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10 Easy Thanksgiving Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers (Kids' Table + Outdoor Games!)
Looking for easy Thanksgiving activities for toddlers and preschoolers? From free coloring placemats and Thanksgiving Bingo to scavenger hunts and silly turkey games, these low-mess activities are perfect for the kids' table, Friendsgiving, and celebrating with cousins!
Thanksgiving is all about good food, family, and spending time together. But if you have toddlers or preschoolers at the table, you know they aren't always interested in sitting through a long meal while the adults catch up!
With two little boys of my own, I'm always looking for easy Thanksgiving activities for toddlers that don't require a ton of supplies—or turn into another project for the grown-ups. Think coloring pages, a simple scavenger hunt, and games that get all that extra energy out before dinner.
Whether you're hosting Thanksgiving, bringing the kids to Grandma's house, or getting together with neighbors for Friendsgiving, these 10 Thanksgiving activities for preschoolers and toddlers are designed for ages 2–6. Some are quiet activities for the kids' table; others are fun games to play with cousins and friends.
The best part? You don't need an elaborate craft station to keep the kids busy.
At a Glance: 10 Easy Thanksgiving Activities for Kids
At the kids' table:
Thanksgiving coloring placemats and I Spy
Draw what you're thankful for
Turkey sticker art
Thanksgiving picture bingo
Thanksgiving matching game
For kids who need to move:
Thanksgiving scavenger hunt
Sidewalk chalk turkey obstacle course
Turkey tag
What Time Is It, Mr. Turkey?
Thanksgiving turkey hunt
🦃 Want the free printables? I've bundled the Thanksgiving coloring placemats, scavenger hunt, gratitude cards, and picture Bingo into one FREE Activity Pack!
🖍️ Want this printable and more?
🦃 Get the FREE Activity Pack ↓Easy Thanksgiving Kids' Table Activities
I like to start with quiet, screen-free activities that children can work on while everyone arrives or while they're waiting for dinner. A few crayons, stickers, and printed pages go a long way! These also travel well if you're celebrating at someone else's house.
Thanksgiving kids' table with I Spy placemats
1. Thanksgiving Coloring Placemats + I Spy
Best for: Ages 2–6
You'll need: Printable Thanksgiving placemats and crayons
Mess level: Very low
Instead of setting out a plain sheet of paper, give every child a Thanksgiving coloring placemat! I created two fun options:
Happy Thanksgiving Coloring Placemat + I Spy: Featuring a friendly turkey, pumpkins, pies, and fall leaves, with an I Spy challenge along the bottom. Can you find 4 pumpkins, 2 pies, 1 turkey, 4 leaves, and 4 acorns?
A Truckload of Thanks! Coloring Placemat: Perfect for little truck lovers! This coloring page features Dump, Crane, and Excavator from my The Trucks That Saved children's book series, celebrating Thanksgiving together!
Younger toddlers can simply color, while older preschoolers can practice counting with the I Spy activity. Print a few of each design and let the kids pick their favorite!
Tip: Put a small cup of crayons in the center of the table and print a few extra placemats. There's no need to use paint, glitter, or anything that could end up in Thanksgiving dinner.
🖍️ Want this printable and more?
🦃 Get the FREE Activity Pack ↓
2. Draw What You're Thankful For
Best for: Ages 2–6, with adult help for younger children
You'll need: A simple thankful-for printable and crayons
Mess level: Very low
This might be my favorite activity because it's also a keepsake. Give each child a page that says “I Am Thankful For…”with a big empty space for a drawing. Make sure there are lines for their name and date, so you can save the page and look back at it next year.
Ask questions like:
What makes you happy?
Who do you love spending time with?
What's your favorite thing to do with our family?
Toddlers can draw whatever comes to mind, and a parent or grandparent can write down their answer in their own words. Older preschoolers might want to write a few letters or their name themselves.
It doesn't need to be a perfect drawing. That's what makes it sweet!
Print a sheet of four little gratitude cards, cut them apart, and give one to each child.
🖍️ Want this printable and more?
🦃 Get the FREE Activity Pack ↓3. Thanksgiving Turkey Sticker Art
Best for: Ages 2–6
You'll need: Large fall or turkey stickers, blank paper, or a printable turkey outline
Mess level: Low
My kids are much more interested in stickers than complicated crafts, and I love an activity they can actually do themselves.
