I'm so excited to share with you about the table ideas I have for my Thanksgiving table.
Here's a bit of back story for you. I always hated sitting at the kids table when I was younger. I hated not being involved with the adults. I hated feeling "separated" and "apart" from everyone else. Guess what? My husband felt the same way.
So when we started hosting family gathering, we decided that everyone was equal and we could all be together at the same table.
But when you mingle adults with children, sometimes you have to get creative.
Here are a few ideas that I've used in the past, and will use again this year, to keep small kiddos occupied while the adults converse and re-connect.
First, make your preparations. If you want kiddos to stay occupied, you have to get creative. Sure, you could set out a box of crayola, but this is just a little more enticing to little fingers.
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| We made these last year. It's just a black party cup with the bottom cut out and construction paper. Easy Peasy! |
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| These are cute, too. Andy Super Easy. Just find the printable you like, fold your paper, stuff with crayons. The kiddos do the rest. |
Let them get creative. This requires a little prep time from you, but if you have older kids, enlist their help. Have a pre-created "set" for each child at your dinner. Gather all the things they'll need, cut them out, include a glue stick and put these sets in a brown lunch bag. Everything is together, and after everyone is finished with dinner, the kiddos can pull out their craft bag and get started.
These ideas are super easy for small hands to create, and don't require a lot of help or supervision from parents.
Be sure to include a picture of what the finished product is to be. This helps them know what to do, but also allows them to get creative on their own.
What about older kids? Many tweens and younger teens still want to be included in craft projects, but aren't interested in coloring pages and craft projects.
I always include the following for them. Word searches and crossword puzzles are great fun, and don't take a lot of time. I've also created madlibs for the older kids to fill in, and then read to the group when complete. These are often times the most hilarious stories that are told and retold throughout the years.
You can include the children in your Thanksgiving, and keep them occupied at the same time. It just takes a little thought and maybe a little help from family members to pull it off. But what I've found is that the kids AND the parents thank you because you thought to provide activities for the kiddos so the adults can enjoy their dinner.
Only By His Grace,
Billie
Bonus information:
If you're looking for a little Christmas eye candy please visit a couple of my bloggy buddies:
Kristen has the most wonderful creations on her blog and her etsy shop. Her blog http://kristenscreationsonline.blogspot.com is fantastic and chock full of Christmas eye candy! Check her out!
Mishebe at The Crowned Casa has a really cute Christmas inspiration. Check out her ideas. You'll like what she has to say! http://thecrownedcasa.blogspot.com