Thanksgiving Gratitude Crafts and Activities for Kids and Adults

Thanksgiving is a beautiful time of year to practice gratitude. Here’s a list of Thanksgiving gratitude activities and crafts with several easy ways to teach children about gratitude and keep the whole family entertained while waiting for dinner.

This collection of Thanksgiving gratitude activities and crafts for kids and adults makes cultivating and projecting gratitude in the home, classroom, or workplace fun. While you can do these Thanksgiving gratitude crafts and activities on this list of ideas year-round, most are specific gratitude crafts and activities the whole family (or classroom) can do for Thanksgiving.

Gratitude craft ideas like these are perfect for doing at the Thanksgiving dinner table while waiting for the turkey to cook. Suppose you are wondering how to keep kids busy and happily entertained while waiting for dinner to be served. In that case, the ideas below include several fun Thanksgiving activities and crafts for kids and families to enjoy on, around, or in celebration of Thanksgiving. Enjoy the fun Thanksgiving activity ideas listed below in your home or classroom to celebrate the joy that gratitude can bring! You may also enjoy this list of Thanksgiving Traditions.

If you are looking for gratitude crafts and activities to use throughout the year to teach children about gratitude and nurture a thankful attitude that they project outward to the world, consider these Gratitude Activities and Crafts for Kids. The ideas include several additional easy crafts and activity suggestions that are not listed below, such as gratitude stones and thankful hearts, as well as guidance on how to teach children to cultivate gratitude. Originally published on November 8, 2015, this list of Thankful Thanksgiving crafts and activities is regularly updated to enhance the content and keep it current.

Thanksgiving Gratitude Activities, Games, and Crafts for Kids and Families

Gratitude brings abundance. By expressing gratitude through the simple, thankful crafts and activity ideas included here, we enhance our mental well-being and strengthen our ability to co-create our dreams. Use these fun Thanksgiving activities and easy Thanksgiving crafts to cultivate and express gratitude at home or in the classroom this Thanksgiving. Participating in the thankful activities and crafts suggested in this post can strengthen family ties and create cherished memories and traditions that last well beyond the festive holiday season. 

The following gratitude crafts and activities are perfect for anyone seeking meaningful and engaging ways to celebrate Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving and express feelings of gratitude with the entire family, a community of friends, or a classroom. You might also enjoy this list of fall art projects and painting ideas for kids. Discover the many benefits of incorporating gratitude activities and crafts directly below. Then scroll down to see lists of fun gratitude activities, crafts, games, and books for all ages to enjoy. You might also enjoy these non-seasonal gratitude activities and crafts you can enjoy all year.

A Thanksgiving Gratitude Lesson My Family Will Never Forget:

Below is a picture of my daughter, thankful for the simple things in life — rain, fresh air, and nature — on Thanksgiving in 2018. She was celebrating because a good rain helped firefighters contain and finally extinguish the wildfire known as the “Campfire” that burned the entire town of Paradise, California. The fire destroyed both her grandmother’s and uncle’s houses, along with all of our family heirlooms, so you might think we had little to be thankful for that Thanksgiving. But we were incredibly grateful!

We were thankful that our family had survived and appreciated the rain, which finally allowed us to go outside and breathe fresh air after living in a dark haze of wildfire smoke for several weeks. It was ironic that we had all been praying for rain, and on Thanksgiving, we could finally step outside and breathe the clean air. It was a Thanksgiving celebration I will never forget. Just look at how happy my daughter is in the photograph below, dancing in the rain in Bidwell Park, CA. In the photo, it wasn’t joy that made her grateful; it was gratitude for rain, fresh air, and being outside in nature that made her joyful. I was happily celebrating in the rain right along with her as we danced joyfully through the park that Thanksgiving. 

Benefits of Thankful Crafts and Activities for Thanksgiving:

Engaging in gratitude crafts and activities during Thanksgiving offers a myriad of benefits for both kids and adults. Creating gratitude crafts is an excellent creative outlet that fosters gratitude, enhances family bonding, and serves as a superb self-regulation activity to support the social development and mental well-being of children and adults. 