Put out Thanksgiving stickers and let the kids decorate a blank piece of paper, make a funny turkey, or fill in a simple fall scene. You could even print a turkey body and let them use stickers for colorful feathers. No scissors, wet glue, or elaborate instructions required.
For kids who never seem to have enough stickers, a sticker book is another great quiet-time option. We also have The Trucks That Saved the Park Sticker Book for little vehicle lovers!
Tip: For the youngest children, choose larger stickers and supervise so small pieces don't end up in mouths.
4. Thanksgiving Picture Bingo
Best for: Ages 3–6; younger children can play with help
You'll need: Thanksgiving picture bingo cards and crayons
Mess level: Very low
Picture bingo is a great activity when you have several kids together, especially if an older cousin or grandparent wants to lead a game.
Instead of words, use simple Thanksgiving pictures: a turkey, pumpkin, pie, corn, leaf, and so on. Call out each picture and have the kids color or mark the matching square on their card.
For younger kids, I'd make this a cooperative game where everyone tries to fill their card, rather than focusing too much on who wins first. Use crayons to mark the spaces instead of little game chips around toddlers.
🖍️ Want this printable and more?
🦃 Get the FREE Activity Pack ↓5. Thanksgiving Picture Matching Game
Best for: Ages 2–6
You'll need: Printed and cut-out matching picture cards
Mess level: Very low
Print a few pairs of Thanksgiving pictures—two turkeys, two pumpkins, two pies, two leaves—and let the kids find the matching pairs.
For toddlers, lay the cards face-up so they can spot the matching images. For older preschoolers, turn them face-down and play a simple memory game.
This is an especially good backup activity to tuck into a bag if you're heading to a relative's house and aren't sure how much space there will be for the kids to play.
Easy Tip: You can use the Thanksgiving Bingo calling cards from my free activity pack for this game, too! Just print two copies, cut out the pictures, and you have an instant Thanksgiving matching game. No additional printable needed!
Thanksgiving Games for Toddlers & Preschoolers
After sitting at the table, most kids are ready to MOVE! These Thanksgiving games work well with siblings, cousins, or a group of neighborhood friends. Several can be played indoors if the weather doesn't cooperate, although you'll want a safe open space for any running games.
6. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt (Inside or Outside!)
Best for: Ages 2–6
You'll need: A simple picture scavenger hunt checklist and crayons
Mess level: None
I love the idea of a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt because it requires almost no setup, works with a mixed-age group, and doesn't rely on buying special decorations.
Give everyone a picture checklist and have them find or point to these eight things:
A leaf
Something orange
A spoon
A pumpkin (or a picture of one)
A book
Something soft
A napkin
Something you're thankful for
That last one is my favorite! Kids might point to a family member, a favorite toy, or even the Thanksgiving food.
Younger toddlers can search with an adult or older cousin. Preschoolers can carry their own checklist and check off the pictures. I recommend having kids spot the items instead of collecting them, so nobody empties Grandma's living room onto the floor.
Hosting tip: If you're doing this at someone else's house, agree on the play areas ahead of time and keep fragile decorations and the kitchen off-limits.
🖍️ Want this printable and more?
🦃 Get the FREE Activity Pack ↓
7. Thanksgiving Sidewalk Chalk Obstacle Course 🦃
Best for: Ages 2–6
You'll need: Sidewalk chalk and a safe paved play area
Mess level: Low, outdoors
Need an easy way to burn off some energy before or after Thanksgiving dinner? This Thanksgiving sidewalk chalk obstacle course is perfect for getting toddlers and preschoolers moving!
All you need is some sidewalk chalk and a driveway, patio, or paved area at your neighborhood park. Draw a few Thanksgiving-themed obstacles, and let the kids hop, tiptoe, spin, and gobble their way to the finish line!
Here's how to create your Thanksgiving obstacle course:
🦃 Gobble at the Start! Draw a big, friendly turkey with colorful feathers and a starting line. Before taking off, everyone has to give their best turkey gobble!
🎃 Hop Across the Pumpkins: Draw four pumpkins spaced a little apart. Kids hop from pumpkin to pumpkin without stepping outside the lines. Younger toddlers can simply step between them.
🥔 Tiptoe Past the Mashed Potatoes: Draw three bowls of mashed potatoes with little footprints winding between them. The challenge? Tiptoe carefully around the mashed potatoes without stepping in dinner!
