Put Children to Work Helping With Thanksgiving Day Preparations

Entertaining little ones during holiday preparations can be a real juggling act. I've been a teacher for almost 30 years and a mom for 25. I know about making things kid friendly. I say don't just entertain, put them to work helping. Here are ways kids can help with Thanksgiving.   Ways Kids Can Help With Thanksgiving Preparations

Kids Can Help with Thanksgiving Preparations with Free Printables

As a 30-year teacher, 25-year mom and 10-year homeschooler, I know how to make activities kid-friendly. Take holiday preparations--don't just plunk kids in front of the TV. Put them to work helping. Good for them, good for you. Here are ways kids can help with Thanksgiving making free printable decorations and crafts. Ways Kids Can Help With Thanksgiving Preparations

Free Printable Thanksgiving Greeting Cards

Do you like to send holiday cards but find them too expensive? $5 for a greeting cards that's going to get thrown away? Seriously, who can afford that? Well, did you know you can print cards at home and it costs nothing? Here are free printable Thanksgiving cards to make and send. All you have to provide is a printer, paper and ink. Or go to the library and print for 10 to 15 cents. Quite a savings.  Read on for linksFree Thanksgiving Cards, Crafts and Games to Print

Free Printable Thanksgiving Countdown Calendar Crafts

Several years ago, I wrote an article for a free printable Thanksgiving countdown calendar from Family Fun. That link is on this site. Well, Family Fun's website has changed. It's now Spoonful. The links I used redirect there and all the crafts are still available. Buuut...some are a little harder to find with the new site reorganization-wouldn't you know? Here's the new link for the countdown to Thanksgiving calendar. It's listed in the icon list on the right under "Top 14 Thanksgiving Printables." Don't try to print it from the little image I'm using here. Go to Spoonful for the printable.

The reason I didn't link you directly to the calendar is that I don't want you to miss the other cute Thanksgiving crafts to print. In fact, that's the the top 14 Thanksgiving. There are more Thanksgiving and scads more printables for other holidays and Disney movies. I'd print a craft a day for kids to make each day before a holiday. Good countdown and keeps them and you from going stir-crazy. Here's the link to my article with ideas on how to use a holiday countdown calendar. Free Printable Countdown to Thanksgiving Calendar 

Diet and Healthy Squash Recipes for Thanksgiving Dinner

Squash is a superfood, rich in betacarotene. We need 4 servings of green, leafy vegetables and 2 servings of orange veggies daily. So here are five squash recipes to ramp up the vitamins. Substitute sweet potatoes or pumpkin if you like. Perfect for autumn and Thanksgiving dinner. Most recipes are vegetarian or vegan or can easily be tweaked to be made meatless. They're kosher and halal, too.  Weekly Kids Snack Menu Healthy School Lunches S is for Squash

Free Halloween Games to Print and Make

Okay, so these games are for Halloween, but they could be used for harvest, fall or Thanksgiving themes. Make interactive, educational games with these free printable cut and paste activities. Children can make games all by themselves. Perfect for classroom, homeschool, preschool and Halloween parties. The cool thing about printable games is they do double duty--a craft project that entertains kids and a reusable game they can enjoy later. You could even use as party prizes--triple duty! Laminate the game boards and pieces and store them in a Zip-loc bag. Use over and over again. And don't tell the children, but these games are educational--quadruple duty! Oh does it get any better?? Read on  Free Printable Halloween and Trick-or-Treat Games to Make

Thanksgiving Apple Fun for Kids

I confess to an almost cult-like devotion to apples. Living in Michigan, they're a cash crop. But it goes deeper. Apples are as American as Uncle Sam. Gatherings in the US often include an apple treat. Apples are also the perfect theme for fall lessons. Here's an interactive, cross-curricular apple unit with crafts, recipes, science, art, creative writing, math, social studies, practical life, field trips, community-builders even a party. Perfect for Thanksgiving, too.  I've added free printable apple-themed lesson plans and worksheets for activity extenders. Preschool Apple Unit, Cross-Curricular Hands-on Crafts, Activities, Recipes 

Healthy Pumpkin Recipes Children Can Make

This is the first year I've noticed what a big deal pumpkin flavor is in fall--everything from ice cream to pancakes to beer. So I thought, why not tap into that beta-carotene goodness? Here are healthy recipes featuring pumpkin. And best of all, kids can make these recipes. Perfect for Thanksgiving preparations.Weekly Snack Menu, Healthy Pumpkin Themed Kids Treats

Free Thanksgiving Printables, Paper Toys, Games, Crafts

In the last eight years, I've developed a reputation for finding cool printables. I track down printable activities, lesson plans, coloring pages, crafts, games and worksheets. I write and blog about where to find them and I provide links. Here's a cool one that features Thanksgiving paper toys, crafts, games, greeting cards. Turkeys, pilgrims, native American Indans, cornucopia all the trimmings! Free Printable Paper Toys, Games for Preschool Kids 

Thanksgiving Diet Tip: Eat Mostly Veggies and Fruit

I've lost 83 pounds, 40 in the last 5 months. I've been writing a series of articles on how I lost weight. Thanksgiving is a rough time for us dieters as we look down the barrel of the biggest food fest in the western hemisphere! Diet wisdom varies on fats, starch, meat, salt, dairy--which are the worst for weight loss. Sometimes dairy is the culprit. Then health gurus say it's starch. From my experience, it's not so much about what you don't eat as what you do.  Diet Tip of the Day: Eat Mostly Veggies and Fruit

Diet Friendly Thanksgiving Alternative Recipes-- Cajun Jambalaya

I’ve lost over 80 pounds and I am doing the dance of joy! This holiday season I am not going to blow that hard work. So I'm preparing low calorie Thanksgiving menu recipes with food swaps
I used to lose. I’m going to keep using recipe substitutions to finish my last 25 pounds to reach goal and to maintain the weight I’m at. Today’s recipe:

Low Impact Jambalaya—I love Cajun jambalaya but it’s high calorie made the regular way. I make this base recipe and set some aside for me. Then I add the ingredients that add the calorie jolt. The orange dish in the image is jambalaya. The side is purple cabbage. I'll keep adding diet substitutions to get us through Turkey Day!  Diet Recipe of the Day Light and Yummy Cajun Jambalaya