For children, Thanksgiving-themed crafts provide a fun-filled way to develop fine motor skills and explore their artistic side. Expressing thankfulness through these activities can help instill a lifelong appreciation for the small blessings in life, as my daughter demonstrates so beautifully in the photograph above.

Thanksgiving crafts can also provide children with an educational experience when lessons about history and cultural awareness are incorporated into the craft or activity. This is especially important in today’s changing world, as it can help address past misconceptions about the Thanksgiving holiday. This makes thankful crafts, such as those listed below, a multifaceted addition to any holiday celebration. 

For adults, mindful Thanksgiving crafting sessions can offer a respite from the hustle of holiday preparations, such as taking a walk outside, meditating, coloring, or practicing yoga. In other words, these crafts and activities can help reduce stress, foster empathy, enhance self-regulation skills, and promote a positive mental mindset. When parents and teachers are happy, joy will radiate throughout the household or classroom, and it’s more likely that their children will feel good as well. 

Thankful Activities: Fun Thanksgiving Activities for Kids and Adults

This list of fun things to do on Thanksgiving begins with gratitude activities. Each idea provides step-by-step instructions that make it easy to do each gratitude activity. Click on the creator of the thankful activities and grateful crafts to see the step-by-step DIY details for each Thanksgiving activity. Gratitude activities are first on this list, followed by gratitude crafts for kids, games, and more! Remember, we have several more non-seasonal gratitude crafts and activities to nurture a thankful heart, including how to do a gratitude challenge, in our list of year-round thankful activity ideas. Click the link or scroll down to see all the fun ways to nurture gratitude at home or in the classroom this Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Gratitude Activities:

Here are a few fun gratitude activities that can help you raise grateful kids:

1. Thankful Heart Thanksgiving Activity for Kids | Live Craft Eat for Lasso the Moon
2. Thanksgiving Kids’ Table | Meaningful Mama
3. Thankfulness Chain: Thanksgiving Activity | The Joys of Boys
4. Things I am Thankful for Story Window | Buggy and Buddy
5. Thanksgiving Yoga | Kid’s Yoga Stories
6. Gratitude Jar or Thankful Jar for Thanksgiving | Fill a thankful turkey mason jar, a thankful and blessed box, a glass candy dish, a blessing jar, or a thankful pumpkin, with notes of gratitude and daily blessings.
   • To participate in this gratitude activity, write down what you are grateful for on a small piece of paper, fold it up (if desired), and drop it into the jar.
   • Or ask dinner guests to write down what they are thankful for and put it into a blessing jar. Then, take them out to share at the table with family and friends for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving.

Printable Thanksgiving Gratitude Activities:

Printables make it easy to include thankful activities at the Thanksgiving table. Put these fantastic printable Thanksgiving gratitude activities and crafts on the table with markers or colored pencils (or glue) at home or in the classroom to increase feelings of thankfulness during the holiday season:

1. Thankful Tree Printable | Rhythms of Play
2. “I Am Thankful For” Printable Thanksgiving Placemats To Color | Rhythms of Play
3. Thankful Turkey Printable Thanksgiving Coloring Page | Rhythms of Play
4. Printable Gratitude Journal Prompts | Rhythms of Play
5. Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher: Gratitude Activity for Kids | Bren Did
6. Count Your Blessings Tree (Printable) | Somewhat Simple
7. Go on a Gratitude Photo Scavenger Hunt | Let’s Get Together
8. Thanksgiving Coloring Pages Printable | Nurturestore
9. Be Thankful: Book-Inspired Family Thanksgiving Activity with Free Printable | Sunny Day Family
10. Free Printable Gratitude Garland | Somewhat Simple
11. Printable Family Gratitude Devotions for November | Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls
12. I Am Grateful: Gratitude Printable Template | Rhythms of Play

Related: How to Make Poultry Stock

Grateful Games: Fun Thanksgiving Games for Kids and Adults

Teach children about gratitude and thankfulness with the simple games below. These fun gratitude games for kids help promote thankfulness at home or in the classroom. Playing Thanksgiving gratitude games is a fun activity for kids and adults of all ages:

1. Gratitude Pick Up Sticks Game | Teach Beside Me
2. How to Teach Children Gratitude with The Gratitude Game | Play Party Plan
3. I am Thankful Skittles Gratitude Game | Planning Playtime

Related: Fall Bucket List Seasonal Activity Guide for the Best Autumn Ever!

