Build a Fun Thanksgiving Boredom Busting Basket
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A Thanksgiving boredom busting basket can help keep kids occupied, happy, and learning while you are busy preparing for the Thanksgiving festivities. Kids are happy, and parents can cook. It is a win-win situation.
Boredom busting baskets are the reason I almost never hear the words “I’m bored.” Did you rotate toys when your kids were toddlers?
A boredom busting basket is the same basic idea!
I rotate craft supplies and educational toys each week to keep them ‘new’ and exciting. It makes my heart happy to see my kids gravitate towards the boredom busting basket and create some new artwork or practice skills through play.
Most weeks our boredom busting baskets do not have a theme. They are just a random compilation of craft supplies, puzzles, and games I think my children will find interesting.
However, I like to create special boredom busting baskets for holidays.
I assembled this Thanksgiving boredom basket a few days ago and will leave it available for my kids until a few days after Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Boredom Busting Basket
Little Thanksgiving Stickers – Holiday stickers are always a crowd-pleaser in my house. I bought these online, but I bet Michael’s carries something similar. Holiday stickers make wonderful story starters. They provide a jumping-off point for story ideas.
- ADORABLE THANKSGIVING DESIGN: Our bulk multicolor Thanksgiving stickers feature 77 charming and festive designs per sheet, perfect for adding a touch of…
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- VERSATILE USAGE: With 12 sheets and a total of 924 stickers, you’ll find an array of uses for these delightful stickers, from adorning gift tags and…
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Life in Colonial America Coloring Book – Dover makes fantastic historical coloring books! Each page contains a detailed image and a few sentences that provide the historical context for the image.
This particular coloring book starts with the Mayflower and ends with the Declaration of Independence. I see like-new Dover coloring books in used curriculum stores all the time and always grab them.
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
World Map Puzzle – I selected this floor puzzle from our puzzle cabinet to reinforce the message that the Pilgrims came from other parts of the world. Kids can build the map and then trace the route with their fingers or a small toy boat.
- EASY-TO-ASSEMBLE FLOOR PUZZLE: The Melissa & Doug World Map Jumbo Jigsaw Floor Puzzle is a 33-piece, easy-to-assemble floor puzzle that measures 2’ x…
- EDUCATIONAL DETAILS: This puzzle allows kids to explore the world while learning the location, shapes, and names of all the continents and major world…
- HELPS DEVELOP SKILLS: This Melissa & Doug world map puzzle helps kids develop multiple skills such as hand-eye coordination, problem-solving abilities, and…
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Play dough – Play dough is a staple in our boredom-busting baskets. I just vary the color selection. I always include a rolling pin and a few cookie cutters. For the Thanksgiving boredom-busting basket, I will include a few leaf cookie cutters.
- 8 FALL FAVORITES IN ONE SET – Celebrate the season with 8 fall cookie cutters featuring pumpkin, turkey, football, maple leaf, oak leaf, squirrel, candy…
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Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Feathers – Feathers are a great item to have on hand for open-ended play. I will put these feathers in the Thanksgiving boredom-busting basket without direction and see what the kids create.
My guess is that they will either glue them on paper or add them to play dough to create turkeys.
- 【Practical and Aesthetic】 Each pack including 300 colored feathers that can be used for various purposes. With nine assorted colors, rainbow feathers…
- 【Fair Size】 These craft feathers mainly contain 8-12cm (3-5 inches) size. Because all feathers are natural, there may be slight deviations in size…
- 【Nature & Craft】All our feathers for crafting are natural and strictly selected which is non-toxic and not fade, making it suitable for various…
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Watercolor paints – My kids love art, so I always try to put some sort of paint in their boredom-busting baskets. Watercolors are great because they are washable.
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Blank books – Thanksgiving always seems to encourage my kids to write their own stories. The first story Hannah ever wrote was about a cute little turkey named Tom.
I bought these blank books in the Target dollar spot back in August. They have blank books with cute Christmassy covers now (that I picked up as soon as I saw them).
- BLANK BOOKS TO WRITE STORIES – Inspire young writers and artists with this blank book set, featuring 24 unlined pages and a 4.25″ x 5.5” (A4) notebook…
- PAINT, DOODLE & WRITE – Kids can draw, paint, and write their own stories with crayons, markers, pencils, or watercolors. These blank journals for kids…
- PERFECT FOR HOME & SCHOOL – These blank notebooks for kids are perfect for a ‘make your own book’, kids notepad, doodle notebook, unlined plain journal…
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Pipe cleaners and beads – The kids can create their own beaded jewelry by stringing the beads on the pipe cleaners. A ribbon would also work.
- Valuable Set: 324 pcs 27 colors, each color 12pcs, approx 6mm in diameter, 300mm in length
- Rich colors shall meet your needs – 27 fixed colors chenille stems as picture shows, such as red, yellow, green, blue, pink, rose red, white, purple etc
- Made from wire and fiber, Caydo premium quality pipe cleaners are bendable and flexible, easy to bend, twist, curve or wrap to most shapes. multicolored…
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Thanksgiving Mad Libs – My kids love Mad Libs! It is a fun way to sneak in a little grammar practice.
- Used Book in Good Condition
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Thanksgiving Word Search – Word searches are a fun activity to do while taking a break from raking leaves, splashing in puddles, or any other fall activity.
My only caution is that they can be really frustrating for a child who is just beginning to read. All of the letters jumbled together can be confusing if you don’t have enough reading skills to visually pick out words.
Grocery Store Sales Paper – Kids can plan their own ideal Thanksgiving feast by looking through the sales paper. Encourage them to make a shopping list as they go and to tally up the total when they are finished.
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