Thanksgiving is a beautiful time of year to practice gratitude. Here’s a list of Thanksgiving gratitude activities and thankful crafts that provide an easy way to teach children about gratitude and keep them happily entertained while waiting for dinner. (Originally published November 8, 2015; this post is updated and republished to improve the content.)
This collection of Thanksgiving gratitude activities and crafts for kids and adults makes cultivating gratitude in the home, classroom, or workplace fun. While you can do some of the Thanksgiving gratitude crafts and activities on this list of ideas year-round, most are specific thankful activities and crafts the whole family (or classroom) can do for Thanksgiving.
Craft ideas like these thankful crafts and activities are perfect for doing at the Thanksgiving dinner table while waiting for the turkey to be done. So, if you are wondering how to keep kids busy and happily entertained at Thanksgiving. There are a lot of fun Thanksgiving activities and crafts for kids and families to do on, around, or for Thanksgiving. Enjoy the fun Thanksgiving activity ideas on the list below in your home or classroom to celebrate the joy that gratitude can bring!
If you are looking for gratitude crafts and activities to use throughout the year to teach children about gratitude and nurture a thankful attitude, look at these Gratitude Activities and crafts for kids. It includes ideas and information on how to teach children to be more grateful. You may also enjoy this list of Thanksgiving Traditions.
Related: Gratitude Books for Kids That Inspire Thankfulness.
Thanksgiving Gratitude Activities, Games, and Crafts for Kids and Families
Gratitude brings abundance. Use these fun Thanksgiving activities and easy Thanksgiving crafts to cultivate and express gratitude in the home or 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.
This makes the thankful crafts and activities on the list below perfect for anyone seeking meaningful and engaging ways to celebrate Thanksgiving with the entire family or classroom. You might also enjoy this list of fall art projects and painting ideas for kids.
Benefits of Thankful Crafts and Activities for Thanksgiving
Engaging in thankful crafts and activities during Thanksgiving offers a myriad of benefits for both kids and adults. Making gratitude crafts is an excellent creative outlet that fosters gratitude, enhances family bonding, and supports mental well-being.
For children, Thanksgiving-themed crafts provide a fun-filled way to develop fine motor skills and explore their artistic side. At the same time, expressing thankfulness through these activities can help instill a lifelong appreciation for the small blessings in life.
Thanksgiving crafts can also offer children an educational experience when lessons in history and cultural awareness are included in the craft or activity. This makes thankful crafts like those on the list below a multifaceted addition to any holiday celebration.
For adults, mindful Thanksgiving crafting sessions can provide respite from the hustle of holiday preparations. In other words, doing these crafts and activities can help reduce stress and promote a positive mood. And when parents and teachers are happy, joy will radiate throughout the household or classroom.
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 DIY details for each Thanksgiving activity. Gratitude activities are first on this list, followed by gratitude crafts for kids, gratitude games, and more! 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 Thanksgiving gratitude activities that can help you raise grateful kids.
- Thankful Heart Thanksgiving Activity for Kids | Live Craft Eat for Lasso the Moon
- Thanksgiving Kids’ Table | Meaningful Mama
- Thankfulness Chain: Thanksgiving Activity | The Joys of Boys
- Things I am Thankful for Story Window | Buggy and Buddy
- Thanksgiving Yoga | Kid’s Yoga Stories
- Thankful Jar for Thanksgiving | Amazon
Printable Thanksgiving Gratitude Activities
Printables make it easy to include thankful activities at the Thanksgiving table. Give any of these fantastic printable Thanksgiving gratitude activities at home or in the classroom to increase feelings of thankfulness.
- “I Am Thankful For” Printable Thanksgiving Placemats To Color | Rhythms of Play
- Thankful Turkey Printable Thanksgiving Coloring Page | Rhythms of Play
- Printable Gratitude Journal Prompts | Rhythms of Play
- Thankful Tree Printable | Rhythms of Play
- Gratitude Activity for Kids: Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher | Bren Did
- Count Your Blessings Tree (Printable) | Somewhat Simple
- Gratitude Photo Scavenger Hunt | Let’s Get Together
- Thanksgiving Coloring Pages Printable | Nurturestore
- Be Thankful: Book Inspired Family Thanksgiving Activity with Free Printable | Sunny Day Family
- Free Printable Gratitude Garland |Somewhat Simple
- Printable Family Gratitude Devotions for November | Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls
- I Am Grateful – Gratitude Printable Template | Rhythms of Play
Related: How to Make Poultry Stock
Grateful Games: Thanksgiving Games for Kids and Families
Teach children about gratitude and thankfulness while playing any of these fun Thanksgiving gratitude games for kids!
- Gratitude Pick up Sticks Game | Teach Beside Me
- How to Teach Children Gratitude: Gratitude Game | Play Party Plan
- 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 Families
Wondering what can kids make for Thanksgiving? Here’s a list of thankful crafts for kids they can try. Best of all, these thankful crafts double as gratitude activities that can help children develop grateful hearts. Cultivate gratitude at home or in the classroom with the thankful craft ideas on the list below.
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. 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!
- Thanksgiving Thankful Tree Ideas for Thanksgiving | Rhythms of Play
- How to Make a Thankful Tree with Real Leaves | Rhythms of Play
- Printable Thankful Tree with Gratitude Leaves | Rhythms of Play
- 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.
