Thanksgiving brings us together to celebrate with our friends and families, so don't let a full house overwhelm you. Use these activities to keep people of all ages engaged and happy all day long. A house full of activity, laughter, and gratitude will make this Thanksgiving the best yet.

Make a stash of sweet treats - an
easy activity for kids to do on
their own.

For each candy acorn, you'll need a chocolate drop candy, a round mini sandwich cookie, and a mini chocolate chip. use candy icing to attach the sandwich cookie to the flat side of the chocolate drop candy. Then use a dab of icing to attach the mini chocolate chip to the top of the cookie. Let set.

A quiet activity for all of the
cousins to do together.

Draw or trace a leaf template onto card stock. Use the template to trace leaf shapes onto felt. Then use scissors to cut out the felt leaves.
Thread a needle with a 20-inch long piece of embroidery floss in a contrasting color. Starting at one end of a leaf, sew a running stitch.
Outline the entire leaf shape with a running stitch. Then make stitches down the center of the leaf. Double-knot the thread on the backside of the leaf and trim the excess.
Use craft glue to attach a second leaf to the underside of the first, gluing a felt loop in between the leaves. Attach the felt leaf to a key ring or a necklace chain.

A perfect activity for older kids to
work on with younger kids.

Arrange some wedge-shaped shortbread cookies (available at grocery stores) on wax paper.
Make icing by mixing together
2 cups powdered sugar,
7 tablespoons corn syrup,
2 tablespoons milk, and some
drops of yellow and red food coloring. Stir until smooth.
Scoop some icing into a plastic sandwich bag. Use scissors to snip off a tiny corner of the bag. Outline each cookie with icing, making sure to leave a little space at the top. Let set for 15 minutes.
Once the outlines have set, fill them in with icing. The icing should spread and fill in the triangle by itself. If it doesn't cover the whole surface, use a butter knife. Let set for 1 hour. Before serving, add a tiny dab of whipped cream to each cookie.

Create a garland of leaves to represent the entire family. Draw or trace a leaf shape on card stock and cut it out. Trace around the shape many times again and cut out the leaves using scissors. Let each member of the family use markers to decorate their own unique leaf. Use a sewing needle to string everyone’s leaves onto embroidery floss.

While your house is full of friends and family, let your girl surprise someone with a special thanks! Use leaves that are left over from the Lovely Leaves garland. On the back of each leaf, kids can write to a friend or visiting family member telling them why they are grateful to have them in their lives. You can help your girl hide the notes in places you know they’ll be found, such as jackets or purses.

A sweet and crunchy treat
for the football game!

In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat 1/4 cup of butter until melted. Stir in 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice and a 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, stir together 3 cups rice squares cereal, 2 cups wheat squares cereal, 1 cup pretzel twists, and 1 cup peanuts. Pour the butter mixture over the cereal mixture. Stir until coated completely.
Heat the mixture in the microwave on high for 2 minutes and stir. (Careful! The mixture will be hot.) Repeat two more times.
Spread the mixture on wax paper to cool. Once it's cool, pour the mixture into a bowl and stir in candy sprinkles.

Make a stash of sweet treats - an
easy activity for kids to do on
their own.

Have your girl gather pinecones from outside. Before you craft, make sure the pinecones are bug-free. Here’s how: Spread the pinecones in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake the pinecones at 200 degrees for 30 minutes, let them cool. Cover a work surface, then use nontoxic acrylic paint to paint the tips of the pinecones in bright colors. Let dry. Finish by tying a ribbon to the end.

Create a Thanksgiving Thankful Tree that your family can add leaves to with notes about what they’re thankful for. Watch Maggie put her Thankful Tree together to see what she’s thankful for.

See more ideas, crafts, and recipes in American Girl Magazine