Thankful Crafts: Thanksgiving Gratitude Crafts for Kids and Adults

Wondering what kids can make for Thanksgiving? Here’s a list of fun gratitude crafts for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and older kids to try. Best of all, these simple crafts serve as gratitude activities to help children develop a grateful heart. You can even turn a few of these DIY Thanksgiving crafts into a Thanksgiving gratitude countdown for your Thanksgiving feast. Starting on November 1, or whenever it suits your fancy, write something you are grateful for each day until Thanksgiving Day.

Or, make any of these thankful craft ideas as a family on Thanksgiving weekend and decorate them with words of gratitude that remind you of everything you have to be grateful for. Cultivate gratitude at home or in the classroom with the following thankful craft ideas. Click on the creator of each Thanksgiving gratitude craft below for all the DIY details!

Thankful Tree Crafts for Thanksgiving:

Making a thankful or gratitude tree for Thanksgiving is a fun little project for the entire family (or classroom). These easy DIY tutorials make it easy to learn how to make a thankful Thanksgiving tree as a centerpiece for your Thanksgiving dinner table!

1. Thanksgiving Thankful Tree Ideas for Thanksgiving | Rhythms of Play
2. How to Make a Thankful Tree with Real Leaves | Rhythms of Play
3. Printable Gratitude or Thankful Tree with Leaves | Rhythms of Play
4. Thankful Tree with Clay Gratitude Leaves | Rhythms of Play (pictured below)

Thanksgiving Gratitude Garland Crafts:

Thankful garlands make fabulous autumn home decor and excellent Thanksgiving decorations for the home or classroom.

1. Gratitude Garland | Mosswood Connections
2. Acorn Gratitude Banner | Creative Family Fun
3. Giving Thanks Thankful Banner | Carina Gardner
4. Thanksgiving Paper Chain Thankful Garland: Use these colorful paper strips or cut pieces of construction paper into strips and attach them with transparent tape, glue tape, or glue dots to create a long paper chain.
   • Ensure each link is glued inside the ring of another paper chain link to create a simple gratitude paper chain for Thanksgiving.)

Thanksgiving Gratitude Wreath Crafts:

Thankful wreaths are a fun and engaging craft that allows kids and adults of all ages to express their gratitude. Try either of these Thanksgiving gratitude wreaths tutorials:

1. Thanksgiving Clothespin Wreath | Chica and Jo
2. How to Make a Gratitude Wreath with Your Kids | The Many Little Joys
3. Be Grateful with a DIY Thankful Wreath Craft | Hands On As We Grow
4. Alternatively, create these clay gratitude leaves. Then glue them onto a wreath form or cardboard circle to fashion them into a wreath or use them to make a thankful mobile craft, as shown in the photo below.

Thankful Turkey Crafts:

Make a thankful turkey with the kids for Thanksgiving, or try these cute turkey leaf crafts to help everyone feel a little more grateful during the darkening days of fall.

