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Thanksgiving is family time. Everyone gathers together for a festive meal at home with your extended family and friends. After the meal, when everyone is pleasantly full or overfull, the family time doesn't have to end.
So, what can you do to keep the family time going? The adults are typically cleaning up, napping, or watching football on TV. Instead of plopping the little ones down in front of a video or playing games on a smartphone or computer, why not plan some fun Thanksgiving family activities instead?
Here are eight activities but there is a myriad of things to do together.
Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
It's easy to plan a scavenger hunt and with a Thanksgiving theme will make it tons of fun. The items on the hunt list could be simple things like a bird feather, corn or popcorn), pilgrim belt buckle, fall colors, oven mitt, almost anything you can think off. You can make the clues easy or hard depending on the age of the kids participating. Or you can use a free printable thanksgiving Scavenger hunt list available from Birthday Party Ideas 4 Kids. Just divide the family into two or more teams and off you go. Make sure to buy Thanksgiving themed prizes for the winners and the not so winners.
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Pin the Feather on the Turkey
This game is run by the same rules as Pin the Tail on the Donkey. You will need a large Turkey Decoration. Feathers can be homemade ones that are cut out of construction paper or you can buy feathers at the craft store. You will also need some double stick tape and a bandana to use as a blindfold. Since turkeys have many feathers, this is a game that every child can win. The parents can be a cheering squad, videographers, or judges.
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Play Touch Football
Let the kids run off some energy while you burn calories. Make up your own rules depending on the ages of the kids. If you have little ones, you can play with a Nerf football.
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Thanksgiving Parade Bingo
Don't just plop the kids in front of the TV to watch the Macy's parade. Make the parade interactive by playing Thanksgiving parade Bingo. You can download the bingo cards from Family Education. All you need is a caller and bingo markers and you are all set.
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Play Boardgames
Dig out the family game night favorites like Chinese Checkers, Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble or any game that can be played with a large amount of players. Spending quality family time is what this holiday is about and board games area fun way to do so.
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Thanksgiving Coloring
This is more of a kids only project. Crayola has free printable thanksgiving coloring pages to keep little hands busy while you are cooking or cleaning up. If you want a bigger project, there are coloring Thanksgiving tablecloth that you can decorate while the food cooks and use for the meal available on Amazon or at Target. Or just buy a white paper tablecloth and let the kids decorate it with a Thanksgiving theme.
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Take a Hike
Nothing beats taking a walk in the crisp fall air. So, go outdoors and enjoy nature before the snow comes. Or if it is already snowing in your neck of the woods, enjoy a white Thanksgiving and build a snowman or snowwoman on the way.
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Volunteer Together
It's not too late to do a volunteer project together. While the food is cooking, you can deliver meals on wheels to the elderly in your community, or bring delicious desserts to the policemen, firemen, or hospital workers who are spending the holidays away from their loved ones. After lunch, you can visit people in nursing homes to make their holiday brighter or write thank you notes to the troops who are serving far away from their families this holiday.
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