Fall is more than just a gap between summer and winter. It can be a truly fun time for the whole family, especially given the seasonal holidays that take place. Of course, showing gratitude for your good fortune is the tradition in this time of the year, and so are family get-togethers.
If you don’t have anything planned out, why not take your kids to one of the fun indoor play places in Mesa? If you wish to teach your kids the meaning of Thanksgiving and make it fun, continue reading.
How to teach children the meaning of Thanksgiving? 
Firstly, whether it’s celebrated religiously or secularly doesn’t matter. For younger children it’s most important to focus on the following concepts and themes:
- Gratitude: celebrate the fruits of our labor, but also show your appreciation for anything else you’re thankful for. Showing your thankfulness to your parents, siblings, significant others, the elderly, is important as it builds a greater sense of belonging.
- Family: ideal time for all generations to celebrate and have a feast with their loved ones. Gather for a traditional dinner or lunch, or organize a picnic in nature where everyone can join.
- Community: sharing your good fortune is another way to show you aren’t taking things for granted, so make sure to donate some of your stuff, or help around your neighborhood.
As for the traditional meals and decor, you can be more playful. Usually, you can introduce them to concepts of Thanksgiving feast, turkey, pilgrim or other Thanksgiving-themed hats.
What are some fun things to do on Thanksgiving?
You can arrange a variety of other activities for a fun Thanksgiving. Consider the following seven options to make the holiday memorable for your little ones:
1. Craft a family tree
You don’t need a lot of fancy tools and decorations to make it look great. Use simple folding paper, markers, coloring pencils, labels. You can attach pictures of family members, or objects that remind you of them. Also, you’ll need some glue to attach the elements, brown paper for the bark and green or orange paper for the leaves.
2. Turkey tag
This traditional game starts with the famous “Run, turkey, run!”. It’s especially popular among preschoolers, as they crave additional physical activity in November. It’s an ideal game to try out at an indoor or outdoor playground.
You can read your children this classic storybook before you get them running. You just need to make sure that every child has a custom-made tag or pin on their clothes. Just try to ensure they stay safe.
3. Gratitude game
There is a number of variations, but the point is to focus on the following questions:
- Name someone who makes your life better and explain what makes them special.
- Try to think of something you have done or used today that others take for granted.
- What is the one thing that you appreciate most about the person sitting next to you?
You can turn this into a guessing game, Pictionary theme, creating a “Thanksgiving Tree”, not unlike the Christmas counterpart, with decorative messages, and more.
4. Harvest bowling
Every child adores knocking over pins. Instead of bowling balls, use smaller pumpkins, or other round pieces of harvest. You can decorate the pins in seasonal colors, as well. Make up some fun rules, and make children compete for candy or toys.
5. Mini pumpkin hunt
Not unlike a colorful scavenger hunt for Halloween, late November is the perfect time to go fetch a perfect pumpkin in the field, or compete in the collection of pumpkins in your backyard, or around the house.
6. Go hiking with your family
Your feast doesn’t have to take place at the dinner table. You can spend the afternoon outside, hiking, cycling, and renting a cottage to spend a pleasant night there.
7. Thanksgiving home cinema
If you’re reluctant to leave your house for Thanksgiving, you can still watch some popular family-friendly titles and have a wonderful movie night.
Where can I find well-furnished indoor play places in Mesa, AZ and the vicinity?
If you’re indecisive about what to do on Thanksgiving and how to entertain your kids, Mesa gives you a lot of options. You may wonder if there’s a fun event at Hohokam Stadium or take them to a ninja course at Eagles Park. Your best bet is to take them to one of the Uptown Jungle facilities nearby.
We have all amenities that can help your kids stay active in fall: obstacle courses, trampolines, ball arenas, climbing walls and more! Our staff is ready to assist you and entertain your kids, while you relax in parent designated areas.
To see why parents and kids alike adore our playgrounds, visit us today!