🦃 Do the Turkey Trot: Draw a big zigzag line using colorful chalk. Have the kids follow the line while doing their best silly turkey trot. Bonus points for wiggling and gobbling along the way!
🥧 Spin Around the Pumpkin Pie: Draw a giant pumpkin pie with a circular arrow around it. Kids walk around the pie and do one silly spin before moving on. Don't get too dizzy!
🪽 Flap Your Turkey Wings: Draw two big turkey wings with footprints between them. Kids stand on the footprints, stretch out their arms, and flap their wings like a turkey!
🏁 Gobble to the Finish! Draw a finish line with another little turkey. Everyone has to give one final, extra-loud GOBBLE GOBBLE! to complete the course.
The best part? Kids can go through the course as many times as they want! Younger toddlers can walk through the obstacles, while older preschoolers can hop, balance, and try to beat their own time.
You can even let the cousins take turns leading everyone through the course. It's an easy Thanksgiving activity that gets everyone moving without needing a bunch of supplies.
Mom Tip: Keep the course away from cars and driveways in use, and ask permission before drawing with chalk at someone else's house. If you're hosting a big Thanksgiving gathering, draw the course ahead of time so it's ready when the kids need to get their wiggles out!
8. Turkey Tag
Best for: Ages 3–6; toddlers can join with an adult
You'll need: Open grass or another safe play space
Mess level: None
Turkey Tag is a fun, silly twist on regular tag and needs absolutely no supplies.
How to play:
Choose one child to be the turkey.
The turkey tries to gently tag another player.
When tagged, that player freezes and flaps their wings like a turkey.
Another player can unfreeze them with a high-five.
Switch turkeys after a few minutes.
For a group with very young children, I'd keep the game short and let an adult help manage turns. If chasing gets too wild, switch to a walking-only version.
What Time Is It, Mr. Turkey? A fun Thanksgiving twist on the classic children's game! 🦃
9. What Time Is It, Mr. Turkey?
Best for: Ages 3–6; younger children can copy the group
You'll need: Open play space
Mess level: None
If your kids already know (our favorite) What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?, this Thanksgiving version is an easy hit.
How to play:
One person stands at the far end of the play area as Mr. Turkey.
The other children line up and call, “What time is it, Mr. Turkey?”
Mr. Turkey calls out a time, such as “Three o'clock!” Everyone takes three steps forward.
Keep asking until Mr. Turkey announces “DINNER TIME!”
Everyone runs back to the start—or simply freezes and gobbles, if you're playing with younger kids who don't love being chased.
Bonus game: Turkey Red Light, Green Light. Have the turkey call “Gobble, gobble, GO!” when kids may move and “Turkey FREEZE!” when everyone must stop. This is another easy option for preschoolers who need to burn off energy before dinner.
10. Thanksgiving Turkey Hunt
Best for: Ages 2–6
You'll need: Paper turkey cutouts or a ready-made turkey hunt game
Mess level: None
Think Easter egg hunt—but with little turkeys instead! My boys love hide-and-seek. Honestly, they'll turn just about anything into a scavenger hunt!
Hide paper turkeys around the living room, backyard, or another approved play area. Have the kids look for as many as they can find. Make them easy to spot for toddlers and a little trickier for the bigger kids.
You could print and cut out your own turkeys or use a ready-made turkey hunt game. I love that this activity can work both indoors and outside, depending on the space and weather.
For a big group, try having everyone work together to find all the missing turkeys instead of competing for the most. Be sure to count the turkeys before hiding them so you know when you've found them all!
Tip: Keep hiding spots at toddler height and never put turkeys near roads, stairs, breakable decorations, or anywhere children would need to climb.
Free Thanksgiving Activity Printables for Toddlers & Preschoolers 🦃
Want to keep the kids entertained without spending hours preparing activities?
I've put together a FREE Thanksgiving Activity Pack filled with easy, low-mess activities for toddlers and preschoolers!
Here's what's included:
🦃 Thanksgiving Coloring Placemat + I Spy: A fun coloring activity with a picture-counting challenge.
🚛 A Truckload of Thanks! Coloring Placemat: Featuring Dump, Crane, and Excavator from The Trucks That Saved.
