39+ Thanksgiving Books that Kids will “Gobble” Up!
Once we get past the excitement of Halloween, Thanksgiving is the halfway point to Christmas! Thanksgiving is a time to focus on family, express gratitude, and eat lots of turkey and pumpkin pie!
We also start settling into colder weather and spending more time indoors. This is the perfect time of the year to cozy up and read together, followed by a cup of hot chocolate! We’ve curated a list of Thanksgiving books for your family to get you started!
Table of Content:
Books for babies and toddlers (0-2)
Books for Preschoolers (3-5)
Books for Early Readers (6-8)
Books for Growing Readers (9+)
Fun & Family-friendly Activities for Thanksgiving
Best Thanksgiving Books for Babies and Toddlers (0-2 years old)
Kids are never too young to learn about giving thanks. This collection of Thanksgiving books for the youngest children are sure to be a hit!
Best Thanksgiving Books for Kindergarten (for 3-5 year old)
I never realized just how many turkey books are available today for kids! What I loved about so many of these Thanksgiving books are they are quite humorous, which kids in this age group would really enjoy!
Best Thanksgiving Books for Early Readers (for 6-8 year olds)
For this age group, I love the many diverse ways to talk about Thanksgiving. This includes a Caldecott Honor–winning picture book from Alice Dalgiesh which brings to life the origin of the Thanksgiving holiday for readers of all ages.
Best Thanksgiving Books for Growing Readers (for 9+ years old)
A feeling of nostalgia overcame me when I saw the book Duck for Turkey Day. As a first-generation immigrant, I grew up also with duck for Thanksgiving. I recall that same feeling of embarrassment when I had to share in a 4th grade class essay on how our family celebrates Thankgiving. To my surprise, my teacher pulled out my essay to read front of the class. He loved the authentic writing and to learn how other cultures celebrate this holiday. His belief in my writing really set the foundation that launched my career in marketing communications. Thank you Mr. John B. Tait!
Family-Friendly Activities for Thanksgiving
We’ve curated a list of fun Thanksgiving games and activities for your family to try this November. Be sure to try some (or all!) of these ideas to bring this holiday to life, while creating special memories for your family along the way!
Activity 1: Crafty Thanksgiving Activities to Explore!
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Confetti Stuffed Turkeys
From @StudioDIY is this fun centerpiece for a Turkey Day kid’s table!
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"I'm Grateful For" Coloring Pages
From the amazingly talented Mique @30Days is this free Thanksgiving coloring page.
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Sponge Painted Turkey
Here’s another great Thanksgiving decor from Kim @The Resourceful Mama!
Activity 2: Give thanks this Thanksgiving with cootie catchers!
From the blog of the fabulous Darcy Miller (she was an editor at Martha Stewart for 25 years!) are these fun Thanksgiving cootie catcher. This Thanksgiving, scatter these printouts across the table (and not just the kid’s table!). This is a fun and interactive game for everyone to share what they are thankful for this year.
Activity 3: Thanksgiving Games for the Kids Table
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Thanksgiving "I Spy" Printable
From Kelly @Live Laugh Rowe is this Thanksgiving I Spy Game that will keep the kids busy!
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Thanksgiving Kids Table
Check out @Sugar and Charm’s festive & fun kids table set-up, including this activity sheet from Better Home and Gardens.
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Thanksgiving Bingo Game
Kids love Bingo! Visit @Crazy Little Projects for their Thanksgiving themed-game!
Activity 4: Family movie night with “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”!
There are certain shows that my family would gather around during the holiday season. Even though today’s kids don’t understand why people used to gather around a TV at a set time, there IS something special about watching something together. Watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving as a family is a great reason to get everyone together!!
Activity 5: MORE Thanksgiving Fun & Games
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Mini Pumpkin Tic Tac Toe
From @Project Kid is a great game this Thanksgiving for kids of all ages!
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Colorful Turkey Balloons
Visit @Hello, Wonderful for this cute & colorful decor for the kid’s table this Thanksgiving!
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Thumbprint Family Tree
With the family gathered together, this is the perfect time to make a family tree. @K4 Craft
8 Fun Thanksgiving Games & Activities for Your Family
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