Church Thanksgiving service program is a day of thanksgiving, meaningful to your church members. The Thanksgiving program will be held on Sunday, November 24, 2020. It’s a very important occasion that we consider important for us to come together as a community. This ceremony always comes before Christmas. In the past years, many people have been more interested in gift-giving than bible study and prayers. However, this year will change this fact by holding a gratitude-filled service program, hoping it would bring back some memories of the past years.

This article will provide you with some awesome ideas on what to do at the church Thanksgiving service. It includes different types of programs and activities that you can use when planning your church Thanksgiving service program. So if you are looking for something new and exciting for this event, then look no further.

Thanksgiving Activities For Church Youth

Read Luke 17:11–19 to learn the tale of the ten lepers.
Make a lot of noise.
… Read a book.
Make a Blessing Basket, start a Chain Reaction, trim a Tree of Thanks, or start a Blessing Reaction.
Make place cards with a biblical theme to promote sharing.

Thanksgiving is one of the most important day to be observed in the year. It is dedicated to the almighty God. The church folks always make it a grand event like Thanksgiving service program. They organize different programs like bible reading, hymn singing, inspirational talks and various other activities.

Thanksgiving is one of the most important days for a Christian and one that can be difficult to execute. There’s always so much in the way of food, family, and friends that you want to make it special. The best way to do this is through out thanksgiving celebration ideas. Are you looking for Thanksgiving services and activities? In this article, we will give you a hand by choosing some useful programs, tips and some useful gifts.

Fun Thanksgiving Activities And Games For Your Ministry

Picture this. A family comes together around a big table. You smell grandma’s homemade, sweet cranberry sauce, great grandad’s creamy mashed potatoes and gravy, warm and fluffy rolls, and the oven roasted turkey that mom spent all morning making sure was cooked perfectly with that brown sugar glaze that melts in your mouth. 

This, for some people, is Thanksgiving. A family gathering, with some really good food. Yet, Thanksgiving can be so much more than that. Isn’t it supposed to be about giving thanks, and appreciating what and who you have in your life? It can be so easy to get caught up in preparing that turkey just right for your family’s annual Thanksgiving dinner, or planning for Thanksgiving activities and potlucks at your church. 

Activities and games can be a great way for your family, ministry, and church team to put the focus back on giving thanks this holiday season!

What Are You Thankful For?

This activity can be done around a family dinner table or in a small church group. One at a time, have everyone say two or three things they are thankful for. This can give others a chance to show appreciation and encouragement to those around them in a church team, family, or congregation by telling someone they are thankful for them. This gives everyone a time and place to share, and to show gratitude for the simple things in life that we don’t always think about.

Gratitude Game: Pick Up Sticks

This is a great game for kid’s ministries, youth groups, and small groups of all ages. You begin by having several colored sticks and a cup, or box, or anything that makes it to where no one can see the sticks. You will need a piece of paper with a key list on it with thankfulness categories that correspond with the colors of the sticks. For example, if someone pulls out a green stick, you look at the paper and next to the green circle it says “Name a person in your life you’re thankful for.” Everyone takes turns picking out a stick, and saying what they are thankful for by going according to the color key on the paper. You can have as many colors as you want, and you can do this with a small or large group. The game ends when all the sticks have been picked, so feel free and have as many sticks as you want. The more the merrier!   

Thankfulness Bored

Another way to get your whole ministry involved in this activity is to have them write down what they’re thankful for on a piece of paper, and pin it to a Thankfulness Board. When people walk by, and read what others have said, it can remind them of all there is to be thankful for. This also encourages prayer for those in your ministry, and praying for thankfulness in others.   

A Sticky-Note Thanksgiving

This game is aimed primarily toward youth ministries, but it’s encouraged to use it however you see fit! You will need a pad of sticky notes (or half a pad of sticky notes) and a pen per person. Explain to the group, they will have 10 or 15 minutes (you are free to choose the time limit) to try to use up every sticky note they have by writing what they are thankful for on as many sticky notes as they can. This encourages them to consider all the things they have to be thankful for in their lives. You can provide a prize for the person who uses up the most sticky note within the time!

