Fun Thanksgiving Activities for Families in NYC, Westchester, & Long Island
Here are some Thanksgiving activities for kids provided by the amazing businesses in our area and some other ideas for having a great turkey day with your family.
Get the Best Family Activities
Make A Thanksgiving Turkey With Polymer Clay
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 20, 2-3pm ages 5-8; 3-4pm ages 9-12
WHERE: The Rye Arts Center, 51 Milton Road, Rye
AGE: 5-8 and 9-12
WHAT: Make a Thanksgiving Turkey! Using polymer clay you will learn how to make simple shapes and put them together to form a cute sculpture. All projects will be baked at home with simple instructions included with each project.
WANT TO GO? $25. Discount for members. Advanced registration required.
FREE Parade Spectacular Park Party
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 21, 12-3pm
WHERE: Mill River Park, 1040 Washington Blvd., Stamford, CT
AGE: All
WHAT: This free community event will feature giant helium balloons, marching bands, and dance and performance groups. Partygoers will enjoy 1 hour of performances and activities repeated three times to enable crowds to be effectively managed. All the best of the annual Stamford Downtown Parade Spectacular will be brought together in one place.
WANT TO GO? Come at any time to watch a sequence for an hour, or come for the whole afternoon and enjoy the show three times over!
FREE Turkey Time Hike and Craft
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 21, 11am-12pm
WHERE: Crotona Nature Center in Croton Point Park, Crotona Park East and Charlotte Street, Croton-on-Hudson
AGE: All
WHAT: Unleash your creativity through art. Create Thanksgiving and seasonal arts and crafts using natural materials found throughout the park.
WANT TO GO? Make sure to wear appropriate clothing for the hike (and dress in layers!).
Westchester Turkey Trot 10K & 5K
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 25, 8:15am Kids Dash; 8:30am 5K & 10K start
WHERE: Westchester Community College, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla
AGE: All
WHAT: Be part of a Thanksgiving morning tradition at the LIVE Westchester Turkey Trot 10K and 5K. Earn your delicious finisher doughnut and rock your turkey trot gear around town. Awards will be given to the top 3 participants, male and female in each age group and overall. Kids Dash finisher award to all participants.
WANT TO GO? $70 10K; $60 5K; $9.99 5K Kid's Division Fun Run; free for Kid's Dash. Advanced registration required.
Hike Off the Turkey
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 28, 10-11:30am
WHERE: Teatown, 1600 Spring Valley Road, Ossining
AGE: 8 and older
WHAT: What better way to celebrate and rejuvenate than with a hike in the fresh air?! Hike to Teatown Hill to get a glimpse of the Hudson Highlands and watch for the last of the migrating hawks.
WANT TO GO? $8; free for members. Advanced registration required. Wear sturdy boots or sneakers and dress in layers.
RELATED | Find Even More Great Family Activities in Westchester
Kids’ Thanksgiving Events on Long Island
Family Thanksgiving Ceramics Workshop
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 14, 1-3pm
WHERE: Gold Coast Arts Center, 113 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck
AGE: All
WHAT: Parents, grandparents, kids of all ages come together at this one day workshop to create unique art projects on ceramic bisqueware! Unique surface decoration techniques will be taught, such as stamping, printing, and stenciling. With expert instruction you’ll create your one-of-a-kind designs to proudly show off at home or to give as special gifts.
WANT TO GO? $60; $50 members. Advanced registration required.
FREE Island Harvest Free Turkey Giveaway
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 16, 10-10:30am
WHERE: Brentwood Public Library, 34 Second Ave., Brentwood
AGE: Adults
WHAT: It's free turkey day! Island Harvest Mobile Food Pantry will be located on the south side of the parking lot. Vehicles should enter on Third Street. The Island Harvest Volunteers will place the items in the trunk of your vehicle, so please have space prepared. Vehicles cannot line up before 9:30am, and drivers must remain in their vehicles. Walk-up service is available on the sidewalk.
WANT TO GO? Availability is limited, so registration is required.
stART (Story + Art): 10 Fat Turkeys
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 18, 11:30am
WHERE: Long Island Children's Museum, 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
AGE: 3-5
WHAT: This week in stART, the group will be reading “10 Fat Turkeys” by Tony Johnston. Practice counting down from 10 to one with a group of silly turkeys! After the story, “dress up” your own turkey decoration for Thanksgiving!
WANT TO GO? $14; $13 ages 65 and older, plus: $4; $3 LICM members. Advanced registration required.
Bethpage Turkey Drive for Island Harvest
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 19, 8am-4pm
WHERE: Bethpage Federal Credit Union Main Headquarters Parking Lot, 899 S. Oyster Bay Road, Bethpage
AGE: All
WHAT: Take part in the 13th Anniversary Bethpage Turkey Drive for Island Harvest Food Bank. Long Islanders are asked to drop off frozen turkeys, non-perishable food items (except those in glass containers), supermarket gift cards, or cash donations.
WANT TO GO? For the safety of the community, Bethpage will require that all donors remain in their cars and place their donations in their trunks. Volunteers will then remove the donations from the car to ensure contactless donations.
Thank you Turkey Thanksgiving Paint Event!
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 20, 12-1pm
WHERE: Key to My Art, 10 W. Oak St., Amityville
AGE: 5-12
WHAT: Paint a fun and pretty Thanksgiving turkey! Step by step painting taught by a certified teacher.
WANT TO GO? $25. All supplies included. Advanced registration required.
Turkey Trot
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 20, 2pm
WHERE: Rolling River Day Camp, 477 Ocean Ave., East Rockaway
AGE: All
WHAT: Join Rolling River Day Camp for its second annual Family Fun Turkey Trot Race. Ticket price includes organized kids and family races with games and music, post race party, snack "feast" bar, and Thanksgiving-themed arts and crafts! All families will receive a complimentary photo on the winner's podium. Prizes will be given out for the most creative costumes in each age group as well as the overall winner of each race heat.
WANT TO GO? $8-$25. Advanced registration required. Adults should wear sneakers as they will be participating in some races. Races will be based on age: the first heat is ages 3-5, the second heat is ages 6-11. In the spirit of the holiday season, bring a non-perishable food item, which will be donated to Gammy's Pantry. Rain Date: Sunday, Nov. 21.
ThanksGLOWing
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 24, 6-8pm
WHERE: Sky Zone Deer Park, 111 Rodeo Drive, Deer Park
AGE: 5 and older.
WHAT: Get your holiday weekend started a little early this year with a visit to Sky Zone for Thanks-GLOW-ing! Lasers, music, and blacklight transform the whole park into a crazy jumping dance club.
WANT TO GO? $33 for 60 minutes; $36 for 90 minutes; $38 for 120 minutes. Advanced registration required.
Thanksgiving Dinner Buffet
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 25, 12-4:30pm with seatings every half hour
WHERE: The Milleridge Cottage, 585 N. Broadway, Jericho
AGE: All
WHAT: Celebrate Thanksgiving with family and enjoy a feast featuring traditional and non-traditional foods.
WANT TO GO? $62.95; $32.95 children ages 2-12; free for children younger than 2. Advanced registration required.
RELATED | Find Even More Great Family Activities on Long Island
Main photo by FamVeld/shutterstock.com
Here at Rockland Parent, we've got everything you need to have a safe, fun, and festive fall and Halloween season. Whether it is pumpkin or apple picking, getting lost in a corn maze, making Halloween crafts or finding costumes and decorations, we're here to help.
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