‘Tis the season when we all either make the trip to see loved ones and family or have them over to our homes for the big Thanksgiving meal. And while it’s fun to catch up and make up for lost time, young ones can easily grow restless and finding ways to keep them entertained can add some extra stress to your holiday. Here are a few activities that you can do with your kids while traveling or hosting family during the holiday season.
Home Depot hosts FREE Kids Workshops on Saturday’s from 9:00am-12:00pm. Check with your local Home Depot or online for the next available class, and register before-hand so you can reserve a space. All supplies for the workshops are free, and the kids even get a certificate of achievement and a workshop apron!
If you’re home for the holidays head over to the library and have the kids stock up on reading material while they’re on break. Reading is a great quiet time activity, and is something that they can do on their own. If you’re away for the holiday look up the nearest library and check to see if they have story-time. While you may not be able check out books, you can certainly enjoy a good story.
If you’re sticking around Sandpoint, plan a trip to the local Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center in Sagle, they are open Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm. Be sure to pack some snack and/or a lunch as the café is closed for the season. If you’re out of town, look up the nearest Zoo or Children’s Museum, bring a picnic lunch and make a day of it!
Whether you’re here or out of town, sometimes a little art session is the best thing to keep the kids busy while you’re stuffing the bird. There are a ton of ideas on Pinterest, just look up “kids crafts.” Here are a few of my favorites:
15 Thanksgiving Day Crafts *BONUS: Some of these can even make cute placeholders or centerpieces for the Thanksgiving meal!
If it’s not too cold take the kids outside. Making a trip to the local sledding hill or ice skating rink is guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face. If there’s no snow to be found, take a long walk and collect pine cones and colorful leaves to decorate the Thanksgiving table with.
This is another activity where you can either participate or let the kids play by themselves when you need some quiet time. It’s super easy to throw in a deck of cards, travel game set, or small puzzle into your bag if you’re traveling. If you’re home and have company, set up a table away from all of the kitchen activity with a selection of games and puzzles so the kids have somewhere to go.
