The history of this holiday is more than your child can understand. Discussions about Pilgrims and Native Americans are not relevant to your child's experience of the world around her. The turkey, on the other hand, is a concrete symbol of the Thanksgiving meal. You may also choose to have a discussion about abundance and thankfulness during this holiday.

1. Turkey Trap

   Activity for an individual child
   Age group: 18–40 months
   Duration of activity: 15 minutes

   Engage your child's imagination with this activity. This may become a family tradition for years to come.

   What You'll Need

   • 1 cardboard box
   • 1 sturdy stick
   • A few kernels of corn
   • Feathers
   • Candy corn

   1. Tell your child that you are going to trap a turkey for Thanksgiving.

   2. Set the cardboard box upside down and prop up one end with the stick. Show your child how the turkey will knock the stick over to make the box fall. Place some corn under the box to serve as bait.

   3. Overnight, remove the corn and replace with the feathers and candy corn. If you want, you can add a little note/poem from the Turkey: “You tried to catch me, but I can't be beat. So I left some candy for you to eat!”

2. Thanksgiving Tablecloth

   Activity for an individual child or a group
   Age group: 18–40 months
   Duration of activity: 20 minutes

   Your toddler will feel that she is truly contributing to the holiday when she helps makes this festive tablecloth.

   What You'll Need

   • 1 large light-colored flat sheet (white or yellow works best)
   • Black fabric marker
   • Fabric paints

   1. Spread the sheet somewhere with plenty of room for your child to work.

   2. Have your child place her hand on the sheet palm down, with her fingers spread wide. Trace around her hand with the fabric marker. Repeat to create as many turkeys as she wishes. Perhaps the rest of the family will add their turkeys as well.

   3. Allow her to use the fabric paint to embellish the turkeys and to add any other decoration that she wishes.