Thanksgiving Kids Table Printables: Placemats and Activities for Ages 3-7

The kids table is one of the best parts of Thanksgiving, and one of the hardest to plan. Young kids finish eating fast, get restless while adults are still talking, and need something to do that does not involve a screen or running laps around the house.

A few printables can make a big difference. This post covers how to set up a simple kids table with printable placemats and a small set of activities for ages 3 to 7.

Why printable placemats work so well

A coloring placemat does two jobs at once. It protects the table a little, and it gives kids something to do the moment they sit down. It also makes the kids table feel special, like it was set up just for them.

Good placemats for ages 3 to 7 have:

• Big, simple pictures to color
• A spot for the child’s name
• A small activity, like a short maze or something to count
• Space to draw or write one thing they are thankful for

Setting up the kids table

You do not need decorations to make it feel festive. Here is a low-effort setup:

1. Print one placemat per child, plus a couple of extras for spills.
2. Put a small cup of crayons in the center of the table. Four or five colors per child is enough.
3. Write each child’s name on their placemat ahead of time. It doubles as a place card.
4. Keep a folder of extra pages under the table or on a nearby shelf for after the meal.
5. Put a paper towel roll within reach. Trust us.

Before the meal: something to start right away

The wait between “everyone sit down” and “food is on the table” can be long for a 4-year-old. A placemat they can color right away fills that gap. If you have older kids, add a short puzzle, like an I Spy or a hidden pictures page, at their seats.

After the meal: the folder of extras

Kids usually finish first. Instead of sending them off to find something to do, hand them the folder. Good options for after the meal:

• A second coloring page, like a pumpkin or leaf pile
• A short maze for ages 3-4 and a longer one for ages 5-7
• Spot the difference for older kids
• A thank-you picture to give to a grandparent or the host

Let kids pick one page at a time. A whole stack at once can lead to a pile of half-finished pages.

Making the kids table part of the gratitude

Thanksgiving is about being thankful, and kids can join in on their own terms. Try one of these:

• Ask each child to draw one thing they are thankful for on their placemat, then share it with the grown-up table.
• Have older kids write a short “thank you” to the cook.
• Collect the finished placemats and keep them as a family keepsake from the year.

Tips for mixed ages at one table

If the kids table has a toddler and a second grader, that is normal. A few ideas:

• Give everyone the same coloring placemat, since coloring works for all ages.
• Hand out different puzzles by age, so nobody is stuck or bored.
• Seat older kids next to younger ones. They often like to help.

Printurday packs are built for exactly this, with a 3-4 lane and a 5-7 lane in the same file.

Planning ahead

The week of Thanksgiving is busy. If you can, print everything a few days early:

• Placemats, one per child plus extras
• Two or three activity pages per child for the folder
• A gratitude page or thank-you picture

Put it all in a labeled folder with the crayons. On the day, it takes one minute to set out.

Printing tips

• Print on US Letter paper. Regular printer paper works, and slightly heavier paper holds up better to spills.
• Grayscale is fine. Placemats are line art.
• If you want a sturdier placemat, slip the finished page into a sheet protector.

A placemat to try

Download: Free Thanksgiving Activity Sampler (PDF)

Free, 6-page US Letter PDF: a cover page plus 5 mixed activity pages for ages 3-7 (Trace It and Dot-to-Dot 1 to 10 for ages 3-4, Spot the 7 Differences and I Spy for older kids, and a Roll-a-Turkey dice game for all ages). Prints fine in grayscale. The Roll-a-Turkey game is a good one for the kids table. (The placemat craft itself is in the full pack, not the sampler.)

Try Printurday this November

Start with the free sample. If it works for your family, the full Harvest & Thanks pack is $6 a month, cancel anytime. It is one 52-page US Letter PDF that prints fine in grayscale, with pages for ages 3-4 and ages 5-7, including the Thanksgiving Placemat craft shown above.