At-Home Thanksgiving Activities Your Kids Will Love

Nov 23 2025 | By: Animal House Photography

A family sit together at a Thanksgiving table outdoors.

It's go time.

The holidays are upon us and with them extra time at home with your kids. While this time can be hectic, especially when you're trying to cook or prepare for travel. In keeping with my personal goal to savor this holiday season, I want to share some at-home Christmas activities that will help you slow down the pace and truly enjoy your family.

PS, don't forget to take pictures! Family activities are a great time to capture gorgeous candid shots.

Scroll to the end for a few ESSENTIAL tips on how to perfect your DIY photography.

A large extended family walk together across a field.
A family prepare a table together by lighting candles.
A beautiful table includes place settings with multicolored plates, candles, and floral centerpieces.

Thank You Notes

Sit down together and make a list of people you are grateful for, and why you are grateful for them.

This can be family members or friends, or you could write notes for community helpers. Firefighters or hospital nurses are a great place to start!

Family Sports

Whether you are sporty or not, getting outside with your family is always a good idea. Fall weather is also perfect for a day outside!

Choose a sport or outdoor game your whole family can enjoy. Flag football or wiffleball are great choices for those who want a sport, while lawn darts, ladder golf, games like Can Jam can be fun for a lower-exertion option. 

A family sits at a table outdoors lit by candles eating dinner.
A black and white image shows a family eating dinner together outdoors.
A black and white photo shows a family eating dinner outdoors together at a beautifully set candlelit table.
A family sit at a beautiful set table outdoors eating a meal together.

Giving Back

Spend time with your kids collecting items for a local food pantry and donate them together. For added community participation, go door to door in your neighborhood and ask for donations!

If you want to go a step further, write a thank you note to the food pantry workers to let them know you appreciate them.

Cooking Together

Bring your kiddos in on the Thanksgiving meal! Let them choose a dish and then help them look up recipes and learn how to make the dish.

Then, when Thanksgiving comes, brag about your kids and how well they did cooking. They'll be so proud!

A father holds his baby in his lap as he eats his dinner.
A mother holds her baby in her lap at a table and feeds the baby a bite.

Thanksgiving Day Parade Activities

If you're feeling creative, spend some time together making floats for your own personal Thanksgiving Day parade.

If you're not the crafting type, print off a Thanksgiving Day parade scavenger hunt page. This works especially well for younger children, who can check off the floats and balloons as they see them.

Bonus: DIY Photography Tips

While you're taking pictures of these fun activities, keep the following tips in mind...

1. If you're wanting aesthetically pleasing pictures, dress everyone in jewel tones and remember not to choose anything too matchy-matchy.

2. Take video clips to cut together into a family video everyone can enjoy.

3. Don't make everyone pose. Instead, take photos as they complete their activity.

4. Look for authentic interactions between your family members, including sweet cuddles, laughter, and significant glances.

5. Take advantage of brightly colored activities, like the thank you cards above. Those colors and craft supplies will add a lot of visual interest.

6. Cooking photos are always so fun! Remember to take pictures as your family cooks Thanksgiving dinner.

A black and white image shows a smiling woman with text explaining that she is a photographer in Huntsville Alabama.
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