Meaningful Thanksgiving Activities For The Whole Family
It’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is already here. It feels like just yesterday when I was sitting down for a huge turkey meal with friends and family — and shoveling four servings of extremely buttery mashed potatoes into my mouth (but who’s counting?).
This year, I’m so excited to feast and schmooze at a friend’s house while also being thankful for everything that’s happened since last Turkey Day. It’s amazing how life can look so different in a year.
We can all agree that this time of year is the perfect time to give thanks and appreciate everything we have in our lives. It’s also a chance for us to acknowledge our happiness and prepare to take on new beginnings and possibilities.
So how do we get our children to also understand this point? The first step is teaching them that the holidays mean more than just turkey, pie and presents from Grandma. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to show them how meaningful the holidays are, while still keeping it fun and lively. Check out these ideas to try at this year’s Thanksgiving gathering:
A Wall of Thanks
Give everyone a rectangular piece of cardboard (or three) along with some markers or crayons. Ask everyone to write down a word on each piece of cardboard that generally describes what they are thankful for this year. While you’re all sitting down to eat, go around the room and ask everyone to describe why they chose each word and what they are grateful for this year. Then attach each piece of cardboard with rope and hang it on your wall, so you’re constantly reminded.
Get Grounded On A Hike
Many turkey eaters walk off those second (or third) servings after a Thanksgiving meal, but some families like to start the day with a hike in the woods. Nature has a calming and positive effect on everyone’s spirits, young and old. And after a nice hike together, everyone will have more room emotionally to appreciate the holiday and each other. You’ll also be extra hungry and ready to enjoy that big meal.
Thankfulness Boards
You might have heard of vision boards, where you put together a collage of all the things in life you want to create. So why not try creating a “thankfulness board” this holiday? Put out as many old magazines as you can find, along with scissors and two big pieces of cardboard. Then ask guests to cut out and paste images on the boards: one for their visions for the future and one for what they are thankful for now. During dinner, go around the table and have everyone talk about what they found and added to each board.
Sing-Along
Every family has at least one musician, right? OK — well if not, maybe Siri is in the house …. Either way, ask the musicians at your Thanksgiving gathering to play their instruments, or turn on your audio, for a fun sing-along. Sing uplifting and socially conscious songs from the Rise Up and Sing music books or even Broadway tunes. Yes, your kids will want to sing songs from “Frozen,” and you will have to deal with that. But the power of music has real healing effects and usually puts everyone in a great mood.
Volunteer Or Pick A Charity
Volunteering in a soup kitchen is a great idea that will help others and teach your kids a valuable lesson. If you can’t make the trip this year, you and your family can also choose a charity to support at Thanksgiving. Charities such as Feed the Children provide food to kids who need it.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! May it be a wonderful day filled with love, health, happiness, gratitude and perfectly mashed potatoes!
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