Are you looking for ways to keep your kids active, entertained and learning over the Thanksgiving holidays? We have some tips and ideas for you from cooking and writing to games and puzzles.

Writing Exercises and Keeping it Fun

One way to build family connections and keep your kids engaged in learning and writing is to have your child interview a family member who is attending the Thanksgiving holiday with you. Have your child ask about where they were born, where they went to school, when did they meet their husband or wife (your child’s grandma, grandpa, aunt or uncle), what interesting place did they work, what was the most interesting experience they ever had and what life lesson have they learned? You can help them brainstorm a few questions to ask and have the person they’re interviewing help them write down any big words they don’t know. Then they, or you, can read it at the holiday dinner table.

For a simpler writing exercise, have them write one paragraph each day of the long weekend on the topic “What am I thankful for today?” For kids who love writing and might want a more challenging exercise they could write about what they are most thankful for this fall, or research some aspect of the holiday.

Keeping Math in the Equation over the Holiday

To keep kids engaged in math get them cooking in the kitchen or help with the shopping, both involve math if you chat with them about what you are doing. Have them help measure out the ingredients, when setting the table have your younger kids count the number of people attending then have them set out the right number of placemats, chairs and silverware. While shopping have them count out change, or they can practice their ALOHA counting methods by totaling up everything you put in the cart from each aisle, jot it down add the total up and see how close they are to the total at the cash register.

For Both Math and Reading/Writing Try Games

Get your kids playing math puzzles or games, word games, Jr crossword puzzles, or even mad libs. Play a family game of scrabble with mom & daughter against dad and son or whatever family mix you have, or try Jr Scrabble. See what math and reading apps you can find and download them onto their tablet or phones.

One Last Thanksgiving Tip

It is hard, but try and keep your children on a similar sleep schedule to what they usually keep. New studies suggest that sleeping late on weekends can disrupt your sleep cycle and have short and long term effects.