Thanksgiving is a wonderful time, setting off the holiday season with family, food, and those iconic holiday moments. But if you have a preschooler at home, it can also feel like a really long, taxing day. For our kids, there can be a lot of change, whether we’re hosting or visiting someone else’s home. There could be new faces, later meals, and different rhythms than what they are used to. Even with these challenges, we can enjoy the day with our preschoolers with a little planning and a lot of grace. So let’s look at some ways to plan a great day hosting Thanksgiving with preschoolers.
As we think about these special holidays with our little ones, really we’re thinking about managing long days, altered routines, and overstimulation. Let’s remember what our kids are facing on these days, and let’s help them feel safe, calm, and included.
Stick with some kind of routine
Our kids really do thrive on rhythms and routines. On a holiday, we know we will have to adjust our routines, so this is not about following your exact daily schedule. But it is about keeping the rhythm of the day familiar so your child can relax into it.
So as we plan our day of hosting Thanksgiving with preschoolers, let’s build in a few familiar moments for them. For example, we could make sure there are some morning snuggles, similar snack times, or a story time to help our little ones feel some consistency.
We could also make sure some familiar items are out and available for our kids. A favorite book on the coffee table or a comforting stuffed animal can really help when things get busy.
And if your preschooler still naps or needs a rest time, let’s plan for that to happen at the normal time as much as possible. On these special days, it might turn into a quiet movie time, a short time of cuddles, or just playing in a quiet place with some soft music. But let’s have a plan for getting that rest time in, for everyone’s sake.
Prep food early to lighten your load
When we’re hosting with preschoolers underfoot, the kitchen can feel like a stressful balancing act. So if you’re planning on hosting Thanksgiving with preschoolers, now is the time to start making some plans to prepare as much as possible ahead of time. If most of the chopping, mixing, and baking are all done, we can be more present for connection. This is better for us, for our guests, and for our little ones.
Create a safe, relaxing space
A calm, inviting space for our little ones can help them feel safe, and it can help us stay sane. While we do want to keep things familiar and close to routine rhythms, a new little cozy space can make the day special for our kids AND provide us some kid-free moments.
So consider setting up a cozy spot with a blanket or a rug or some cushions. Stock it with coloring sheets, stickers, craft supplies, or favorite books or toys. Add in some comforting items like a hoodie or even some music and headphones for your child to escape the noise.
When our kids have a space that’s theirs for the day, it can help to reduce tantrums and it can increase their independence, so we can be hosting Thanksgiving with our preschoolers, and feel great about it!
Plan activities that include your preschooler
Long afternoons filled with adult conversations can feel endless to a three- or four-year-old. Let’s help them be part of the celebration with some simple and fun activities. They could make place cards for your guests or help to build a centerpiece. As you do prep work, they could help to wash veggies or stir some ingredients together. Or as we try to get things done, we could play some simple games with them, like sending them to find items that are orange or items that are soft. When we give our kids some simple tasks to do, it gives them some purpose and connection. And it makes it a little easier for us to be hosting Thanksgiving with preschoolers.
Prepare kids for visitors and what’s coming
A little pre-talk about our guests will go a long way. It’s a good time to set expectations for behavior and to prepare our kids for how other people may behave.
We can talk about who is coming, how to greet them or spend time with them, and even how to use our manners at the table. In talking about who will be there, try learning some of the signs for different family members from the People section of our free Signing Time Dictionary.
This is also a great time to decide together what we will do if our preschoolers get overwhelmed or feel like they need a break. Again, let’s make sure they have a place to go if they need to rest or if they get overstimulated.
Talking about all of this ahead of time, maybe multiple times, can help our kids understand the “why” of the plan. It can also help prevent surprises or preschooler emergencies.
Watch for potential problems
Even when everything seems to be going smoothly, the special day can change quickly for our little ones. So let’s prepare a lot, but then on Thanksgiving, let’s watch for signs that our preschoolers need some help. They may become clingy or irritable, or they may get wound up and silly. We might find them in a corner or withdrawing in some way, or they might just be uncooperative.
In case we do have a preschooler issue on Thanksgiving, let’s have a plan. It doesn’t take much to help our little ones regulate a bit. It might just take a short walk outdoors, a few minutes in their cozy space, a snack and a drink of water, some hugging or rocking, or even a few minutes with soft music or a positive show.
When we have a plan to take action early, it will help prevent bigger meltdowns later in the day. So let’s build in space to help our preschoolers during this special day.
Allow for a wind-down time
It might be a really long day, but let’s still give our preschoolers the comfort of a consistent bedtime routine. We might need to adapt it to be a shorter version, but let’s stick to the normal rhythm as much as we can. When we keep our bedtime ritual, it’s a sign of safety, and it will help our kids settle into a time of rest.
Hosting Thanksgiving with a preschooler doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. It will need some intentional planning, some flexibility, and some mindfulness. As we plan for the reality of having preschoolers, we can create a holiday that’s meaningful, and memorable for both ourselves and our little ones.