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Thanksgiving, a time of gratitude, family gatherings, and delicious feasts, is a special occasion for many. But the holiday can sometimes feel a bit boring for teens, who are often caught between childhood and adulthood. To keep the holiday fun for everyone, including teens, here are some fun Thanksgiving activities for teens (and the whole family) to do together this year.

I know. It may seem like, “No way! My teen isn’t going to do this.”

However, you might be surprised. 

Teens may try to act cool or apathetic, but I bet once you get them involved, you’ll find something they REALLY do enjoy. Don’t let them fool you. They still want to have fun and be part of the family. 

I have a bunch of ideas for Thanksgiving activities for teens and parents to do together. Find what fits your family and give it a try. 

Table of Contents

• Thanksgiving Activities for Teens and Families to Do Together
• Delve into the Past: Thanksgiving History
• A Thanksgiving Activity for Teens and Families: Embrace the Spirit of Giving 
• Thanksgiving Activity for Teens: Showing Gratitude
  • Create a Gratitude Jar or Tree
  • Other Thanksgiving Activities for Teens to Express Gratitude
  • Expressing Gratitude Towards Others
• Thanksgiving Game Night
• The Artistic Spirit: A Thanksgiving Craft Extravaganza
• Another Thanksgiving Activity for Teens: Embark on a Cooking Adventure
• Explore the Outdoors
• Do Some Local Shopping Together
• Creating a New Family Tradition

Thanksgiving Activities for Teens and Families to Do Together

Our time with our kiddos goes by so fast. So make the most of the years you have them home for the holidays. Once kids grow up and have families, they start their own family traditions.

So, here are some great ways to make memories that they will cherish and maybe carry on in their own families later. 

Delve into the Past: Thanksgiving History

Thanksgiving is more than just a day of eating delicious food; it’s a time to remember our early history and traditions. 

With teens, you can actually go more in-depth into the history of the Pilgrims and the First Thanksgiving, topics you might not have wanted to share when they were younger. 

For instance, we know that many of the families lost loved ones before the first Thanksgiving. But, while visiting the Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts, I saw a great visual that showed the actual impact. 

A picture really does speak a thousand words.

Then, when you see how FEW women were left by the first Thanksgiving, you realize the hardship those few women had with preparing ALL that food.

After all, cooking was the job of the women at that time. 

Fascinating, isn’t it?

I’m a history major, so I love this stuff.

The Pilgrim Hall Museum also has a page on its site with a lot of information on Thanksgiving. You can check it out HERE.

Take advantage of your teens’ being older and able to understand more by finding interactive online resources, visiting local historical sites, or simply having a discussion.

I finally had the chance to visit Plymouth and see all the sites of the early pilgrims. It was fascinating. 

At the Plimoth Patuxet (aka Plimoth Plantation) website, you can find some excellent student resources. They have activities and history too! It is a great site to get information (along with the Pilgrim Hall Museum site).

On their site, you can also learn the history of the first Thanksgiving. They even share information about the Native Americans. 

Over at Be Smart, I found a video called The Surprising Origins of Thanksgiving Food. It is pretty interesting, and your kiddos could find some topics to research. 

We were fortunate to visit Plimoth Patuxet, the Mayflower, Plimoth Rock and walk the streets of the original Pilgrim village. Take a look at some pictures. 

A Thanksgiving Activity for Teens and Families: Embrace the Spirit of Giving

The first Thanksgiving was about giving thanks for their blessings and the help of the Native Americans. 

So, why don’t you and your teens go out into your community and find a way to help others in need? 

Volunteer at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter, organize a neighborhood food drive and collect donations for struggling families. 

You could also engage in acts of kindness, such as delivering meals to elderly neighbors or simply offering a listening ear to those in need.

It helps teens learn compassion and gratitude and helps them understand the importance of helping those around them. 

Thanksgiving Activity for Teens: Showing Gratitude

Speaking of gratitude, here are some other Thanksgiving activities for teens that teach them to take some time to reflect on what they’re grateful for and to show gratitude towards others. 

