How to Decorate the Children's Table at Thanksgiving

Doing time at the children's table can leave your kids feeling bored and left out during the holidays. Involve your kids in Thanksgiving preparations by allowing them to make their own table decorations and help decorate their own Thanksgiving table.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cellophane Tapes
• Child-sized Table And Chairs
• Glues
• Miniature Pumpkins
• Clusters Of Berries
• Large Pumpkins
• Nuts
• Paper Cups
• Paper Napkins
• Paper Plates
• Plastic Utensils
• Safety Scissors
• White Paper Place Mats
• White Paper Tablecloths
• Fallen Leaves
• Construction Paper
• Crayons Or Felt-tipped Pens
• Pencils Or Pens
• Paper plates
• Paper cups

1. Designate a room or specific area of the house in which your kids can work on their table decorations, and have the appropriate materials ready for them.

2. Consider having the adults take turns supervising the children and helping them with their projects. Make sure that adults or older children are available to help small children with items that need to be cut with scissors.

3. Provide children with construction paper in autumn colors. Help them cut strips of construction paper to glue together into paper chains. These chains can be hung with cellophane tape around the children's table and chairs.

4. Have the children make their own Thanksgiving place mats. Draw several large leaves on white construction paper and have the children color them in with crayons. Cut out the leaves to make place mats. Have the children draw turkeys from their own handprints to use as alternative place mats.

5. Purchase a white paper tablecloth on which children can color in Thanksgiving-themed pictures that you draw with a pen or pencil. Alternatively, let the children draw and color in their own pictures. The same can be done with white paper place mats.

6. Use paper plates, napkins and cups that have been printed with a Thanksgiving motif. This will help eliminate the need to worry about broken plates or glasses at the children's table. Use plastic spoons and forks as well.

7. See "Make a Pumpkin Turkey" (under Related eHows) for instructions on making a turkey centerpiece out of a pumpkin. You carve out the pumpkin and the children can add the finishing touches.

8. Help the children decorate their own table with the items they have made. Give them autumn leaves, clusters of berries, and nuts to decorate the base of their table's centerpiece.

Tips & Warnings

• See "Make a Handprint Turkey" (under Related eHows) for instructions on this Thanksgiving craft.
• Have the children make miniature pumpkin turkeys. Write each child's name on his or her pumpkin turkey and use these to designate each child's place at the children's table.
• Keep nuts in their shells if used as a table decoration.
• Set up the kids' table close to the adults so the kids feel like they're a part of the celebration and can show off their work.