9 Ways I Get My Kids Involved In Thanksgiving Prep

Thanksgiving at our house means a busy kitchen, a table that needs setting, and, let’s be honest, a mom who could easily feel overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle. I’ve learned that the key to a calm and joyful holiday is getting the kids involved.

Instead of navigating the prep work solo, I turn it into a family affair. It’s not only a great way to keep my little ones engaged but also a wonderful opportunity to teach them about gratitude and togetherness.

Here are 9 ways I’ve found to include my kids in the Thanksgiving preparations, making the day less about the stress and more about creating memories together.

Pray Over the Meal

Our little guy has been learning how to say grace before meals, and it’s been quite the adorable adventure. He’s now started to take the lead at our dinner table! This Thanksgiving, we’re thinking of asking him if he’d like to say the prayer for our big meal.

It’s a small way to let him shine in a “big boy” role, and whether he opts in or not, it’s a gentle reminder for all of us about the heart of the season: gratitude.

Help Plan the Menu

When it comes to getting kids excited about Thanksgiving, letting them have a say in the menu can be a game-changer. My little one absolutely loves this part (Jackson, my toddler, told me we need to have cheese this year). This Thanksgiving, why not let your child choose a side dish or a dessert?

Better yet, encourage them to come up with a fun name for their dish. It’s amazing how a simple job like this can boost their enthusiasm!

Make a Grocery List

Teaching kids to make a grocery list is not just a way to keep them busy—it’s a practical life skill that introduces them to planning and organization. Start by handing them the recipes and asking them to list the ingredients.

To make it easier, they can group similar items together, like all the vegetables or all the baking supplies. Adding quantities sharpens their math skills too! When you go shopping, bring them along to help pick out the items.

This is a perfect moment to chat about why some brands might be a better choice than others, even if they’re a bit pricier.

Help with the Cooking

Getting the kids involved in Thanksgiving cooking turns meal prep from a chore into a whole family event. Even the littlest helpers can take on simple tasks like measuring ingredients or using the cookie cutter—watch their faces light up when they get to mash the potatoes or stir the batter!

For the older kids, managing more complex jobs like basting the turkey or chopping veggies (with a little guidance) gives them a sense of responsibility and pride.

Set the Table

Setting the Thanksgiving table is a great way to teach your kids about tradition and etiquette in a fun, hands-on manner. You can even make it a learning game—look up formal table-setting rules and try to follow them together. Get creative with place cards that the kids have decorated.

Play Host

Involving the kids as hosts for Thanksgiving has been a game-changer for us. It’s so fun to watch them take pride in welcoming Poppa and Mandy, showing them where to stash coats and bags, and telling them about the cheese we’ll have set out together.

This role helps them polish their greeting skills and learn how to interact confidently with adults and other kids in a festive environment.

Make a Thankful Jar

A Thankful Jar can be a treasure trove of family sentiments that grows every year. This will be our first year to try it, and I’m so excited!

Your kids will have a blast decorating the jar with their unique styles, be it glitter, paint, or ribbons. Pass around scraps of paper during the gathering for everyone to jot down their thankful thoughts. After dinner, the kids can take turns reading these aloud, which always brings a few laughs and sometimes a few tears when trying to guess who wrote each note.

You can save these little papers in a journal that you can look back on year after year.

Decorate

Decorating for Thanksgiving is definitely a family affair in our house. Even my three-year-old gets in on the action. He’s just the right age to enjoy a hunt for the prettiest fall leaves and the coolest twigs in our backyard. We use these finds to spruce up our space.

For older kids, taking on projects like making handprint turkeys or crafting felt coasters adds a personal touch that everyone at the dinner table will love. It’s about making our gathering spot warm and inviting, filled with little pieces of everyone’s creativity.

Make a Playlist

Thanksgiving isn’t complete without the perfect backdrop of music, and who better to DJ than the kids? While my toddler is a bit too young to man this one himself, I’ll definitely ask him for a few recommendations. I can already guarantee you we’ll be listening to the VeggieTales theme song.