Thanksgiving Drawing: Keep Kids Busy at the Kids' Table
Keep kids happy at the Thanksgiving kids' table with drawing games, gratitude drawings and silly food characters. Easy ideas for hosts and parents.
Drawing is a great way to keep kids happy at Thanksgiving, especially at the kids' table. Gratitude drawings, silly food character games and drawn place cards keep kids busy before dinner and give them something to share with relatives.
Thanksgiving means long waits, lots of grown-up talk and kids who are hungry and restless. A drawing station can save the day.
Set up a kids' table drawing station
- Paper tablecloth or butcher paper over the table
- Cups of crayons
- A few drawing books
- Prompt cards
Food characters steal the show
Thanksgiving is all about food, so food characters are perfect. How to Draw: Food Monsters features silly food characters with faces. Kids can draw a grumpy pie, a dancing roll or a nervous turkey sandwich, then present their creations to the family.
Thanksgiving drawing ideas
- Thankful drawings. Draw something you are thankful for.
- Place cards. Draw name cards for each guest.
- Food faces. Give each dish a personality.
- Family portraits. Draw relatives as cartoons.
- Gratitude tree. Each leaf is a drawing of something you are grateful for.
Games
- Draw the dish. One draws a food; others guess.
- Pass the turkey. Everyone adds one feature to a turkey drawing.
- Silly menu. Design a menu with funny food names.
Share at the table
Ask kids to show their thankful drawings during dinner. It is a sweet tradition. See gratitude drawing.
Questions parents ask
How do I keep kids busy at Thanksgiving?
Set up a drawing station at the kids' table with a paper tablecloth, crayons, drawing books and prompts.
What can kids draw for Thanksgiving?
Thankful drawings, place cards, food characters, family portraits and a gratitude tree.
What is a good Thanksgiving activity for kids?
Drawing place cards for guests is fun, useful and makes kids feel part of hosting.
More in holidays and seasons, or browse all 217 posts on the blog.
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