It's Time to Give Thanks... And Not Just on One Day!

MMMmmmMMM, Thanksgiving, that time of year when we think about all that we have to be thankful for when loved ones are around, and the food! Remember to look back to our Fall Activities for any items you didn’t get to do yet.

Fun Games to Explore

Pin the Feather on the Turkey

This is a holiday take on an old favorite – here is a free version

Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt

Hide Thanksgiving-themed trinkets around a room (pumpkin, leaves, football, flannel blanket, scarecrow, squash, pilgrim, corn, etc.) If you don’t have any, then simply print Thanksgiving pictures from your computer. Set a time limit and the person who finds the most items is the winner.

Board Game Tournament

Make it exciting and draw up a bracket to show how each person is advancing to the championship game!

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Rip it Up!

Give each participant a piece of fall-colored construction paper. The challenge is to see who can tear the paper into the shape of a turkey the best and quickest.

Crafts

Leaf Bookmark

Have residents pick up leaves of different colors and shapes (feathers and dried flowers work too), glue the items to parchment paper, and run them through a laminator.  Makes a perfect size to mail!

Gnomes

Empty creamer bottles, use stones or rice to weigh them down, fur (for the beard), a sock (for the hat), and a wooden ball (for the nose)- make these easy super cute gnomes. Remember, depending on your sock or the color of the beard, this craft can be adapted for any seasonal holiday!

Try for yourself with these instructions. 

Our Thankful Tree Door Hanger

Below is a bare tree, the residents can add leaves daily to their tree for things they are thankful for. It will be a full month of “Thankfulness”

Try for yourself with these instructions. 

Conversation Starters

We’ve provided an extensive list of gratitude starters in our activity booklet. You can use these several ways:
  • Print some on cards and use them with your placecards at the table
  • As 1:1
  • Print them out for family members that may visit as well. Print them on strips and make chains, everyday pull one off until Christmas, use a sharing time.

Music, Movies, and YouTube Videos

YouTube Videos

Music Playlist

  • Sweet Darlin’, She & Him
  • I’ve Got Plenty to be Thankful For, Bing Crosby
  • Danke Schoen, Wayne Newton
  • The Long Way Home, Nora Jones
  • Pumpkin Pie, The California Honeydrops
  • Comin’ Home Baby, Mel Torme
  • Everybody Eats When They Come to My House, Cab Calloway & His Orchestra
  • The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy), Simon & Garfunkel
  • All That Meat and No Potatoes, Louis Armstrong
  • We’re Going to Be Friends, The White Stripes
  • Harvest Moon, Neil Young
  • Thanksgiving Dinner, Vince Guaraldi Trio
  • Home, Michael Buble
  • Come Away With Me, Norah Jones
  • Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep, Bing Crosby
  • The Good Life, Tony Bennett
  • Here We Go Again, Ray Charles, Norah Jones
  • Great Pumpkin Waltz, Vince Guaraldi Trio

Thanksgiving Movie List

  • A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973) | TV-G: Animation 
  • Garfield’s Thanksgiving (1989) | TV-G: Animation Avalon (1990) | PG: Drama 
  • You’ve Got Mail (1998) | PG: Comedy, Drama, Romance 
  • Tower Heist (2011) | PG-13: Action, Comedy, Crime 
  • Alice’s Restaurant (1969) | GP: Comedy, Drama, Music 
  • Knives Out (2019) | PG-13: Comedy, Crime, Drama 
  • Soul Food (1997) | R: Comedy, Drama 
  • The Myth of Fingerprints (1997) | R: Comedy Drama, Romance 
  • The Blind Side (2009) | PG-13: Biography, Drama, Sports 
  • Addams Family Values (1993) | PG-13: Comedy, Fantasy 
  • For Your Consideration (2006) | PG-13: Comedy 
  • What’s Cooking? (2000) | PG-13: Comedy, Drama, Romance 
  • North by Northwest (1959) | NR: Adventure, Mystery, Thriller 
  • Rocky (1976) | PG: Drama, Sport 
  • Miracle on 34th Street (1994) | PG: Family, Fantasy 
  • Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) | PG-13: Comedy, Drama 
  • Dutch (1991) | PG-13: Comedy, Drama 
  • Grumpy Old Men (1993) | PG-13: Comedy, Drama, Romance 
  • Home for the Holidays (1995) | PG-13: Comedy, Drama, Romance 
  • Pieces of April (2003) | PG-13: Comedy, Drama 
  • Hollidaysburg (2014) | NR: Comedy Sweet November (2001) | PG-13: Drama, Romance 
  • Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow (2015) | TV-PG: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Printable Products For Giving Thanks

Let’s Give Thanks Printable Activity Booklet

Let’s Give Thanks/Thanksgiving – Printable Signs and Flyers

Let’s Give Thanks Printable Coloring Pages

Let’s Give Thanks Printable Gratitude Activity