Thanksgiving gives the tone for the official start of the holiday season in the United States. It is the holiday when we get together with our families and we enjoy great food and family time. It is also the moment of the year when we take time to give thanks for all the great things that happened throughout the year. We also remember those who have been good to us and show appreciation for all of their support and help. It is truly a great time of the year.

Although the end of November brings cold weather, Thanksgiving brings the warmth back. It reminds us that the holiday season is near and a happy new year is about to start. It usually makes us reconnect with family and friends and makes us forget about work and other responsibilities. When you pair that up with lots of turkey, stuffing, potatoes and warm pumpkin pie you have the recipe for a great time.

So then, most of us enjoy the food and also the conversation at the dinner table. However, once food is done and the kids enjoy the last bite of their pumpkin pie, they start getting bored. We need to keep that in mind, and come up with activities that keep them entertained. For more schools, Thanksgiving is a four or five day long vacation and kids need to find some fun stuff to do during that period. So, if you want to make sure that you get to enjoy the conversation at the dinner table and that the kids are also having fun, here are some fun games that they can play indoors, right in the dining room, where you can watch them:

Set Up a Stuffed Animal Playground

To make sure that all the kids have a toy, get a few plush animals and gather them together. You can choose a theme, let's say get different types of forest animals, such as stuffed foxes, little stuffed bunnies and stuffed raccoons, and maybe even a few teddy bears. Then, let the children invent beautiful stories about how the animals prepare for the cold season. If they get really into it, they can put a little play together that they can present to you while you are having your desert.

Get Holiday or Winter Themed Coloring Books

If the kids are young, you can get a few coloring books and let them pick the page they like the most. It can be of a turkey, or a pilgrim, of a reindeer, Santa Clause, a menorah, a snowman or any other winter or holiday symbol. Let them get creative and play with the colors. It will be lots of fun for them. Plus it is an activity that does not require constant supervision as no sharp objects are involved. Therefore you can enjoy dinner, while they are having fun.

Play a Guessing Game

For older kids, you can cut some simple pictures out of magazines, such as animals, cars, plants, clothing items, and others and stick them on cardboard. Put all of them in a box and have each child pick one. Then have the other kids guess what the image is by describing the picture without actually mentioning what the object is.

Trust me, these games will make your Thanksgiving a huge success. It will keep the kids happy and it will let you enjoy your dinner and the great family conversation. Put them to the test right away.