out here.

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Happy Thanksgiving!