10 Fun Thanksgiving Activities for Kids Who Don’t Have Siblings to Play With
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The first time I made a Cajun turkey, I had no idea what I was signing up for. Between basting every thirty minutes and trying not to burn the gravy, it felt like a full-time job.
And if you’re a mom with an only child, you get it. You’re cooking, cleaning, and trying to keep one little human entertained while doing it all.
These activities saved me. They keep my daughter happy, calm, and creative while I cook — no sibling required. They’re fun, sensory, and imaginative, perfect for kids who love to play solo.
They’re designed for ages 4 to 8 because let’s be honest, once they hit 9 and start creeping toward double digits, they suddenly think you’re cringe (so I’ve heard). My daughter’s still in that sweet spot, so these are the activities I’m repeating or trying again this year.
Why Solo Play Feels Different for Kids Without Siblings
When your child doesn’t have siblings, solo play hits differently. They look to you for connection, especially on big family days like Thanksgiving when the house is busy and full of noise.
But here’s the truth I had to learn. Solo play isn’t lonely when it’s intentional. It helps kids build imagination, patience, and confidence. It teaches them to find joy in their own little world.
You’re not just buying yourself a few quiet moments. You’re giving your child the chance to grow, create, and explore. All while you finish cooking the turkey that feels like your part-time job at the moment.
10 Fun Thanksgiving Activities for Kids Who Don’t Have Siblings to Play With
Each of these ideas is designed for independent play, creative thinking, and a little bit of learning. Perfect for ages 4 to 8.
🧺 Sensory + Fun
1. Pumpkin Patch Sensory Bin
Turn your kitchen floor into a mini pumpkin farm.
Fill a clear plastic bin with orange water beads, a few mini pumpkins, and toy tractors. Add measuring cups and tongs so your child can scoop and harvest their “pumpkins.”
Sometimes I hand my daughter paper “pumpkin tickets” and a basket so she can pretend to sell her pumpkins at her own farm stand. It’s adorable, keeps her busy, and gives me time to check on the turkey.
🪣 What you’ll need: sensory bin, orange water beads, mini pumpkins, toy tractors, tongs, measuring cups.
2. Cranberry Scoop and Pour Challenge
This one is simple but surprisingly engaging.
Fill a large bowl with cranberries and give your child measuring cups, spoons, and a muffin tin. Challenge them to scoop, sort, and count the berries. Ask fun questions like “Do they float or sink?” to turn it into a mini science experiment.
It keeps little hands busy and gives you a moment to breathe while something bakes in the oven.
🪣 What you’ll need: cranberries, muffin tin, measuring cups, scoops, small bowls.
3. Make Your Own Pie Sensory Tray
Set out play dough, silicone cupcake liners, and loose parts like dried beans or pom-poms. Let your child roll, press, and “bake” pretend pies for each family member.
Last year, my daughter made what she called “pumpkin spice bean pie” and proudly served it to every stuffed animal in the house. It was a big hit in her imaginary bakery.
🪣 What you’ll need: play dough, silicone baking cups, pom-poms, plastic knives, mini rolling pin, play tools.
Complete List of Things You Need
Clear sensory bin
Orange water beads
Mini pumpkins
Toy tractors or farm animals
Measuring cups and tongs
Fresh cranberries
Muffin tin and bowls
Play dough (fall colors)
Silicone cupcake liners
Pom-poms and dried beans
Plastic child-safe knife
Mini rolling pin
🕹️ Modern + Educational
4. Free Kids Audiobooks on Audible
If your child loves stories but struggles to sit still, this one’s a lifesaver.
Audible has a collection of free kids’ audiobook originals — everything from Sesame Street to calming bedtime stories, and some even include downloadable coloring pages that pair with the story. They even use the characters authentic voices, so your little ones will enjoy hearing their voices come to life.
I like to set my daughter up with a simple sensory or art activity (think kinetic sand, coloring, or sticker books) while she listens. It keeps her hands busy and her mind calm. Perfect for those last few hours before Thanksgiving dinner when everyone’s starting to get hungry and restless.
For a limited time, you can grab your first three months of Audible for just $0.99, which makes it an easy win for the holidays.
🧩 What you’ll need: Audible app, wireless headphones or speaker, sensory or art activity setup (o.