Thanksgiving Tree

Encouraging your children in your kid’s ministry to be thankful can be easy and fun! A way to do this is by providing each kid with a picture of a tree without the leaves. Give them a bowl of pre-cut out leaves. Every time they write something they’re thankful for on a leaf, they can glue it to their thanksgiving tree. This is a fun and creative way to get the kids to think about what they’re thankful for, and a way for them to later share thankfulness with their parents!

Thanksgiving Games, Crafts, and Snacks to Delight Kids
Help kids express gratitude in creative ways with these fun Thanksgiving activities.
The Ministry Spark Team
Ministry Resources
6 min read
It’s that time of year when we reflect on what we’re thankful for… family, friends, and our awesome God! These Thanksgiving games and activities will help kids recognize and express gratitude in creative ways.

It’s easy to forget to stop and think what the holiday season is truly about when it seems like there are a million things going on. Be sure to slow down long enough to be thankful and express gratitude.

These Thanksgiving games and activities will help your kids (and you!) do just that!

girl holding ‘I’m thankful’ sign and looking at camera during Thanksgiving meal with her parents
Image Credit: skynesher/E+/Getty Images
Be sure to slow down long enough to be thankful and express gratitude.

Turkey Crafts
What’s more Thanksgiving-y than handmade turkeys?? These crafts will help get your students in the Thanksgiving spirit!

This cute Thanksgiving turkey puppet not only makes something fun for kids to play with, it’s also a great way to exercise gratitude!
Kids can make this adorable turkey ring with only a pom ball, googly eyes, fuzzy sticks, and pieces of foam! Because they are easy to make, kids can make one for a friend too.
These vibrant coffee filter turkeys are easy to make and fun to look at, so kids will be excited to share them. Get the directions.
Turkey Day favors are a fun craft to make for kids to keep for themselves or give to a friend! Because giving to others is a great thing to learn to do!
Use your student’s handprints to create turkey feathers and pin them to a headband that kids can run around in! And because running around is fun, they are sure to be a hit! Find out how to make the Thanksgiving headbands here.
This turkey craft only takes some simple cutting and coloring to turn regular paper into an awesome sitting turkey, so this craft is a keeper.
Try this sponge painting technique to make turkeys out of paper plates! Here are the instructions.
Crafts Full of Gratitude
Thanksgiving isn’t just a time to stuff yourself with food, it’s also a time to give thanks for those you love. For that reason, these crafts will help get kids thinking about everything they are grateful for!

This fun Thanksgiving tree allows kids to add leaves to the tree as they think of things they can thank God for. We love this activity because it helps kids visualize all the gifts God has given them. Excerpted from Big Book of Bible Lessons for Crafty Kids.
Here’s another Thankful Tree craft that uses only a few simple supplies!
Gratitude stones are a good activity for any time of the year, but easily transform this in to a Thanksgiving craft by using them to teach kids what it means to be thankful.
This garland will help your children count their blessings as they thank God for everything He gives to them. Here are the instructions excerpted from HeartShaper Holiday Helps.
This “Thankfulness to God” Wreath Craft Project is a fun craft to make with kids while also discussing thankfulness.
Gratitude turkeys offer a fun way to get kids to think past the simple friends, family, and health answers to the question, “What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?”
This is a great idea that you can use throughout the month of November, so kids can share thanks all month long. Get the instructions to make these thankful turkey boxes here.
Create this fun place mat and add to the list of blessings each time you sit down to eat a meal. Excerpted from HeartShaper Holiday Helps.
Small girl having fun while about to bite a roasted turkey on Thanksgiving
Image Credit: skynesher/E+/Getty Images
Thanksgiving Games
Get some energy out with these fun Thanksgiving games, and give kids an opportunity to give thanks!