Create a Gratitude Jar or Tree

For this Thanksgiving activity, give each family member small pieces of paper (one shaped like a leaf if doing a Gratitude tree) and ask them to write down one thing they’re thankful for.

Then, collect the notes and place them in a decorated jar or hang them on a branch placed in a vase for a gratitude tree. Throughout the month, add more slips of paper or leaves to the tree.

Throughout the holiday season, pick a note from the jar and read it aloud. People can stop to read the different leaves if you are hanging them on a tree. 

Other Thanksgiving Activities for Teens to Express Gratitude

If you want something different for sharing gratitude than the jar or tree, go to the Kids Activity Blog. She shares 25 different ways to work on gratitude with kids. There is something for every age!

Hopefully, these activities will get everyone into the habit of finding things to be thankful for. 

Expressing Gratitude Towards Others

This Thanksgiving, take time and have your teen show others they are grateful for positively impacting their life.

Have them write a thank-you note to teachers, coaches, mentors, or friends. These thoughtful gestures will be appreciated and strengthen your relationships.

Thanksgiving Game Night

After the big meal, have a family game night. Choose games that appeal to everyone, including board games, card games, or charades. I have some fun game ideas that are great for families with kiddos 8+.

Another fun option for family game nights is Minute-to-Win-It games. I found two sites with fun Thanksgiving Minute to Win It game ideas for the whole family! You can find one HERE and the other one HERE.

Laughter and friendly competition will create lasting memories for everyone involved. It is a great Thanksgiving activity for teens.

The Artistic Spirit: A Thanksgiving Craft Extravaganza

Unleash your inner artist and transform your home into a haven of creativity. Gather an assortment of art supplies, including colorful construction paper, glitter, and various markers and paints. 

You and your teens can have fun making Thanksgiving-themed decorations. From whimsical turkeys to vibrant autumn leaf collages, let your imaginations run wild as you decorate for the holiday.

My teens have made a wood-burning centerpiece, placement cards, and a table runner (out of paper) for our dinner table. 

Need more craft ideas? Check out Raising Teens Today for 25 delightful Thanksgiving crafts. I can’t wait to try some of them with my teens!

Another Thanksgiving Activity for Teens: Embark on a Cooking Adventure

You don’t need to stick to traditional Thanksgiving foods! Find Thanksgiving dishes from around the world and try one of the recipes. 

Want to make it into a friendly competition?

You can divide the family into teams, and each group is assigned a unique dish to prepare, where they need to incorporate international flavors or experiment with new ingredients. 

If you aren’t that adventurous, you could find a new side dish or dessert popular in a different part of your country and try it.

Also, another way I get my teens involved with Thanksgiving is by having each one make something for our meal. 

My daughter made homemade stuffing one year while my son baked the rolls. Now, I say, “Hey, what are you making for Thanksgiving.” They don’t think twice about it. They come up with something they want to do.

Explore the Outdoors

If the weather permits, take a family hike or walk to walk off dinner. It will feel good to enjoy the crisp autumn air, soak up the colorful foliage (or bare trees if you live up north like me), and get in some healthy physical activity. This outdoor adventure will be a welcome break from the indoor festivities.

Do Some Local Shopping Together

Instead of spending Black Friday at the mall, consider supporting local businesses by participating in Small Business Saturday. 

Explore your community’s shops and start your Christmas shopping. This is a great way to show your support for local entrepreneurs and get into the holiday spirit.

Creating a New Family Tradition

Maybe you don’t really have a family tradition around Thanksgiving. Or if you did, it was something the kiddos have outgrown. Let’s face it: eventually, kiddos don’t want to make handprint turkeys.

So, this year, start a new Thanksgiving family tradition you can continue even as your kids age.

It could be something simple like watching a Thanksgiving movie together or volunteering at a local charity.

Maybe it is one of the Thanksgiving activities for teens I’ve shared, like making something for dinner. 

This new tradition will add a special touch to the holiday and create lasting memories for years to come. 

I hope you and your teens make lasting memories and have found something helpful to add to your family traditions this Thanksgiving!

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Happy Homeschooling!