DIY Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas that are not only festive but also give your guests something to do. They’ll love these!
These aren’t just any DIY Thanksgiving centerpieces for your big feast.
These are engaging centerpieces that give your guests (both kids AND adults) something to do leading up to, during, and after dinner.
Which means they might just linger around that table you spent so long on a bit longer.
Now that’s a win-win!
DIY Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas
You’ll create some awesome memories of your feast with these engaging Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas.
Choose one for the adult table, one for the kids…or the same one for both! You can even use one of these on your coffee table or at the dessert table.
1. Metal Puzzles Centerpiece
After we moved 12 hours away several years ago, we were lucky to be invited to a friend’s family’s Thanksgiving.
And my friend (named Amanda, too!) had thought of putting these little metal puzzles in the centerpiece of her Thanksgiving table.
I thought it was genius!
It kept all of us merrily busy trying to figure out how to solve them (I ended up solving just one throughout the evening).
2. Wishbones All Around
Here's a really easy and memorable DIY centerpiece idea.
Usually, only two people get to take part in the wishbone tradition (where two people grab either side of the turkey wishbone, make a wish silently to themselves, and the person who breaks off the bigger half will get their wish fulfilled).
Why not change things up this Thanksgiving and give everyone the chance to take part in this tradition?
Here are vegan wishbones you can buy for your Thanksgiving table centerpiece. You’ll need one wishbone for every two guests that are coming.
Create a quick sign to encourage everyone to participate, like this:
- Oh Snap! Who wins the wishbone? Pair up, and everybody gets a chance this year.
3. M&M Turkey or Pumpkin Mosaic
I had a lot of fun with this one – it was kind of therapeutic.
It also happens to make a fun centerpiece for Thanksgiving (and the Thanksgiving dessert table).
Grab a big bag of M&Ms and create some fun mosaics around Fall and Thanksgiving themes.
It looks pretty cool…and gives people something to munch on in case the turkey takes a bit longer than expected (or to fuel after dinner conversation and keep people a little longer at the table you put so much time into preparing).
4. DIY Duct Tape Turkeys
This is such a fun centerpiece idea, because there’s an activity everyone gets to do first, and then the centerpiece features everyone’s interesting creations.
Provide several rolls of duct tape and a starting prop, like a glove (I found everything at Dollar Tree).
Pair people off, or have them work alone.
Tell everyone that they have 5 minutes to create the best turkey they can with the supplies.
The resulting…turkeys (if they can be called that) become the centerpiece at the adult or the kid’s table.
What a conversation piece!
5. Butcher Paper + Markers + Gratitude Prompts
We all want to reflect on what we’re grateful for around Thanksgiving time, and this engaging centerpiece idea will give your guests the chance to do that.
Fill up a bunch of index cards with prompts and questions to squeeze all the grateful thoughts out of your guest’s brains.
Things like:
- What’s one thing that happened in November that you are grateful for?
- What makes you grateful about today?
- What’s one thing you’re grateful for about the host?
- Look around the table, and name something you see that makes you grateful.
- What’s one thing from your childhood that makes you grateful?
Then let them write down what they’re grateful for all around their plates, silverware, etc., on the butcher paper.
Low-key, easy to set up, and you’ll make everyone smile.
Bonus: whoever helps clean up gets to read through all of these wonderful, grateful sentiments!
These Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas are easy DIY opportunities to create memorable activities and moments for your guests – both adults and kids. People will be thinking about them for years!
Amanda L Grossman
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