Entertaining 'they've-been-here-before' youth at the Thanksgiving kids' table
7 ways to keep children entertained and educated during the holiday season
It never fails. There’s always that one kid at the children’s Thanksgiving table who looks like she’s been here before. One of the ancestors decided to be reincarnated as a child. It’s the only way to describe this old soul who couldn’t be more miserable sitting with messy, loud, restless kids who are not having nearly as interesting a conversation as the adults.
In some households, letting the children join them at the adult Thanksgiving table is a given. In other households, letting anyone under the age of 18 sit with grown folks makes as much sense as requesting a steak dinner at a vegetarian restaurant.
Recommended Read: “History buffs may have mixed vibes celebrating Thanksgiving ~ If you know the history of Native Americans and Thanksgiving, this dark holiday is less about family”
Whether they can sit at the adult Thanksgiving table or not, the beauty of these curious minds is they’re always interested in learning something new. If you can keep their attention, you can sit them wherever.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a percentage from purchases with my referral links. I know some consumers are choosing to boycott Amazon for its DEI removal. However, I enjoy promoting intriguing products from small businesses, women-owned businesses and Black-owned businesses who still feature their items on Amazon. All four of my Substack publications include a MINIMUM of one product sold by a VERIFIED Black-owned business. If you still choose to boycott, I 100% respect your decision.
7 child-friendly ways to explain Thanksgiving history
Chances are the adults in the room don’t want the Thanksgiving prayer to bring up how the Indian Wars resulted in 15 million natives being wiped out to 238,000. While the dark history of Thanksgiving isn’t the most upbeat lesson for kids, there are child-friendly ways to keep them entertained — without lying about the early years of Thanksgiving as though Natives and Pilgrims were BFFs. Here are seven suggested child-friendly holiday activities to consider that help them get a general understanding of the origin story.
Not a “Window Shopping” subscriber yet? You’re welcome to check out Shamontiel’s prior post on “Blavity” that further explains these Thanksgiving lessons below. This Window Shopping post has been significantly edited with additional information included.
Lesson 1: In the 1600s, when approximately 90 Wampanoag natives showed up to investigate the 50 Pilgrims on their land, both groups later shared a meal full of venison, fish, eels, shellfish, stews, vegetables and beer. Thanksgiving turkey did not become a popular holiday dish for this day until the 19th century.
Activity 1: Ask the children what meal they would want to eat if they could rewrite how Thanksgiving dinner should look. Give them pen, paper, coloring pencils and crayons to draw whatever foods they desire onto large paper plates.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn a percentage from purchases using my referral links.
Lesson 2: The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe were known as the People of the First. These were natives who spoke Algonquian, and used to live on what we now know as Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Activity 2: Give each child a blank map to color all 50 states as they see fit. However, they must color these two states in a different — and their favorite — color to distinguish them from the other 48.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn a percentage from purchases using my referral links.
Lesson 3: The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe were known as the People of the First. These were natives who spoke Algonquian, and used to live on what we now know as Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Activity 3: Give each child a blank map to color all 50 states as they see fit. However, they must color these two states in a different — and their favorite — color to distinguish them from the other 48.
Lesson 4: In 1621, the Wampanoag high chief Massasoit made a peace treaty called the “Massasoit Peace Treaty” with the Pilgrims. In this agreement, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag agreed not to injure each other. If either group disobeyed, the leader of the offending group would let the other group punish the perpetrator.
Activity 4: Chances are some disagreements have broken out at the children’s table. One person hit another person. Somebody took somebody’s toy. Person A snitched on Person B. If smartphones weren’t allowed at the table, return them long enough for each kid to create his own “treaty” about what should be done if each person at the table does something “wrong.” If the rules are good enough, make the “peace treaty” official until Thanksgiving night. The child who behaves the best gets a bag full of treats.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn a percentage from purchases using my referral links.
Lesson 5: When the Pilgrims arrived, they imagined the profitability of trading goods with the Natives. If it was really lucrative, the Pilgrims could reimburse the people who paid for them to travel to North America initially — where the natives already lived.
Activity 5: With a box of LEGOS, allow each kid the opportunity to build something that they think is worth money. When they’re done building their craft, present it to the adult table. It’s up to the adults to decide whether they want to give away a set amount of cash ($1, $5, $10) for this “trade.” But each adult at the Thanksgiving table has to buy one of the finished products.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn a percentage for every purchase with my referral link.
Lesson 6: Presently, the odds of seeing someone from the Wampanoag tribe are slim unless you live in Massachusetts. Almost two decades ago (in 2007), the federal government re-acknowledged the Mashpee Wampanoag as a tribe. Eight years later, in 2015, the federal government declared 150 acres of land in Mashpee and 170 acres of land in Taunton for their reservation. The Mashpee tribe currently has about 3,200 enrolled citizens.
Activity 6: Provide coloring books and ask the kids to create what they think the homes looked like on this reservation. Or, give the children plain paper to create an outdoor environment.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn a percentage for every purchase with my referral link.
Lesson 7: The Pilgrims didn’t have a history of public prayer. However, in 1623, a drought was destroying their crops. Colonists prayed and fasted for relief. A few days later, rain came. Then, a captain named Miles Standish arrived with news that a Dutch supply ship was on its way. After those three major benefits, Thanksgiving Day became a combination of a religious and social celebration for the Pilgrims.
Activity 7: Ask one (or more) of the children if they’d be interested in leading (or contributing) to the Thanksgiving pre-dinner prayer. Do not tell them what to pray for. Let their creative ideas flow.
Did you enjoy this post? You’re also welcome to check out my Substack columns “Black Girl In a Doggone World,” “BlackTechLogy,” “Homegrown Tales,” “I Do See Color,” “One Black Woman’s Vote” and “Window Shopping” too. Subscribe to this newsletter for the monthly post on the third Thursday. Thanks for reading!