Thanksgiving Table Decorations: Getting in the Groove - Kids Activities | Wondertime

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Thanksgiving Table Runner

Groovy Table Runner

Make the base of this cardboard table runner ahead of time, and put the kids in charge of decorating it while you're busy basting the bird. Send them outside to hunt for leaves, twigs, berries — any kind of fall foliage — to stick in the grooves. After dinner, use leftover cardboard to decorate loops for crowns and belts, make train tracks over blocks and under chairs, or draw the world's longest mural (currently almost 2 miles).

Coil the cardboard at one end, smooth side in, to make a loop about 2 inches in diameter. Staple loop together at top and bottom, then repeat on other end.

Stand the cardboard up on your table. Starting several inches away from one end loop, cut a slit from the bottom edge to the middle of the cardboard. Ten or more inches away from the first slit, depending on the size loop you want, make another slit from the top edge to the middle. Fit the bottom slit into the top, then pinch where the slits are (to make loop rounder) and staple at the top and bottom.

Continue making loops along the length of the cardboard, about a foot apart. Curl loops around each other for a layered look.

Have your kids stick their nature finds into various grooves along the runner.

Wind the runner around platters and gravy boats as they come out, or just smush it in the middle of the table to make room for more food.

A length of 3-inch-wide corrugated cardboard (1 sided), twice as long as your table (easiest to find online; we used regular "B" flute corrugated roll, $5 for a whopping 250 feet, papermart.com)

Stapler, scissors

Fall foliage — branches, leaves, berries, pine — anything with a toothpick-thin stem, or use fake foliage from a craft store


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