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Thanksgiving is my favorite! I absolutely love this time of year and the extra focus on being grateful. It has been an especially important lesson for my heart this week as I have noticed that my attitude lately has been more inclined toward complaining about things.
1 Thessalonians encourages us to, “Be joyful ALWAYS, pray CONTINUALLY, and to give thanks in ALL circumstances…” Not just the good times, but the hard times too. We can do this because we know God is good and being thankful in all circumstances is a way of surrendering our will for His better one.
To help your family be intentional this month, I have compiled a list of fun activities you can do together! Let me know if you try any of these great ideas!
Easy Activities for November Family Fun
- Go classic! Have everyone in the family trace one of their hands and color in their “turkey.”
- Ding Dong Ditch a bag of Thanksgiving-feast-themed groceries to a family in need (Precooked turkey, jar of gravy, box of stuffing, can of corn, canned cranberry sauce, and mini pumpkin pie from grocery store bakery – see it HERE).
- Write thank you notes as a family to people in your world (pastors, teachers, neighbors, etc.). HERE is a cute printable.
- Record a video of your kids doing their best impression of a turkey. Send it to someone who could use a good laugh.
- Watch the movie A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (affiliate link).
- Make Turkey Pancakes (SO easy – go HERE).
- Place a pad of Post-Its and a pen by a mirror for family members to write what they are thankful for and then stick to the mirror throughout the month.
- Learn how to say Thank You in different languages – go HERE.
- Have your kids cut out pictures of Thanksgiving foods from grocery store flyers and glue the pictures to a paper plate. Go HERE for details.
- Play-Dough Turkeys – Make chocolate play-dough (go HERE for simple recipe). Then roll into balls and stick colorful craft feathers into the play-dough.
- Memorize a Bible verse about being thankful. Go HERE for some great suggestions.
- Get a suitcase out and have the kids pretend to pack it as if they were traveling on the Mayflower – what would they take with them?
- Leave a bag of popcorn in the mailbox for the mail carrier with a note that says, “We just had to POP in to say we are thankful for you! Happy Thanksgiving!” Grab a FREE Printable note HERE.
- Make easy turkey cookies – see HERE.
- Visit the library and check out books related to Thanksgiving. THIS ONE is our favorite.
- Color a Thanksgiving-themed coloring page. Go HERE for some cute printable ones.
- Make simple bird feeders – roll pinecones in peanut butter and then birdseed. Hang from a tree branch with yarn.
- Eat Pumpkin Pie in a Cup – go HERE.
- Bake pumpkin bread and take to a neighbor – go HERE for recipe and printable tag.
- Make a turkey trap on the night before Thanksgiving.
- Put THESE Thanksgiving Joke Cards in your kids’ lunch boxes or under everyone’s dinner plates throughout the month.
- Walk around the neighborhood and write thank you messages with chalk on the sidewalk. Example, “Thank you for being YOU!”
- Print THESE Thanksgiving Conversation Cards and pick one to do each night this month.
- Play Don’t Eat Tom Turkey – seriously SO MUCH FUN. Click HERE for FREE Printable.
Have a wonderful November!
Joyfully,
Julie 🙂
Elycia
These ideas are amazing!! I kind of wish someone who could draw amazing doodles could make a printable checklist so we can frame it and check off what we complete! 😉
Rachel
When my babies were first born I checked your blog daily, life got in the way and less time to sit, so glad you came to my mind today and I searched for your page! Love these thanksgiving printables! I know a little girl who’s getting a joke in her lunch tomorrow!