Kids' Thanksgiving Feast...help me plan it!

[Celeste]

I am hosting a little Pilgrim and Native American party, where the kids come dressed as one or the other. There will probably be 9-12 kids, ages 1-9, mostly in the 3-6 year old range. I want to have a little craft and serve a mini "feast". Anyone do this before? Should I cook a little turkey or just have sandwiches? I think it would be fun to do a turkey, but the party is the Monday before Thanksgiving, so we'll all be eating plenty of turkey that week anyway. And maybe have everyone who comes bring a side, like the Pilgrims and Native Americans did that first Thanksgiving...?

I think for the little kids, I will do a handprint turkey craft. But I think it will be too simple for the older kids (6 and up). There will be probably at least 4 kids who could do something more involved. Any suggestions?

[erin_c_odonnell]

I think a nice variation would be look into Native American ways to fix a turkey?? How did they do food back in history maybe and pick 2-3 unique foods

[erin_c_odonnell]

Now I'm curious and looking online all I can find is slow cooked turkey like we do today or Brunswick stew. Here are some corn and bread recipes though-
http://www.food.com/recipes/native-american

[Icryinbaseball]

I am so stealing this next year just so you know .

[AcrossTheUniverse]

What about drumsticks? You can buy a pack of chicken drumsticks and prepare them however you want. Have all the kids bring a side dish and then they can have a mini feast, with each kid getting a drumstick. I know in our family it was always a treat to get the turkey drumstick.

[Hungry Caterpillar]

We did this in my Brownie troop in elementary school and this is one of my favorite memories at this age!

We had chicken drumsticks, one each.

Cornbread muffins that we stirred and baked together, then each decorated on the top in "Thanksgiving theme" with frozen thawed corn kernals. I remember trying to create a turkey out of corn kernals, did not turn out as envisioned, lol.

Popcorn! We read a story about how the Native Americans showed up to Thanksgiving with popped corn in leather bags and so we had popcorn in "leather" bags which was just calico fabric that sorta looked like leather. We made the bags at the beginning of the party which were pre-prepared by our moms. They just did two rectangles of fabric inside out and poked holes with a hole punch, and then we threaded ribbon through instead of sewing and each made our own bag to be filled.

We did the crayon/leaf thing where we each brought a pretty leaf with us and then put a piece of paper over it and colored with the flat part of the crayon to make impressions. It was supposed to be taken home as a decoration for our own Thanksgiving at home.

We "spiced" pinecones by brushing decoupage over the pinecones and then shaking cinnamon on them.

I think this was second grade? I have really vivid memories of this, it was lots of fun.

[Celeste]

Originally Posted by Hungry Caterpillar We did this in my Brownie troop in elementary school and this is one of my favorite memories at this age! We had chicken drumsticks, one each. Cornbread muffins that we stirred and baked together, then each decorated on the top in "Thanksgiving theme" with frozen thawed corn kernals. I remember trying to create a turkey out of corn kernals, did not turn out as envisioned, lol. Popcorn! We read a story about how the Native Americans showed up to Thanksgiving with popped corn in leather bags and so we had popcorn in "leather" bags which was just calico fabric that sorta looked like leather. We made the bags at the beginning of the party which were pre-prepared by our moms. They just did two rectangles of fabric inside out and poked holes with a hole punch, and then we threaded ribbon through instead of sewing and each made our own bag to be filled. We did the crayon/leaf thing where we each brought a pretty leaf with us and then put a piece of paper over it and colored with the flat part of the crayon to make impressions. It was supposed to be taken home as a decoration for our own Thanksgiving at home. We "spiced" pinecones by brushing decoupage over the pinecones and then shaking cinnamon on them. I think this was second grade? I have really vivid memories of this, it was lots of fun.

Definitely will do the drumsticks. Much cheaper and easier than a turkey. I like the pinecone idea, too! Thanks for all the responses! I will post pics later, if I remember to!

[bobbyjk]

We are having a Thanksgiving/Harvest party tomorrow and I am doing a fruit turkey Not exactly historical but cute! http://valerie-whathaveidonenow.blog...it-turkey.html I've also seen online a way to make a brown paper bag "turkey" and stuff it with popcorn so when you "carve" it, the kids can eat the popcorn. Have fun!

[raisingcropsandbabies]

Originally Posted by Celeste I am hosting a little Pilgrim and Native American party, where the kids come dressed as one or the other. There will probably be 9-12 kids, ages 1-9, mostly in the 3-6 year old range. I want to have a little craft and serve a mini "feast". Anyone do this before? Should I cook a little turkey or just have sandwiches? I think it would be fun to do a turkey, but the party is the Monday before Thanksgiving, so we'll all be eating plenty of turkey that week anyway. And maybe have everyone who comes bring a side, like the Pilgrims and Native Americans did that first Thanksgiving...? I think for the little kids, I will do a handprint turkey craft. But I think it will be too simple for the older kids (6 and up). There will be probably at least 4 kids who could do something more involved. Any suggestions?

We are doing this too! I looked up the accurate take on what was probably at the first thanksgiving. So we are having parents bring: deli turkey (rolled up), cornbread (cornmush was probably served, but this is at a library room and no kitchen to keep things warm), dried bluberries/walnuts, squash. I had thought about bringing smoked salmon for adults, but we'll see.... Anyway, for the dessert for the kids I am making our annual Candy Turkeys and Candy Pilgrim Hats.

For the craft we are making construction paper pilgrim and indian hats.

[happiness]

This is cute! I am using your ideas! I'm hosting a little turkey party for a mom's group. I am still trying to figure out what craft to do, and I think we will use the pinecone idea and/or a headband or the handprint turkey. I like the fact that I could display the finished pinecones.
http://www.cool-kids-craft-ideas.com...and-craft.html