Here are some terrific Thanksgiving conversation ideas as your family gathers for the holiday meal and also for the meals leading up to the Thanksgiving. Thank you to all my amazing Kid Minister friends who contributed to this list!!
- Muslin Table Runner for the Thanksgiving table. Write what you are thankful for each year.
- Countdown Calendar for Thanksgiving-Write something on the calendar that you are thankful for each day.
- Thanksgiving leaves and markers on the table to write what you are thankful for all month. Read all the leaves on Thanksgiving Day. Another version is a Thankful Tree made from a tree branch and add the thankful leaves. It might be the center piece of the table (unless it is too large).
- Candy Corn Thankful Game- Ask each person to get some candy corn from the bowl. Next, reveal that each person must name the same amount of thanksgiving blessings as the number of candy corn they chose.
- Guessing Game– Each person writes on a slip of paper three things they are thankful for and one wish for Christmas. Place all the slips in a bowl and read one at a time so everyone can guess who it is. You will end with Christmas gift ideas too.
- Old Family Albums– The person must close their eyes and open the album without looking. Put their finger down on a photo and open their eyes. You must say how this person has impacted your life and why you are thankful for them.
- Write a Thanksgiving Poem with seven things you are thankful for.
- Write “Thanksgiving” down the side margin of your paper and write something you are thankful for by using each letter.
- “Count your Blessings Jar”-Provide slips of paper for everyone to write something they are thankful for and add each slip to the jar daily. Read them all on Thanksgiving day.
- Thankful Turkey- Gather pinecones or use Styrofoam and attach the turkey head. Provide feather shapes, tape, craft sticks and markers. Write what you are thankful for on a feather then tape it to a craft stick and add it to the turkey’s tail. Thanksgiving Day read each feather. *I drew a turkey pattern for you to use if you want. Click the “printable” link.
