Thursday, November 18, 2010

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!

96 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, thank you for all your ideas. You have motivated me to do a Thankful Party next week. I am going to do something special for my children to show them how thankful I am that I have been blessed by their lives.

I am for sure going to use some of your ideas and will credit you!

Thanks for posting and all the hard work your shared.

Blessings to you!

Jessica said...

Thank you so much for all your work on this post. The ideas are just incredible!

Anonymous said...

We would love these in our house. I have wanted to get them for sometime. Thanks~Danene
danenestewart@aol.com

heicoc said...

I love all of your ideas....I think my favorite may be the moonpie Turkey...on my phone it looked like u had googley eyes on them! Thank u for all the great ideas!

DavisFam3 said...

I love paper dolls, I remember cutting them out at my Grandma's house with the little scissors that were shaped like a bird! I may play with these more than my daughter!

Unknown said...

I just love all of your ideas. How creative you are. The paper dolls are soo cute. Happy Thanksgiving~

LynnMarie said...

What a great idea and how wonderful your table looks. The kids will just to sit there and eat there meal.
I enjoy your blog very much and I have an award for you on my blog. Please stop by to collect it.

Julie said...

Beautiful!. I love the celebration you've created, and I'm going to save some of these ideas for next year.
When our extended family gathers, we have as many as ten little ones under the age of seven. But they're ALL BOYS! I don't think it would be wise for me to plan some of the quieter activities you have here.
(We have no little girls in the family, so please don't enter me in the wonderful giveaway.)

Mary Ann said...

I'd love to win the paper dolls. Our older nieces (age 6 and 9)would LOVE them!

The turkeys on the stick are so cute and would be cute to take for each of the kids at Thanksgiving as a little gift.

Anonymous said...

I love all your ideas!!!Amazing.

Amara
kwasfamily@sbcglobal.net

Mom said...

Dear Monica, what great ideas for a child-friendly Thanksgiving celebration! I am thankful for you, and for the way you use your creativity to bless your family and honor God. Since we won't be together for Thanksgiving this year, I'm so glad to see what you'll be enjoying that day! Love you, Mom

Anna said...

Monica, thank you for this wonderful series! This has definitely been one of my favorites!

katielovesdano said...

This is a great post! Thanks for all the lovely ideas! I am going to break these activities up throughout next week for the kids to help gear them up for thanksgiving!

katielovesdano said...

I also "liked" NR Press on facebook.

Ami said...

I love the turkeys! And I love the paper doll collections, so I really hope I win!

I would like to do this for our extended family Thanksgiving, but the kids always seem so rough. Two 7yo boys, a 3yo & 4yo boy. Boys, boys, boys! Have you noticed boys (when there is more than one at an event) playing & participating with things as you intended? My boy would do it alone, but when cousins are around they really want to play war. And of course, they could play Pilgrims & Indians, but that does NOT include war!

Maybe we should get out the bb guns and play hunting. Hmm, now my mind is flowing to how I could facilitate some good rough boy Thanksgiving play!

ericself@roadrunner.com

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for all these great ideas! Hoping you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Agnes said...

Love your table, I need to do something for mine this year... I will use some of your ideas
thanks

Agnes said...

I ordered one set. I order directly from their site and it was only 13.50 with shipping. Can't wait to receive them

Davonne said...

Wow, I can't believe that you are already so prepared for Thanksgiving!! I love your ideas, and am thinking about trying a few - especially the snack station and the reading corner. Inside, since it's already really cold here (North-eastern KY). Thanks for the posts.

petrii said...

Monica,

What a wonderful table!!! I love all your decorations

Those paper dolls are just lovely.

Have a Blessed weekend,
Dawn

*carrie* said...

Everything looks great, Monica! Wish we could be around your beautiful table!

Jenn said...

What a darling Thanksgiving kids table - I want to sit there!! Have a blessed Thanksgiving with your family.

Thanks for the giveaway! I drool over the paper dolls every time I see them.

angie said...

Thank you for hosting this homespun series. I will refer to these ideas for this T'giving and for years to come.
I would love to win the paper dolls for my daughter.

Lambert Loggings said...

Thank you so much for your wonderful ideas! The pumpkin pie play dough was a big hit already in our home. Thanks for the motivation to create an "attitude of gratitude!"