Inside Games
Hot Potato with a thankful twist! Get the directions.
Thanksgiving Pictionary will provide lots of laughs while kids learn more about Thanksgiving traditions!
Each time a kid picks up a stick, have them name something they are grateful for in order to get them thinking about thankfulness in different ways with this fun version of pick-up sticks.
Thanksgiving Bingo will get kids talking about what they are thankful for. This article also has great ideas about how to teach gratitude while playing the Thanksgiving game.
Roll-A-Turkey is a fun game that doubles as a yummy snack! You can practice math skills with your kids while getting rid of some Halloween candy.
Outside Games
This active Thanksgiving game will get kids moving and giving thanks to God for the great things He has given them. Excerpted from the Big Book collection.
Stuffing the turkey can be as hard or as easy as you want to make it with this fun game, so you better check it out!
Turkey Tag! Get some energy out with this fun turkey-themed tag game.
What’s more fun than a turkey-waddle relay race? This game can be fun for a small group or the whole class to play!
Snacks
Students will want to gobble up these yummy snacks because they are THAT good!

Turkey pretzel rod treats will get you in the Thanksgiving spirit!
Another yummy chocolate pretzel treat that is cute to look at and even more fun to eat for Thanksgiving.
After making a fun cornucopia craft, give kids a cornucopia they can eat! Find the ingredients here.
Turkey popcorn treat bags give kids the ability to make whatever color turkey they want to eat! If they don’t finish the snack in class, they can take it home with them!
Kids can create their own fall snack mix to eat now or later! Here are the ingredients that you can get to put in your snack mix.
These candy pretzel turkey bites take a little time to prepare, but they are adorable and delicious for Thanksgiving!
More Crafts!
Looking for more Thanksgiving crafts? Look no further!

Cornucopias are traditionally filled with lots of nuts and vegetables to show the good food God gives us to eat. With this craft, students will fill their cornucopias with some of the good things for which they’re thankful to God. Excerpted from the Big Book collection.
Paper plate pilgrims are a fun craft that also help teach the history of Thanksgiving to your students, which is important for them to know and understand.
This article has five different crafts that help teach kids thankfulness. It includes Bible verses that you can discuss with your students while they are creating their crafts, because it is important to know Scripture!
Who knew a toilet paper roll could turn into such a cute pumpkin stamp?! These stamps can be used for many different crafts.
This printable page is a simple, easy Thanksgiving craft to do with kids, especially if you don’t have much time to prepare. Excerpted from the Big Book collection.
Use this fun craft to help kids appreciate God’s blessings and share those blessings with others. Excerpted from HeartShaper Holiday Helps.
These Thanksgiving games and crafts will hopefully help your kids take a minute to reflect on all the amazing things God has blessed us with.

For crafts, games, and holiday ideas, check out these Ministry Spark articles and resources:
The Best Places to Find Outstanding Bible Games
12 Awesome Bible Games for Kids of All Ages
Simple Noah’s Ark Crafts and Activities You Can Download for Free
10 Commandments Activities Free to Download
13 Creative Bible Verse Memory Games and Activities for Kids
49 Brilliant Easter Games, Crafts, and Activities for Sunday School
8 Downloadable Easter Sunday Activities
Easy Mother’s Day Crafts That Will Delight Kids (And Their Moms)
Father’s Day Craft Ideas That Will Make ’Em Proud
Want kids to remember the lessons they are taught at church? Each of David C Cook’s curriculum lines includes resources to help you accomplish just that!

Conclusion

No matter what ministry you lead, there are fun and creative ways to get others to see what all there is in their lives they have to be thankful for. Whether it’s everyone sharing what they’re thankful for in a group, picking sticks out of a bowl, pinning what they’re thankful for to a board, or having kids make a thankfulness tree. And yes, even around a dinner table, surrounded by your loved ones and great food, there is always a time and place to share what you’re thankful for.