1. Thankful Turkey Thanksgiving Placemats To Color | Rhythms of Play
2. Adorable Thankful Turkey Printable Coloring Page | Rhythms of Play
3. Gratitude Turkey Placemats | Mama’s Happy Hive
4. Thankful Handprint Turkey Craft and Gratitude Journal Project (This is the turkey made with hands folded in gratitude or prayer shown in the photo collages for this roundup of gratitude crafts and activities) | Arts and Crackers
5. Gratitude Turkey | Little Family Fun
6. Thankful Turkey Craft Kit
7. Thankful Turkey Book | B-Inspired Mama
8. I am Thankful Thanksgiving Craftivity | Playdough to Plato
9. Easy Thankful Turkeys Craft | Teaching 2 and 3-Year-Olds
10. Thankful Turkey Handprint Keepsake | School Time Snippets
11. Thankful Leaf Lanterns with a Turkey | Rhythms of Play
    • Write notes of thanks and gratitude into these cute little thankful jars or blessing jars, put a little sand and a tealight candle in them, or give them to the person cooking dinner as a thank-you gift for Thanksgiving.
    • These adorable Thankful Turkey Lanterns are shown in the photograph below.

More Fun Thanksgiving Gratitude Crafts:

Make any of these thankful crafts to create an attitude of gratitude in your home or classroom!

1. Gratitude Mobile | Rhythms of Play
2. Give Thanks, Gratitude Board | Jellybean Junkyard
3. Gratitude Boxes | Meri Cherry
4. Be Thankful: A Thanksgiving Craft for Kids | Kitchen Counter Chronicles
5. Gratitude Pumpkins (Thankful Pumpkins) | The Joys of Boys
6. Thanksgiving Thankful Crafts Kit
7. How to Make Marbled Clay Gratitude Leaves | Rhythms of Play (Photo below)

Related: Turkey Leaf Lanterns Thanksgiving Craft

Thankful Food and Kindness Cookies:

Here are a few fun ways to practice gratitude and kindness with food. Acts of kindness like these make life sweet. For example, consider making thankful dinner rolls or passing out kindness cookies to your guests or neighbors this Thanksgiving.

1. Delicious Thankful Dinner Rolls | How Does She
2. Easy Cake Mix Kindness Cookies (Three-Ingredient Sugar Cookies!)
   • First, make your favorite sugar cookies with these Thanksgiving cookie cutters.
   • Then, bake them in the oven according to the cookie recipe instructions.
   • Next, decorate kindness cookies with words of gratitude or inspiration written on them!

Related: Pumpkin Cranberry Bread 

Children’s Thanksgiving Books That Inspire Thankfulness:

Thanksgiving is a beautiful time of year to remember and be grateful for what we have. Reading gratitude books with your children is a great way to introduce the concept of thankfulness to kids of all ages. Looking for a list of Thanksgiving books to help nurture gratitude in the home or classroom? Have a peek at this fantastic collection of Thanksgiving gratitude Books for Kids.

Thanksgiving Activities and Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids and Families:

These gratitude activities and Thanksgiving crafts offer a simple way to teach children about gratitude as the days grow shorter and the nights longer during the darker half of the year. Many of these gratitude activities for kids can be done at any time of year, but they are most enjoyable during the Thanksgiving holiday season.

Fill your life with gratitude and decorate your home or classroom with thankfulness this holiday season! Try any of the Thanksgiving gratitude activities and crafts listed above.

Thanksgiving Activities and Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids make nurturing thankfulness in your home or classroom fun. Try these Thanksgiving gratitude activities and Thanksgiving crafts for kids today! You might also enjoy these Family Christmas Traditions.

For even more ideas, consider these Gratitude Activities or this collection of 20 Thanksgiving traditions and fun activities to do on Thanksgiving! You might also enjoy this list of fall activities, accompanied by a printable Fall Bucket List. It offers even more fun fall activities to try.

Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author of this roundup of Thanksgiving gratitude crafts and activities HERE, and Rhythms of Play HERE!

If You Liked Thanksgiving Gratitude Activities, you might also enjoy

• Year-Round Gratitude Activities for Kids
• 15 Ways to Raise a Helper
• Forest School Outdoor Learning and Nature Activities
• Calm Down Sensory Bottles 101

More Thanksgiving Ideas:

• Thankful Tree Printable with Gratitude Leaves
• How to Make Thanksgiving Turkey Mason Jar Lanterns
• 20 Thanksgiving Traditions and Fun Things to Do on Thanksgiving
• Thanksgiving Turkey Leaf Crafts