Jo Ann said...

What a wonderful way to celebrate and create memories for our little ones! You are such a blessing and inspiration.

And what an exciting giveaway! The paper dolls are beautiful. I remember the special feeling I always had playing with them when I was little.

Elise said...

Oh my word...I LOVE it all, Monica!! My kids and I are going to make those same yarn ball turkeys, too!! I got the yarn some time ago, so now's the time!!
Elise
Oh, as for the paper dolls...I used to love playing with those growing up!!

Erin said...

I love all of your ideas! So cute! And thanks for keeping your ideas frugal too!
I'd love to win the paper dolls for my girls.
Erin
EJLong@gmail.com

becka said...

Thanks for all the lovely ideas! I'm sure your family and guests will have a wonderful time.

Angelia said...

Your homespun heart always adds homespun here in our home too. Big Thanks for being such a blessing to me and an encourager for the calling God has on my heart here in my home. Warm hug and graditude for you. Angelia in Texas

Melissa said...

I love the table setting! You are so creative and inspiring!

Kim said...

What wonderful ideas, thank you so much!

Laura said...

What a fun table!! Love it!

Anonymous said...

I love these ideas! My daughter is 2 1/2, and I have been trying to teach her about Thanksgiving this year! Thanks for sharing!

Caroline @ The Modest Mom said...

Your ideas are SO cute! I might have to use a few! I have always wanted to get those paper dolls.

Im4Christ2@msn.com

Caroline @ The Modest Mom said...

I like Noble Rose Press on facebook.

Im4Christ2@msn.com

Anonymous said...

Great ideas...nd beautiful dolls. God Bless!!

AmyLovesDavid said...

I have so enjoyed looking through your Thanksgiving plans! I always seem to wait until the last minute & then there's not enough time to do all the creative things that start popping up like crazy in my head! I'm going to take some of your ideas & incorporate them into our celebration--thanks!!

Also, what is in the jars in the snack area? It looks sort of like apple jelly, but apple juice seems more logical.

Anonymous said...

What sweet ideas! I'm still not sure what we're doing next week. Maybe we'll use some of your ideas!

Amanda said...

It all looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I gotta make the moon pie turkeys! Thanks for all the great ideas. I would love to win the dolls!
rebeccay104 at yahoo dot com

Mrs Mary Joy Pershing said...

Wow! This is my first time here. How wonderful!!!!! I love the great ideas here and your blog over all. This is my first visit and I am in LOVE with what you are doing here! Thank you so much for sharing all of the hard work you are doing to make your Thanksgiving special for the children...my goodness! What fun!

Blessings!

Mary Joy

RachaelP said...

What cute ideas! I would love to win the paper dolls for my daughter. Thank you!

Christy said...

Thanks for the great ideas...we did the turkey centerpiece idea as well.

Nicole said...

Love, love, love the turkey treats! I think I will do that with my kids. So fun!

Nicole said...

I like Noble Rose Press on FB.

ACMommy3 said...

My daughter and I like your Edible Turkeys! They are so cute! :-) We've been looking for a food craft, thanks for your post!

Unknown said...

Such great ideas. Thank you for sharing them.

pinecone304 said...

This is a very helpful post. My daughter would enjoy the paperdolls.

Emily said...

Wow, so many great (and do-able) ideas! Thank you!

mleshoe at yahoo dot com

Diane said...

Thanks for all the great ideas!

Diane said...

I liked Noble Rose Press on Facebook!

Lady Dorothy said...

Fun series! My granddaughters would love these dolls!

Lisa said...

I love paper dolls and I bet my girls would as well!!!

georgyct@aol.com

elizabeth said...

BEAUTIFUL TABLE and Genious ideas!
Now, please tell me where you found your "Moon pies" b/c I have been looking for these for months! Happy Thanksgiving.

Monica Wilkinson said...

AmyLovesDavid: You are right, it is apple juice! I put it in canning jars to look cute - you can cut out scrapbook paper to cover the tops and all done!

Monica Wilkinson said...

elizabeth: I found a box of 12 mini-moon pies at Target. I had a coupon and they were somewhere around $2! Hope you can find some!

Unknown said...

Great ideas I Hope I win the paperdolls for my three girls :o)

Unknown said...

