Have a Mini-Pumpkin Hunt
What a great way to get the family up and running after a big meal. Hide as many mini pumpkins as you want, indoors or outside, and let the family loose — like an Easter egg hunt with an autumn twist. Play individually or pair up in teams and have a prize for the person/group that finds the most pumpkins.

Create a Book of Thanks

Grab an archival photobook or scrapbook from a local craft store and every year snap a picture of your guests. Print the picture and have each guest write what they are thankful for in the book. Don’t forget to put a date on the page so you can pull the book out year after year for a walk down memory lane! Original idea and photo are from here.

Pass Down a Family Recipe

Keep family favorites passed down from generation to generation. Bring the kiddos into the kitchen and teach them grandma’s recipe for pumpkin pie or a favorite aunt’s stuffing recipe. You can always start a new tradition of your own as well! At my house, we love making my gluten-free corn muffins and peanut butter cookies!

Play a Game of Mad Libs

Who doesn’t love a game of Mad Libs?! Play at the table or before you sit down to eat to get the conversation flowing. This free download is appropriate for the entire family – it’s actually better when both children and adults play. Free download (pictured at left) can be found here.

Hold a Parade

Watching the Macy's Day Parade is a part of many people's Thanksgiving tradition, but why not hold your own parade? If you have kiddos present at your Turkey Day feast, this can be such a fun way to get everyone out for a walk after the big meal. Invite the kids to raid the dress-up bin and grab any kids' instruments you have lying around and march around the neighborhood.

Play a New Board Game

Make it a tradition to purchase a new board game to play every Thanksgiving. OR, perhaps even better, ask any guests who are coming to bring their favorite board game and teach everyone how to play.

Write a Letter

Do you have a loved one who couldn't make it in person? Take a few minutes to write them a letter about why you're thankful for them and how you miss them. Have everyone write a paragraph and they'll be sure to treasure it!

Give Back

Make the holiday more meaningful by finding a way, big or small, to give back every year.

If you have guests coming, ask everyone to bring a few cans of food that you'll then donate to a local food bank. If it's just your little family, raid the pantry for donations!

Other simple options include voting on a charity to donate to. Encourage the kids to contribute if they get an allowance!

You could also have an art table and enlist the children and adults alike to make cards for a children's hospital or for our overseas soldiers.

Watch a Holiday Movie

It's easy for holidays to end on a down note when you realize that all of the fun and festivities have come to an end. For many though, the end of Thanksgiving brings the beginning of the winter holiday season. So why not cap off Thanksgiving with your favorite holiday movie to mark the change in seasons? Watch the same film every year or choose a new one, whatever your family finds more fun!