Thanksgiving Bucket List (Free Printable)

I have to admit that with the Christmas holiday season starting earlier & earlier every year, Thanskgiving is going to be a forgotten holiday.  I am determined to appreciate & celebrate Thanksgiving before we really jump into full on Christmas mode in our house.  Two weeks until Thanksgiving & I have created a Thanksgiving Bucket List full of simple and fun ideas to complete with my family.    Feel free to print it off & use with your own family!

1.  Find a fun way to express gratitude during the month.  There are lots of simple ways to mark gratitude with your kids.  Make a gratitude paper chain or gratitude jar writing down what you are thankful for.  This year, we are making simple gratitude canvas boards.  Last year, we did a simple thankful display as a family.  There are lots of ideas out there, both simple and more complex, that you can tailor to what you are looking for.

2.  Clean through toys & give to others.  I love to read the book Berenstain Bears Think of Those In Need with the kids & have them take some time to really pick through their toys and books to give to others.  My boys actually did really good cleaning through their toys this year and picking out trucks, cars, & other toys that they no longer play with.  I love to do it during this season so it allows us to make some space before we get a few new things at Christmas.

Here’s what you need to mix in a bowl, divide into gift bags, & pass out to those you love or care about:

Bugles to represent the cornucopia, a horn of plenty

Pretzels represent arms folded in thanks and prayers

Candy Corn reminds us that during the first winter, the Pilgrims were only allowed a few kernels of corn per day because food was scarce.

Seeds are promises of a future harvest if they are planted and well tended.

Fruit is a reminder of the harvest gifts from the land.

M & M’s are for memories for those who came before us.

Hershey Kiss is a reminder of the love for family and friends that sweetens our lives.

5.  Do some “turkey” crafting!  Later today, we will be sharing some fun and easy turkey craft ideas.

6.  Read some Thanskgiving books.  Some of our favorites include:

10 Fat Turkeys : Tony Johnston

The First Thanksgiving : Linda Hayward

Bear Says Thanks : Karma Wilson

Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House series) : Mary Pope Osborne

Pete the Cat, The First Thanksgiving : James Dean

Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks : Margraret Sutherland

I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed  A Pie : Alison Jackson

Turkey Trouble : Wendi Silvano

7.  Enjoy a few Thanksgiving themed snacks.  We have pinned some of our favorites to our Thanksgiving board on Pinterest, which also includes our No Bake Thanksgiving Cookies and our Apple Turkey Snack.

8.  Create a fun Thanksgiving placemat for the big day.  Again, I searched Pinterest for Thanksgiving placemats for kids & here are some of my favorites:

or Printable Kids Thanksgiving Placemat

9.  Play Thanksgiving Bingo.  How adorable and fun is this!  This is the perfect activity to do with the kids one night.

11.  Create a special Thanksgiving bracelet.  This is a really cute idea that I found while searching Thanksgiving activities for young children.  You basically retell the Thanksgiving story with a simple bead bracelet.  There are different versions so find the one that works for you & enjoy!

13.  Watch some Thanksgiving videos with some warm apple cider.  Sometimes I forget some of the great resources that you can find on the Internet.  Some of my favorite Thanksgiving clips & videos for my young children that you can find on the Web include:

The Story of Thanksgiving    Ten Little Turkeys

10 Fat Turkeys     Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

No More King (Schoolhouse Rocks)     Berenstain Bears Count Their Blessings

Berenstain Bears Think Of Those In Need     The First Thanskgiving Story

14.  Host your own Thanskgiving meal playdate.  Invite several families & everyone brings something for the feast, make it all kid-friendly and simple.  Mini turkey sandwiches.  French fries or mashed potatoes.  Dried cranberries.  Veggies and dip.  Have a little feast & do some of these fun activities together!