Thanksgiving is less than a week away! Do I have my turkey ordered? Nope. Is the guest room ready? Ah, no – and it will be a miracle if it actually is ready in time!
But I have started my Baking and Meal Plan (thank you, Kelly!). And I’ve also put some time into thinking about family activities (not only will we have family in town, but the kids are off from school for 5 days!).
There are a number of fun events that can be enjoyed by families during Thanksgiving weekend:
See the Lights
When I think of Thanksgiving in Kansas City, two things come to mind — turkey and holiday lights! Many of the amazing light displays around Kansas City can be visitied on Thanksgiving weekend — the Plaza, Zona Rosa, Christmas in the Park at Longview Lake and more! Check our Events Calendar for information about the various light displays around the city.
Take a Luminary Walk
Kansas City has two outdoor luminary walks over Thanksgiving weekend. You can tour the Sculpture Garden illuminated by luminaries at the Nelson-Atkins Museum. There will also be some wonderful music and warm cocoa available inside the museum.
Visitors to the Overland Park Arboretum will also enjoy a gorgeous evening among the lights. Follow luminaries around the lake and through the woods as you enjoy caroling, cider and family activities at the arboretum.
Curl up with a Great Book (or two)
My daughter’s favorite thing about November break is the chance to grab a pile of books (along with a blanket) and read next to the fire. Stop by the library and check out some fun Thanksgiving books for the kids to keep them engaged over break. Family read-alouds are also a wonderful way to spend time with relatives.
If you’re traveling to see family, books are also a great option to keep the kids entertained on the trip. And you don’t need to pack a bunch to take with you — here’s a list of great places for Finding Free Kids Books Online! You can pull them up on your iPad, Kindle, laptop or other electronic device so you don’t have to bring a ton in your suitcase!
Kick-off the Christmas Season
If you’re ready to move on to the next holiday, there’s no shortage of Christmas activities around town:
- Lanesfield School is hosting Christmas 1904 at the one-room schoolhouse (kids can make a craft and experience a historic holiday),
- Crown Center will once again have Crayola Land with Santa, along with the trains at Gingerbread Village,
- Theatre for Young America will be showing “Junie B. Jones Jingle Bells, Batman Smells” on Thanksgiving weekend (and through December),
- Ride the Holiday Spirit Train and see the Holiday Model Train Display at Union Station.
I do love November — the food, the family and the sense of community that comes with this time of year. Wishing you a Happy & Relaxing Thanksgiving!
This post is by my friend Jacquie Fisher who is the author and curator of KCEdventures. KC Edventures is an online resource that provides parents & grandparents with ideas to keep kids creative, curious and connected to the world around them. (In my speak, they give you ideas that combine hands-on, with books, and places to go in Kansas City.)