- Gratitude Garland | Mosswood Connections
- Acorn Gratitude Banner | Creative Family Fun
- Giving Thanks Thankful Banner | Carina Gardner
Thanksgiving Gratitude Wreath Crafts
Thankful wreaths are fun gratitude crafts for all ages. Try either of these Thanksgiving gratitude wreaths tutorials:
- Thanksgiving Clothespin Wreath | Chica and Jo
- Wreath of Plenty Craft | Parents
- Or, make clay gratitude leaves and fashion them into a wreath or thankful mobile.
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.
- Thankful Turkey Thanksgiving Placemats To Color | Rhythms of Play
- Cute Thankful Turkey Printable Coloring Page | Rhythms of Play
- Gratitude Turkey Placemats | Mama’s Happy Hive
- Thankful Handprint Turkey Craft and Gratitude Journal Project | Arts and Crackers
- Thankful Turkey Craft Kit
- Gratitude Turkey | Little Family Fun
- Thankful Turkey Book | B-Inspired Mama
- I am Thankful Thanksgiving Craftivity | Playdough to Plato
- Easy Thankful Turkeys Craft | Teaching 2 and 3-Year-Olds
- Thankful Turkey Handprint Keepsake | School Time Snippets
- Thankful Leaf Lanterns with a Little Turkey (Shown in the photograph below. Put notes of thanks and gratitude into these cute little thankful jars or blessing jars, put a candle in them, or give them to the chef as a hostess gift for Thanksgiving.) | Rhythms of Play
More Fun Thanksgiving Gratitude Crafts
Make any of these thankful crafts to create an attitude of gratitude in your home or classroom!
- Gratitude Moble | Rhythms of Play
- Give Thanks, Gratitude Board | Jellybean Junkyard
- Gratitude Boxes | Meri Cherry
- Be Thankful: A Thanksgiving Craft for Kids | Kitchen Counter Chronicles
- Gratitude Pumpkins (Thankful Pumpkins) | The Joys of Boys
- Thanksgiving Thankful Crafts Kit
- How to Make Marbled Clay Gratitude Leaves | Rhythms of Play (Photo below)
Related: Turkey Leaf Lanterns Thanksgiving Craft
Thankful Food and Kindness Cookies
We have found a few fun ways to practice gratitude and kindness with food, too! For example, make thankful dinner rolls or pass out kindness cookies to your guests or neighbors this Thanksgiving.
- Delicious Thankful Dinner Rolls | How Does She
- Easy Cake Mix Kindness Cookies – Use Thanksgiving cookie cutters and decorate kindness cookies with words of gratitude or inspiration!
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 your children.
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 provide an easy way to teach children about gratitude as the days continue to grow shorter and the nights longer. Many of these gratitude activities for kids can be done any time of year but are the most fun at Thanksgiving.
So, 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 on the lists 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, look at these Gratitude Activities or this collection of 20 Thanksgiving traditions and fun things to do on Thanksgiving! You might also enjoy this list of fall activities with a printable Fall Bucket List. It has even more fun fall activities you can try.
Learn more about 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
Jo says
Thanks for including our wreath in your collection of great Thanksgiving crafts!
nell says
You’re welcome! It’s so lovely I just had to share 🙂
Lauren says
Wow! What a collection! THANKS for sharing.
Lauren, RunHoly.com
nell says
So glad you like it Lauren!
Mikki says
What a great collection of posts and crafts!! Love this!! Pinning and taking a look at some of these that’s for sure!!
nell says
Thanks Mikki! I had a great time putting it together 🙂
Alyssa @ Arts and Crackers says
I love all the ones where you hand the leaves on trees! Such an adorable and decorative way to be thankful. Thank you for including my Thankful Turkey Journal!
nell says
I love that one too Alyssa, and your Thankful Turkey Journal is brilliantly creative!
Vanessa says
Thank you SO much for featuring our Turkey placemats! 🙂
nell says
You’re welcome Vanessa! It’s wonderful 🙂
Tiffany Sanders says
Such adorable crafts. Will try to make some of these with my daughters. Hope they will love it. Keep up the good work!
nell says
Thanks Tiffany! So glad you appreciate all the fun gratitude crafts found here. I hope you have a wonderful time making a few with your girls!
Prof.DineshChoumal, India says
A good read is my weakness. Love to read ur articles.
nell says
Thank you for the kind words Dinesh! So glad you appreciate them 🙂
Pratibha soni says
Wow! Great ideas. Thanks for sharing with us!
nell says
You are very welcome, Pratibha! So glad you enjoyed it!
pratibha Soni says
Yes, I love all of these..Thank you for all of these great ideas!
nell says
You are welcome, Pratibha! So glad you like the ideas found here!
Hema says
Nice Article.
Thank you for sharing.
nell says
Thank you! I’m so glad you found it useful!
Yetişkin sohbet says
Very good nice blog
Nell Regan M.A. says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you like it and find it useful!
With gratitude,
Nell
Arts and Bricks says
This is a lovely list of gratitude activities for families and kids. Thanks for sharing!!!! We like to count our blessings by writing daily gratitudes.
Nell Regan M.A. says
Thank you, I’m so glad you liked this list of gratitude crafts and activities for kids. Counting your blessings with daily gratitude is a wonderful activity to do with children. Well done!