A Homespun Thanksgiving for Children

I have had a lot of fun putting together a bunch of ideas to make this a fun, thrifty and yes, homespun Thanksgiving that is a delight to our children! Today, I'm going to bring it all together into one big idea post with a few bonus ideas you have not seen yet!

I've already shared that I am hoping to have our Thanksgiving outside, but this could easily be adapted to indoors if the weather is not cooperative or it is too cold where you live!

Create a simple snack area for the children who will be at your dinner - I chose these snacks because they are healthy, not too filling and things my children like! Plus, none of these things is expensive or time consuming!

Create a cozy reading area where you can snuggle up and read books about Thanksgiving!

Provide projects and/or Thanksgiving-themed games and ideas for them to enjoy!

Make a meaningful favor to put at each of their plates:

And, set your table with whimsy, color and fun to delight your children! Note - we did not move our table outside to take these photos! You'll have to visualize that we are planning it for outside! And, I know someone will ask - I found the plates at Hobby Lobby for about $2 a package.

Table runner directions here. Turkey centerpiece directions here.

Make these cute turkeys on a stick that will be a yummy treat after they've done their decorating duty! This is a modified idea I saw in Southern Living last Fall.

Start with these ingredients and some lollipop sticks - I had these wooden ones on hand from one time that I tried to make caramel apples and it was a horrible flop. Anyway, unwrap the moon pies and poke the sticks in.

Next, place icing in the spots for the eyes and beak. Use a mini oreo for the eyes - just remove one of the cookie halves and place a mini chocolate chip inside his eye. And, use a candy corn for the beak.

Now, put a line of frosting across the top of the moon pie for the turkey feathers - broken pieces of candy corn work the best for this part! They are quirky and that is perfect!

Place on a baking sheet and freeze so the icing will set quickly. You could use them as table decorations, or wrap in a cellophane bag like this:

Simple placemats are made out of sheets of scrapbook paper. Just choose one 12x12 piece for each placemat! I flipped the paper over and drew little boxes for each child to trace their hand, write their name and draw a picture of something they are thankful for! Make sure to write the year on it and you'll have a sweet and simple (and small!) item to place in their memory book or memory box.

I really wanted little chalkboards for the name tags - but that was going to cost more than I was willing to spend, so I found these tags that I painted with chalkboard paint (already on hand).

Now, for the fun part - Noble Rose Press is hosting a giveaway and giving one of you Collection 3 from their Daughters of His Story paper dolls! Collection 3 includes Priscilla Mullins and Pocahontas - both perfect for including in your Thanksgiving celebrations!

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post. For a second entry, you can "like" Noble Rose Press on Facebook! Please be sure to come back here and leave a second comment if you do this! Their paper doll collections are on sale for $10 right now! I can't wait to be able to order some of their new things that just came out - I love the work that sisters Emily Rose and Breezy Brookshire have put into these and the heart behind them.

If you order any of their collections, please leave a comment for your third entry!

This giveaway will be open until Saturday night (November 20) at 9pm EST. Winner will be chosen via random number generator and announced after that!

Happy Thanksgiving!
May God bless your efforts to bless and delight your children!
And, above all - may He be glorified and praised!