I’ve been a parent for almost seven years now, but still, the idea of hosting my entire family for a holiday meal stresses me out. But maybe I’m doing it wrong…what if I have my kid help me with the prep and planning so it doesn’t all fall on me?

Come to think of it, there are plenty of ways that kids of all ages (except babies because, yeah) can help out at home if their parents are busy hosting a big family meal or get-together. You probably won’t trust them with carving a turkey or baking the pie, but you can make the littles a part of the big day in other ways. Bonus: These ideas will keep kids off the iPad, engaged with the family, and help teach them the importance of chores and responsibility.

Give your kiddo a sense of pride and accomplishment on Thanksgiving Day by letting them…

…choose a menu item. In addition to your usual Thanksgiving staples such as stuffing, pumpkin pie, and green bean casserole, give your kid(s) the honor of choosing one additional (easy!) side dish that you’ll serve guests and that they’re guaranteed to consume; a crowd-pleasing pasta dish or some type of kid-approved nuggets, perhaps? 

…assist with the cooking. Studies show that kids eat more food when they prepare it themselves, and I for one am willing to test out this theory. Have your kids help with the grocery shopping, grabbing ingredients from the pantry, mixing or measuring, or chopping up fruits and veggies with kid-safe knives. Early elementary schoolers can also practice reading off the recipes as you’re making them.

…set and decorate the table. Part of the fun of fall is the decorating, is it not? In addition to decking out your table with gourds galore, print out a template for Thanksgiving place card settings that kids can color in and personalize, or get crafty with these DIY Thanksgiving place card ideas. Then, have the kids set each setting with their creations, along with plates, silverware, glassware, and napkins.

…’own’ a specific day-of task. Kids will feel important if they’re put in charge of something on Turkey Day. A few ideas, depending on their age, include being in charge of the timer for the turkey, taking and hanging guests’ coats, escorting everyone to their seats at dinnertime, or plating the desserts.

…come up with a dinnertime to-do. Keep things interesting at the table by playing a Thanksgiving-themed game of your child’s choosing. Maybe you’ll go for the tried-but-true classic of each guest saying what they’re thankful for, or switch things up with everyone sharing what their favorite float was at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Other ideas include trivia games, printable Thanksgiving-themed word finds, or physical ideas like a silly potato sack race.

…create a Thanksgiving playlist. Perfect for the tech-obsessed tween or teen who will probably be on their phone the whole time anyway, have him or her pull together a list of songs (or podcasts?!) that the whole family can enjoy. PS: Make sure “The Thanksgiving Song” by Adam Sandler makes the list!

…spearhead a gratitude-themed activity. Don’t let your kiddos forget what the holiday is all about. Have them tap into their creative sides by decorating a thank you jar, and then have each guest write down something they’re thankful for. Read the notes aloud later that evening, or save them to look back on at future Thanksgiving gatherings.

How will your kids be helping on Thanksgiving day?

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