5. Orboot Earth Explorer Interactive Globe
This year, I’m trying something new because my daughter has become a total tech lover thanks to her iPad (there’s saracasm in this sentence lol). Lately, I’ve been really focused on finding tech-free activities… but I also have to meet her where she’s at. The PlayShifu Orboot Earth Explorer felt like the perfect happy medium. It lets her use a device while still learning through play.
It’s an award-winning STEM toy that uses augmented reality to bring the world to life. With a magic stylus and a free companion app, kids can explore over 400 interactive facts across six categories like animals, cultures, monuments, and cuisines. When they tap the globe, it shows animations, fun facts, and even constellations that light up in the sky.
I love it because it makes screen time feel worth it. It’s guilt-free tech that keeps kids curious while you’re focused in the kitchen. And honestly, it’s a great gift idea for any kid who loves to explore.
Inside the box, you’ll find a 10” globe, a passport, stickers, a stamp, and a magic stylus. There are no borders, just wonder.
🧩 What you’ll need: PlayShifu Orboot Earth Explorer Interactive Globe (ages 4+).
6. Build-a-Feast STEM Challenge
Give your child magnet tiles or building blocks and tell them to build a Thanksgiving table tall enough for their stuffed animals. Then challenge them to make chairs, plates, or dessert stands.
My daughter once built a “cranberry tower” that almost reached the counter. She was proud, and I was grateful for 20 minutes of quiet.
🧩 What you’ll need: magnet tiles or blocks, toy dishes, stuffed animals, small measuring tape.
Complete List of Things You Need
Audible app
Wireless headphones or small Bluetooth speaker
Coloring pages or sensory materials (sand, stickers, markers)
Magnet tiles or building blocks
Toy dishes or pretend food
Stuffed animals
Measuring tape
🧠 Logic + Thinking Games
7. Turkey Sudoku for Kids
Print a 4x4 Sudoku grid, but replace numbers with Thanksgiving icons like turkeys, pumpkins, and leaves.
Slide the sheet into a clear protector and use dry-erase markers so your child can play again and again. It’s problem-solving disguised as fun.
🧠 What you’ll need: printable Sudoku cards, sheet protectors, markers.
8. Gratitude Puzzle Sort
Print photos of family, pets, or favorite things and glue them onto cardboard. Then cut them into simple puzzle shapes.
As your child puts the puzzles back together, ask what they love about each one. It’s the sweetest way to spark conversation about thankfulness.
🧠 What you’ll need: photos, glue, cardboard, scissors.
9. Thanksgiving Logic Maze
Use painter’s tape to create a maze on the floor. Add fun clues like “Step on something orange” or “Hop to the mashed potatoes.”
Your child follows the clues to find a small prize at the end. It’s great for energy release and focus while you handle the heavy cooking.
🧠 What you’ll need: painter’s tape, index cards for clues, small prize.
Complete List of Things You Need
Printable kid Sudoku sheets
Dry-erase protectors
Kid-safe markers
Cardboard
Scissors and glue
Painter’s tape
Index cards for clues
Small prize (toy or treat)
🎬 Pop Culture Inspired
10. Inside Out 2 Emotion Stations
If your child loves Inside Out 2, this one will keep them entertained for a long time.
Create five mini stations based on the movie’s emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust.
Joy: draw or build something that makes you happy.
Sadness: wrap a blanket around yourself and write a comfort list.
Anger: rip up paper and toss it into a bin.
Fear: trace your hand and write something you did this year that made you brave.
Disgust: sort items (slime, pom-poms, beads) into “like” and “don’t like.”
It’s a mix of sensory play and emotional awareness, and it’s easily my favorite to watch her do.
🎬 What you’ll need: five trays, Inside Out toys or plush, paper, markers, sensory items.
Complete List of Things You Need
Inside Out 2 toys or plush
Five trays
Blank paper and markers
Scrap paper
Slime, beads, and pom-poms
Soft blanket or scarf
Making Thanksgiving Feel Full (Even When It’s Just You Two)
If you’re a mom of one, you already know that “full” doesn’t have to mean loud or crowded.
It can mean laughter in the kitchen, a little one stirring imaginary pie dough beside you, or a quiet moment of gratitude before dinner.
These Thanksgiving activities aren’t just a way to keep your child busy. They’re small memories in the making. They’re the calm in the middle of your turkey marathon.
You’re doing amazing. Even if the turkey takes all day, your child will remember how Thanksgiving felt — creative, cozy, and full of love.
