Thanksgiving Kids Table Ideas: Setup, Food and Activities

Where to put it

• Close enough to see. Put it in the same room as the adults or just next door, so someone can keep an eye on it.
• Away from the oven and hot dishes. Keep little ones away from the route between the kitchen and the table, since that’s where hot food gets carried.
• On an easy floor. Spills will happen. Put a cheap plastic tablecloth or an old sheet under the table if you are on carpet.

A folding table or a coffee table with cushions works well.

Set up the table

1. Cover it with craft paper. Tape a roll of kraft paper over the table. Kids can draw on it during dinner, and you can throw it out with the mess after.
2. Put out crayons in cups. One small cup every two or three seats stops the arguments. Crayons stay put better than markers, and they won’t stain your tablecloth.
3. Add place cards. Children like seeing their own names. They also help you split up siblings who are likely to argue.
4. Use unbreakable plates and cups. Add lids and straws for younger kids.
5. Skip candles and glass. Save them for the adult table.

Food that gets eaten

Serve kids first if you can. A hungry 5-year-old does not wait well, especially after smelling turkey for three hours.

• Keep portions small. They can always come back for more.
• Keep foods separate. Some kids dislike gravy touching anything, and that’s okay on a holiday.
• Include one sure thing. Rolls, plain mashed potatoes or corn usually work.
• Set out a small snack beforehand. Apple slices or crackers help if dinner runs late.
• Choking risk. Cut grapes and similar round foods for young children, and watch nuts and hard candy around under-4s.

Activities by age

Ages 3–5

Coloring on the table cover, simple stickers, finding things in a picture and tracing their hand to make a turkey. Keep it easy and expect them to last around ten minutes.

Ages 5–8

Mazes, tic-tac-toe, word searches and thankful leaves. Each child writes or draws one thing they are thankful for on a paper leaf, and you can read them out at dessert.

Ages 8–12

Give them a job. They can be in charge of the table, make place cards, run a quiz for the younger kids or score a game. Older kids often behave better with a little responsibility.

Three table games that need no setup

• Roll a thanks. Roll a die. Each number is a prompt: 1 is a food, 2 a person, 3 a place, 4 a toy, 5 something at school, 6 something funny. Say something you are thankful for in that category.
• Would you rather. “Would you rather eat only pie for a week or only turkey?” Everyone answers, and no one can lose.
• Draw it blind. Everyone draws a turkey with their eyes closed. Then compare results and laugh.

After the meal

Children will finish long before the adults. Plan where they go next: a quiet room with a movie, a pile of blocks, or outside with one adult if the weather allows. My hour-by-hour plan for keeping kids busy on Thanksgiving Day covers the whole day, and the Thanksgiving activities guide has more ideas by age.

Put a responsible older kid or one adult on duty near the table for the first 20 minutes. After that, most kids table problems solve themselves, and you can eat your dinner while it’s still warm.