Just "liked" noble press on facebook. My FB name is Tim-Melissa Williamson. Yay for fun paper dolls!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the ideas. I am sure the kids at your house will be blessed. I am going to try some of them too!

CBergevin@cinci.rr.com

Katy said...

I must say, Monica, God has certainly blessed you with the gift of creativity! I knew it *before* but it shines through even more so with your posts! What enjoyable holidays your children must experience with your fun ideas! :)

I hope you have a lovely weekend ahead!

Brenda said...

Thank you so much for not only being a lovely, gentle inspiration to other mommies, but also to your children. I know you must feel that some days you can't keep up or that you're making the wrong decisions about your priorities, but you are doing a WONDERFUL job and are a wonderful encouragement to the rest of us who falter too!!!

Brenda said...

Thank you so much for not only being a lovely, gentle inspiration to other mommies, but also to your children. I know you must feel that some days you can't keep up or that you're making the wrong decisions about your priorities, but you are doing a WONDERFUL job and are a wonderful encouragement to the rest of us who falter too!!!

Brenda said...

Just went and peeked into Noble Rose Press on Facebook!!! LIKED!! Thank you for sharing them!!

Bethany said...

What super-cute ideas to inspire us! My children will love the turkeys - thanks!

Angel said...

I'd LOVE those for my daughter!

Angel said...

I like them on Facebook

emily_w_walker@hotmail.com said...

What lovely, precious ideas you've shared here. Thank you for helping make our holiday even more special...and the head's up on the paper doll sale!

Me said...

What fun ideas - thank you!

Me said...

I "like" Noble Rose press on FB!

Becky said...

These are so cute and even if I don't win (which I would LOVE to) I'll be back to order :)

Serena said...

Lovely ideas! These paper dolls are so wonderful!

Serena said...

I "Like" Noble Rose on Facebook. :)

Trophy and Barb said...

Would love these dolls. Been admiring them for a long time!

Trophy and Barb said...

Like Noble Rose Press on FB.

Grandma Starr said...

Very cute and clever ideas!!!
Also,I like you on facebook... :+)

Mary said...

These are gorgeous paper dolls, please enter me in the giveaway.

Mary said...

I also went to facebook and "liked" Noble Rose Press. Thanks!

Amber Olson said...

Thanks for the ideas! I would love to try the Noble Press paper dolls - they look like they'd make a wonderful gift! God bless & Happy Thanksgiving!

Amber Olson
(amber.olson80@gmail.com)

Molly said...

I love that all of your ideas are not only cute/fun, but also inexpensive! Those paper dolls are adorable, too!

Molly said...

I also liked NR Press on fb.

Bethany said...

Cute Thanksgiving ideas! bethany dot jensen at gmail dot com

Christine said...

I would love to win their exceptional product! I really want my girls to learn about godly Christian women.

Christine said...

I am a fan on facebook.

kat said...

these are so cute crafts. we are going to have to make them. my girls would love the paper dolls.

SHannon Miller said...

Oh, I just love these! I'm planning on ordering them for Christmas, anyway!

Michelle - Blessed Mom of 5 said...

Thanks for all the cute ideas!
tolsmamm at juno dot com

Michelle - Blessed Mom of 5 said...

I like them on FB
tolsmamm at juno dot com

Antoinette Petersen said...

I would love to enter!

Blessings,

Miss Antoinette

PS. my e-mail: ajkonvalin(at)gmail(dot)com

Antoinette Petersen said...

I also like NRP on Facebook! :)

Miss Antoinette

Teresa said...

What awesome ideas! I hope to use some in my small family gathering this year!

Mary said...

Your ideas are always a blessing and inspiration to me! May you and your family enjoy a happy, peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving!!! I am so thankful for your blog!

mom2those3 said...

What creative and fun ideas! Thank you!

Jenny Lynn said...

your table decorations are simply wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the ideas. Lisha

online @ thigpenfamily . com

Anonymous said...

Extra entry - liked Noble Rose Press

Lisha

online @ thigpenfamily . net

Warm Cozy Cook said...

I almost never comment on blogs, but I subscribe to yours in my google reader and am blessed by it. Since I entered a few contests, I thought I'd also comment here to let you know that I used your playdough-in-the-pie-tins idea and the turkey pops and they were a HUGE hit. Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas and your heart with us! I appreciate learning from you.

Beth