OT Activity of the Day:
Thanksgiving Meal Prep
Target Age Range: 2 and up
Looking for a way to engage your child in setting up for Thanksgiving? Have them help decorate the table! Today we’re highlighting three things that can be made, and used, during the Thanksgiving meal.
Napkin ring- I’ve stolen this idea from a friend who did this with her girls and I thought this was so clever! It’s also a great way to work on those early grasp patterns through marker use and fine motor manipulation if you’re using stickers for some flare. Flare can also include glue, feathers, sequins, pom poms, just about anything at all. All you need is an empty paper towel roll and cut it into however many rings you’ll need this year. Then you can get those markers out, flatten the ring a bit and then color and decorate! Either way your child is really working on their fine motor skills!
Placemats- Grab some construction paper, scissors, glue and markers and decorate some paper! No matter what your child decides to do, whether it’s just using markers, or taking it up a level and cutting out leaves or other Thanksgiving items (feathers, stickers, etc.) to glue on, your child is using and building their fine motor skills. For the older kids, feel free to have them write what they’re thankful for to practice some handwriting.
Hats- while I do not have hats pictured, there are several fun turkey headbands to be made if you search for some ideas on Pinterest. Again, any type of coloring or cutting is working on your child’s fine motor skills. When the activity is meaningful like this, you often find that even the most avoidant of fine motor participants joins in.
I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did! Enjoy!