Thankful activities for kids
Simple thankful and gratitude activities for kids at Thanksgiving: a thankful tree, jar, placemat and table games, with free printable Thanksgiving coloring pages.
By Sloane Glitchford, Founder. Updated Nov 2, 2026. Links on this page are plain links, not affiliate links.
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026. These thankful activities help kids put gratitude into words or pictures. Most need only paper and crayons, and many work for kids who can't write yet: they draw, and a grown-up writes the words.
Thankful tree
Draw a bare tree trunk on a big sheet of paper, or put a few twigs in a jar. Cut out paper leaves. Each day in the run-up to Thanksgiving, or all at once on the day, kids write or draw one thing they're thankful for on a leaf and add it to the tree.
Thankful jar
Put a jar and slips of paper out where everyone can reach. Family members add a note whenever they think of something they're grateful for. Read them out together at Thanksgiving dinner.
At the table
- Thankful placemats. A space on each placemat for "I am thankful for..." See Thanksgiving placemats for kids.
- Pass the turkey. Pass a small object around the table. Whoever holds it says one thing they're thankful for.
- Thankful A to Z. Go around the table naming something you're thankful for that starts with each letter of the alphabet.
Draw and color
Younger kids can draw the people, pets or places they're thankful for. Our free Thanksgiving coloring pages are a 4-page PDF from our own book; the book's story ends with Turkey and friends saying what they're thankful for, and the sample's coloring pages are a gentle way to start the conversation.
Thank someone
- Thank-you cards. Kids make a card for a teacher, neighbor, mail carrier or grandparent.
- A thank-you drawing for the person who cooked the meal, handed over at dessert.
For more ideas for the day, see how to keep kids busy on Thanksgiving Day and Thanksgiving activities for 4 year olds.
Free sample pages and the full book (our own product)
All four of our holiday books: holiday coloring books for kids.
Links on this page are plain links, not affiliate links.
Sloane Glitchford, Founder
Quick answers
What are some thankful activities for kids?
A thankful tree with paper leaves, a thankful jar, thankful placemats, table games like pass the turkey or thankful A to Z, drawing what they're thankful for, and making thank-you cards.
How do you teach young kids about gratitude at Thanksgiving?
Keep it concrete: ask them to draw one person, pet or thing they're thankful for while a grown-up writes the word, and share the drawings at dinner.
Is there a free Thanksgiving printable for kids?
Yes. Our free Turkey sample is a 4-page PDF from our own book, Turkey's Silly Thanksgiving Feast: an intro page, 2 coloring pages and a maze. It is free for personal and classroom use.