16 Fun and Feel-Good Things to Do on Thanksgiving (Beyond the Feast!)

From tailgates to turkey trots, here’s how to make the most of your time when you’re not eating. So much of the discussion, and the planning, around Thanksgiving involves the feast—the turkey, the sides, the desserts—but despite all that Thanksgiving menu planning and centerpiece strategizing and hostessing hullabaloo, the meal itself gets devoured within an hour, leaving, in many cases, a whole holiday weekend to entertain family and guests in other ways. If you’re looking for ideas to entertain all ages—and to, perhaps, burn off a little energy—you’ll find plenty of inspiration right here. In addition to making Thanksgiving crafts, kids will love hunting for mini pumpkins, putting on their own version of a parade, or trying their hands at pumpkin bowling (yes, it’s just like it sounds!). Grownups can take their pick from participating in a family turkey trot—after all, the larger-scale community fun run likely won’t happen this year—watching a Thanksgiving movie marathon, or enjoying music and banter around the fire pit while snacking on pumpkin s’mores (okay, it’s true, the holiday always somehow seems to find its way back to eating). It’s also a great time to try to create a family heirloom with everyone’s signature, or conduct an interview with relatives—you’ll be so thankful to have an oral history for posterity.