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Thanksgiving Fun for Kids: 2025 Dates, Fun Facts & Activity Ideas

spencer655
Jul 10
2 min read

Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity for young learners to explore gratitude, history, and creativity—all while keeping classrooms cheerful and cozy. Here’s a breakdown to help you make the most of the holiday.

When is Thanksgiving in 2025?

Thanksgiving in 2025 falls on Thursday, November 27, 2025.

Most schools and daycares will likely close for at least that day, and often for a short break around it. Planning ahead is key to ensuring you have enough coverage—especially for substitute teachers—to support classroom activities or extended closures.

Thanksgiving Activity Ideas for Kids

Engaging, easy-to-prep activities that reinforce themes of gratitude, history, and creativity:

Thankful Tree

Use a branch in a jar and attach paper leaves.
Kids write what they’re thankful for on each leaf.
Great for group reflection or quick writing practice.

Turkey Handprint Art

Trace students’ hands on colored paper—assemble them into turkey shapes.
Add googly eyes, feathers, and beaks.
Perfect for display and fine motor skill practice.

Classroom Gratitude Jar

Place a jar and slips of paper in the classroom.
All week long, students write something they appreciate about classmates, teachers, or school.
Read notes aloud before break for a warm wrap-up.

Storytime with a Theme

Read age-appropriate books like “Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin Pie” (pre-school) or “The Thankful Book” (early elementary).
Discuss gratitude and traditions from different cultures.

Thanksgiving Bingo or Quiz

Create a bingo card with icons like “corn,” “feast,” “family,” or “turkey.”
Use for a fun wrap-up or indoor recess activity.
Customize difficulty by age group.

Fun Facts About Thanksgiving for Kids

Share these kid-friendly nuggets to spark curiosity and conversation:

The first Thanksgiving was in 1621, and it lasted three whole days!
Turkey wasn’t served at the first celebration (they had venison, fish, and corn).
More than 46 million turkeys are eaten in the U.S. every Thanksgiving.
It was Abraham Lincoln who declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City began in 1924 and now features giant balloons and floats!
Pumpkin pie wasn’t at the first Thanksgiving.
Early settlers didn’t have ovens or sugar. Instead, they may have roasted pumpkin or turned it into stew.
The first TV broadcast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was in 1948.
That’s how it became a national tradition!
The wishbone tradition comes from the Romans.
People believed that pulling the wishbone could bring good luck—and it stuck!
Minnesota raises the most turkeys.
It’s the top turkey-producing state in the U.S.

Bonus Turkey Facts

Turkeys can blush!
When they get excited or scared, the skin on a turkey’s head and neck can turn blue, red, or white.
Only male turkeys gobble.
Females make a clucking sound, but only toms (male turkeys) produce the iconic “gobble.”
Wild turkeys can fly.
Even though farm-raised turkeys can’t, wild turkeys can fly up to 55 mph for short distances.
Turkeys have excellent vision.
Their eyesight is about three times better than a human’s—and they can see in color!
Each turkey has a unique voice.
No two gobbles are exactly the same, which helps them identify each other in a flock.