1. Encourage everyone to nibble on healthy food, instead of sweets, by helping your kids create this turkey fruit and cheese kabob holder made from a pear, a melon, and some sweet peppers.

2. Another way to encourage healthier eating is to create a turkey out of vegetables laid on a platter. You'll probably have to make it - but the kids will enjoy eating it!

3. Make a harvest necklace using thread and a blunt needle. String popcorn, raisins, dried cranberries, and dried apple rings onto the thread.

4. Try a "thankful garland." Draw some leaf shapes on red, orange, yellow, and brown construction paper. Let your children cut out these "leaves." Ask every guest to take at least one leaf and write something on it that they are thankful for. Gather everyone and, one at a time, have guests read their leaf and string it onto a cord. When everyone is done, hang the cord as a garland. Or, cut rectangles from rainbow colored construction paper and have your children write what they are thankful for on the strips. Help them turn the rectangles into rings (using tape, glue, or staples) and create a traditional Christmas ring garland. On Thanksgiving, hang it somewhere prominent. Keep it up until New Year.

5. Have your children make Mayflower hand print pictures: Paint a child's hand brown and press the hand down on blue paper. Paint a darker blue sea and add some white cotton ball or painted clouds. Cut sails from white paper and have your children apply them.

6. Help your children make the sort of toys Pilgrim children relied on: Cornhusk Dolls.

7. Let your kids use blocks with letters on them to create appropriate messages around the house, like "Give Thanks."

8. Make place cards or napkin rings from construction paper. Use clip art to print out native headdresses and Pilgrim hats and collars. Use computer software to combine this clipart with a photograph of each guest's face. For an example of this craft, visit Family Fun's website.

9. Create a family tree print. Paint the trunk of a tree on heavy paper, then paint each child's hand the color of an autumn leaf: some green, some orange, some yellow, some red. Help the children press their hands onto the paper, creating the limbs and leaves of the tree. For best results, allow one color to dry before applying another. Frame this print and keep it as a family heirloom - or a give it as a Christmas gift.


10. Create the Mayflower from a milk carton.

11. Make a Thanksgiving ensemble of natives and Pilgrims with these free templates.

12. Check out last year's Thanksgiving craft ideas!