🍁 Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt: A picture checklist featuring eight things kids can find around the house.
❤️ I Am Thankful For... Keepsake Cards: Let kids draw what they're thankful for, then save their drawings with their names and dates.
🎃 Thanksgiving Picture Bingo: Eight different Bingo boards and twelve picture calling cards for a fun family game!
Everything is designed for easy home printing.
Just print the pages you want, grab some crayons, and you're ready to go!
Enter your email below to get your FREE Thanksgiving Activity Pack!
🦃 Get Your FREE Thanksgiving Activity Pack!
Keep the kids entertained this Thanksgiving! Get our free printable coloring placemats, Thanksgiving Bingo, scavenger hunt, gratitude activities, and more!
Enter your email below to get the whole pack!
Bonus: A Cozy Post-Dinner Read — The Trucks That Saved Christmas 🎄
Best for: Ages 2–6
You'll need: A favorite Christmas book and a cozy spot
Mess level: None!
After all the turkey, pumpkin pie, and running around with cousins, sometimes everyone needs a little downtime!
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to kick off the Christmas season with a cozy storytime. Gather the kids on the couch, grab a blanket, and let Grandma, Grandpa, or an older cousin take over as the storyteller.
If you have little truck lovers in your family, I might be a little biased, but The Trucks That Saved Christmas is a fun choice! I wrote this children's picture book for toddlers and preschoolers who love trucks, Christmas, and a good adventure.
It's a sweet way to wind down after Thanksgiving dinner, get everyone excited for the holiday season, and maybe even give the grown-ups a few peaceful minutes to enjoy their pie!
Mom Tip: Make it a new Thanksgiving tradition! Once dinner is over, let the kids pick out their favorite Christmas books and have a little holiday storytime together.
Tips for Keeping Toddlers Busy on Thanksgiving
If you're planning Thanksgiving activities for several children, you really don't have to organize ten different stations. A few simple choices are enough.
Start with quiet activities. Coloring placemats, thankful drawings, and stickers are perfect for when guests arrive or while everyone waits for food.
Plan one or two group games. A scavenger hunt or turkey hunt gives cousins and friends something to do together. Save chasing games for a safe outdoor area with an adult supervising.
Bring a portable activity bag. If Thanksgiving is at Grandma's house or a neighbor's, pack the printable pages, crayons, stickers, and paper turkey cutouts in one folder. Check with your host before hiding turkeys or using chalk.
Skip the complicated crafts. As much as I love a cute finished project, if I have to cut out 30 tiny feathers or do the whole craft myself, it's not the relaxing Thanksgiving activity I had in mind! Simple is better.
Keep it age-appropriate. Two-year-olds may need a grown-up nearby for stickers and scavenger hunts. Five- and six-year-olds can often help explain rules to the younger kids. Supervise games and avoid small loose pieces around children who might mouth them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are easy Thanksgiving activities for two-year-olds?
Coloring placemats, large stickers, thankful-for drawings, and a simple picture scavenger hunt are good places to start. Keep activities short and let toddlers participate with an adult instead of expecting them to follow complicated game rules.
How do you keep kids busy at the Thanksgiving table?
Set out a few low-mess options before everyone sits down: coloring placemats, crayons, sticker pages, and picture matching cards. If an older cousin or grandparent is available, picture bingo can turn waiting time into a group activity.
What Thanksgiving games can cousins play together?
Turkey Tag, What Time Is It, Mr. Turkey?, a turkey hunt, and a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt are easy choices for a mixed-age group. Choose walking or freeze-game variations when little ones are playing alongside older kids.
What if we need indoor Thanksgiving activities?
The coloring pages, thankful drawings, stickers, bingo, and matching game all work at the table. You can also do an indoor scavenger hunt or hide paper turkeys in a safe play area without needing a backyard.
A Happy Thanksgiving for the Kids and the Grown-Ups
You don't need an elaborate setup or Pinterest-perfect crafts to make Thanksgiving fun for little kids. A few easy Thanksgiving activities for toddlers and preschoolers can help kids have a great time while the adults get a chance to enjoy the holiday, too.
If you're celebrating with cousins or a big group of friends, I'd start with the coloring placemats and scavenger hunt, then add a turkey game if everyone still has energy. And don't forget to save those “I Am Thankful For” drawings—they may end up being your favorite Thanksgiving keepsakes.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