Thanksgiving Family Fun

• Let kids fold napkins, mix juice, or fill salt and pepper shakers.
• They can arrange cheese and crackers or slices of pumpkin bread on a tray.
• Ask the kids to hand you ingredients, or even help measure and pour.
• They'll love rolling out leftover pie dough and cutting out shapes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake for tasty treats.

1. Take some time for Thanksgiving crafts. Have kids cut out hand turkeys or use fabric pens to write what they're most thankful for on an inexpensive tablecloth.

2. Get to know each other. Ask everyone to share a favorite childhood memory or read favorite Thanksgiving poems.

3. Keep books with riddles and knock-knock jokes on hand for instant giggles.

4. Have scrapbooks and photo albums handy. Encourage kids and grandparents to go through them together.

5. Set out classic games like Scrabble, Twister, and checkers. Have Play-Doh for the little ones.

6. Burn up energy with run-around games like tag and hide-and-seek.

7. Hand out disposable cameras so kids can record their own holiday moments.

8. Put kids in charge of welcoming guests and taking coats.

9. Remember: Nothing beats an old-fashioned leaf fight.

Find tried-and-true Thanksgiving Recipes.

Get menus, tips, and inspiration in our Ultimate Guide to Thanksgiving.

Our Top 10 Thanksgiving Videos give you lots of how-to tips for cooking up the big feast.

And if things don't quite go as planned: Thanksgiving Disaster-Savers.