One of the reasons why Thanksgiving is so great is because with it, comes the perfect excuse for family and friends to come together. That said, it takes a lot of planning to pull off the perfect Thanksgiving celebration. Plus, for the best results, you want to involve the kids as well. Well, here is a list of some of the ways your kids can help out this Thanksgiving.
1. Let Them Help You Come Up With The Menu
A great way to start getting your kids to want to help out on Thanksgiving is by asking their opinions and involving them in planning the Thanksgiving menu. Of course, for most people, the main dish is the turkey meal. However, there are lots of side dishes as well that the kids can help you plan.
You may have traditional recipes that are your go-to’s year after year. However, try to be open to reasonable suggestions from your little ones as well. Start planning a few days before the big day and let them share any ideas they might have. You can also go online to find some inspiration together.
Once You Have A Plan, You Can Allow Them To Get Involved Even More by:
- Planning the grocery shopping trip together
- Decide what stores to visit and what items to get in each one
- Figuring out who to invite to dinner
- If you are going to have a large event, let them help look for folding chairs and card tables for the extra seating that will be needed
2. Go Shopping Together
With all the Thanksgiving supplies you are going to need, you’ll probably have to go on multiple shopping trips. Bring the kids along so they can learn just how much goes into preparing the Thanksgiving meal. They’ll also learn how to compare prices and how to identify basic ingredients that will improve their cooking skills.
3. Let Them Decorate And Set The Table
Most kids will be happy to help with decorating tasks. They can collect colorful leaves from the yard or make crafts using construction paper. Here are a few Thanksgiving decoration ideas for kids:
- Repurpose a wreath by adding autumn-themed decorations to it and setting it on the table as a centerpiece
- Painting mini pumpkins with adorable decorations
- Let them pick and arrange flowers for the table
You can also assign age-appropriate table setting tasks, from folding napkins to bringing in the extra seats to setting out the silverware.
4. Let Them Help With Food Prep
Here are some age-appropriate food preparation tasks that your kids can help you with:
Ages 5 And Under
- Crack eggs
- Tear up the stuffing bread
- De-stemming kale
- Washing and snapping green beans
- Using the salad spinner to clean salad greens
- Rolling pie dough
- Basic table setting tasks
Ages 6-10
- Scrubbing potatoes
- Peeling potatoes on a kid-sized peeler
- Mashing cooked potatoes
- Add toppings to salads
- Finding berries, pinecones, and small twigs for decor
Ages 10-12
- Chopping vegetables in the food processor
- Whip the cream in the stand or hand mixer
- Baking cookies and decorating them
- Decorating and setting the table
Teens
- Peeling the chestnuts
- Making homemade cranberry sauce
- Baking biscuits
- Preparing the mac and cheese
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there is a lot that goes into planning for Thanksgiving. Luckily, with the tips and tricks outlined here, you can have your little helpers pitch in and help make the day a huge success.
