How to Create the Ultimate Kids Thanksgiving Table

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I think growing up, it’s pretty much a universal thing that kids can’t wait to graduate from the kids table to the adults table.  It’s sort of a rite of passage.  And I was definitely excited to make the move, myself, though I will be honest and say I’ll always be a little nostalgic for the seat I left behind.

The kids Thanksgiving table was always the place for fun.  While the grownups were using the plates I was always scared to break, at the kids table we had paper or plastic everything.  The grownups had the fancy pearl onions and creamed this or that, while the kids table had the Jell-O and chocolate pudding.  Who wouldn’t want to be at the kids Thanksgiving table?

While I was shopping at Big Lots over the weekend I came across a really fun Thanksgiving tablecloth.  It’s printed with tic tac toe games, turkeys that can be colored, and other cute stuff.  It inspired me to try and create the Ultimate Kids Thanksgiving Table for Bubbles, her cousin Issac and any other kiddos that will be at Thanksgiving this year.

First, I picked up the following supplies from Big Lots:

• Kids Thanksgiving-print tablecloth
• Kids-print Thanksgiving napkins and paper plates
• Table decor (like the adorable stuffed fox I found in the seasonal section)
• Crayons
• Activities for the kids (like Play-Doh, sticker books, etc.)
• Fall window clings to decorate the space

Silverware seems to be one thing I always run short on by the end of family gatherings, and I didn’t want that to be the case this Thanksgiving.  Big Lots had some really nice sets, so I picked up a couple that  can go on the kids Thanksgiving table, the adults table, or be split between the two.

I placed the stuffed fox on the table as the kids Thanksgiving table centerpiece.  It only cost a few dollars so if it gets a few grubby hand prints or food drips on it, it won’t be a huge deal.  But look at that face, how could I not get him?  Fashionable and affordable is hard to beat.

I set the table with these cute hand print Turkey paper plates and napkins.  Maybe they’ll inspire the kiddos to do some art of their own on the tablecloth.

Speaking of which, if the kids are old enough to read, you can use a crayon and write their name above their plate so they know where to sit.  And if they’re old enough to write, you can add some conversation starters, like “I am thankful for…” and encourage the kids to answer them.

I had Bubbles help me decorate the windows with the fall-themed window clings we found.  She loves the peel and stick gel clings and they had owls, leaves, sunflowers and pumpkins, too.

I’m really looking forward to surprising the kiddos with a fun kids Thanksgiving table this year, and I was pleased to find so much of what I needed at Big Lots.  Their seasonal section is always packed so full of adorable items and the value of what you get for what you spend is really great.

What would you add to the kids Thanksgiving table?