8 Ways to Keep Your Family Active Over Thanksgiving Break

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Thanksgiving break: We eat. We watch football. We eat. Maybe we get wrapped up in the madness of Black Friday bargain-hunting. We eat some more. keep your family active during Thanksgiving break

The kids are out of school and by the time Friday rolls around, the stir-crazy has taken up residence in your residence… and you still have three more days before you resume regularly scheduled programming.

8 Ways to Keep Your Family Active During Thanksgiving Break

Kids playing in the leaves during Thanksgiving break.
Here's how to keep your family active over Thanksgiving Break. Image credit: Shutterstock.

Post-Thanksgiving, it's tempting to give in to your inner sloth. The temperatures are cooling down. It’s cozy inside. Eating your way into a food coma goes perfectly with spacing out in front of the TV. But if you exert just a little energy to get you and your family moving, here are a few ideas for things you can do to get everyone moving, and possibly out of your house.

1. Find art in nature

Put on those jackets and get outside to see what you can find to make into art. Fall brings all kinds of aesthetically pleasing items you can collect for a collage or art project: leaves, acorns, twigs, buckeyes, flowers, pinecones, bark, and more.

Here are a couple of my favorite crafts that use twigs and other household items:

Popsicle stick and twig Christmas Trees

Twig Stars

2. Go on a photo walk

Grab your cameras (or phones) and hit the streets. Explore a part of your city or town that’s known for its scenery or history. Even better? Choose a neighborhood that’s unfamiliar to you and discover it from behind the lens.

If you live in the suburbs, explore an urban area. If you’re a city dweller, find some trails or hit the forest. Make a list of shots you want to take, such as a sign with the number five on it, a red door, a pile of leaves, or someone riding a bicycle. You can make it competitive by setting limits on time or distance walked.

3. Feed the ducks

Get on the internet or ask family and friends for recommendations on where you might find waterfowl to watch and feed. Make sure you’re complying with any local restrictions that address what you're allowed to feed ducks and other birds and make sure you're not trespassing on private property. 

4. Go on a bakery crawl

This is a family-friendly version of a pub crawl and an especially fun thing to do if you have out-of-town guests to entertain. Visit three or four of your favorite bakeries or patisseries and sample the taste of your town. Your city probably has a signature doughnut shop or place to get kolaches. Discover a new favorite or show off the best of your area.

You might need some stretchy pants and a nap, but no designated driver is required and everyone can participate.

5. Help others

Contact your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter to see if they need extra hands over the Thanksgiving weekend. You can also look for opportunities to help others close to home. Ask an elderly neighbor if you can help them hang their Christmas lights or if you can make a grocery store or post office run for them. Offer to help them address their holiday cards or print labels. Or have your kids ask!

Related post: 7 things you need to know about donating to a food bank

6. Visit your local museums

Bad weather? Maybe you don't want to be outside, but that doesn't mean you have to stay home. Check out a children’s museum (most places will be open the Saturday after Thanksgiving) and get everyone out of the house. Most local museums or art galleries will have some type of interactive exhibit or indoor play equipment if your small humans need to blow off steam.

7. Construct a bonfire

This activity is dependent on where you live and your local fire code, but if you’ve got the space to pull this off, this is an awesome way to get everyone outside and unplugged. Bonus? S'mores, of course!

8. Play ball in the house

With a little ingenuity, you can make your own indoor playground. You’ll need to contain the crazy to a designated area, remove bric-a-brac, and possibly rearrange furniture. Here are a bunch of ideas for ball games your kids can let loose without driving you bonkers.

You might also like:

Funny Black Friday memes + printables

Turkey Feed Snack Mix

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3 Comments

  1. Hi, Jill! This is a great article! You put up a very interesting list here. I really liked the idea of a bonfire, that`s a great way to spend some quality time with your family and share some beautiful moments. I was wondering, what is your kids favorite thing to do around holidays?

  2. Excellent and essential blog sharing. You placed up an exciting listing right here. I indeed favored the concept of a bonfire, that`s a unique manner to spend some excellent time together with your own family and proportion some beautiful moments. I was thinking, how can I contribute a delightful time with my children?

  3. Hi Jill, I was a little late commenting, but thanks for the heads up on the Thanksgiving break.

    Was a great post, and I got a lot out of it. Fantastic ideas.

    Grat work.

    Cheers Sharon…