3 Last Minute Ideas for the Kid's Thanksgiving Table

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Many of us will be gathering with our family or friends for some good food and fellowship. Here are 3 quick, last minute ideas to pull your kid's Thanksgiving table together or simply entertain them.

Scroll to the bottom for a free Thanksgiving printable for kids!

1. DIY Thanksgiving Placemats

Creating a Thanksgiving placemat is a great way to involve your kids in setting and decorating the kids Thanksgiving table.

Tie-Dye Turkey Placemat

Here's what you need:

• 12x18" sheet of paper (Note: You can use a standard sized sheet of paper, too. The larger size is just closer to placemat size.)
• Crayons
• Coffee Filter
• Markers
• Spray bottle with water
• Small pieces of brown, yellow, red, black, and white construction paper (You can use googly eyes instead of black and white construction paper.)
• Glue

Begin by coloring your coffee filter with the markers. You want to make sure the entire filter is covered with color. Place your colored filter on a towel or another sheet of paper. It will bleed through once it is wet. Spray the filter generously with your spray bottle. You will see the colors start to form a tie-dyed look. Set them aside to dry completely. While the filters are drying, let your child color their 12"x18" (or other size) sheet of placemat paper.

Finish your placemat by gluing down your filter onto the center of your sheet. Cut a large circle from the brown construction paper to form the turkey's body. Cut a waddle and a beak from the red and yellow paper and eyes from the black and white paper. Glue it all together to form your turkey. Use a marker to write your child's name and "Happy Thanksgiving". You can use foam letters or stamps as a fun alternative!

Paint Resist Turkey Placemat

Here's what you need:

• 12x18" sheet of paper (You can use any standard sized sheet of paper. Cardstock, cardboard, or poster board work best.)
• Painter's or masking tape
• Paint (Any colors you like!)
• Foam paint brushes
• 1 sheet of brown construction paper
• Small pieces of yellow, red, black, and white construction paper.
• Glue

Begin by placing a half, oval-shaped paper in the middle of your placemat. Start taping long strips of tape from the oval out to the edges of the paper. Fill in those long strips with small strips to form a feather-like look.

Now for the fun part! Paint your paper! Try to fill in all the holes with paint. Tip: Push your paint brush away from the oval paper.

Let it dry completely before gently and slowly removing the tape.

Finish it off by cutting an oval from the sheet of brown construction paper for the head. Cut a waddle and beak from the red and yellow construction paper and eyes from the black and white paper. Glue all of it down to form your turkey.

2. Thanksgiving Printable For the Kids

These are such a fun addition to your kid's table during your Thanksgiving meal. Print yours by clicking the button below.

3. Build Your Own Turkey Printable

Give each of the kids at your Thanksgiving table some play-dough, googly eyes, buttons, pipe cleaners, a beak and waddle, feathers, and any other assortment of items you can find around your house. Who can build the cutest turkey? Which turkey has the most creative name? Print your build-your-own turkey cards by clicking the button below.

We would love to see your Thanksgiving table ideas! Share them with us @thepreschoolbox!