Make the Kids' Table the Best Seat in the House This Thanksgiving

<p>Ah, the kids&#39; table... the spot where, if lucky, you might corral busy youngsters for a whopping seven minutes during Thanksgiving dinner. It seems just enough time for them to smear potatoes across their face, drop their plate on the floor, then materialize at the grownups&#39; table just as you&#39;re getting seated.<br><br>But there are ways to keep kids entertained while you eat. Here are a few tips for setting a kid-friendly table that keeps kids put, and content, so you can enjoy your meal.<br><strong><br><img alt="" src="http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/GDSITg1thiB8/photos/71a87fcea168f2ae25671a2cbb5bd707/ori_7ba43df83ef1de.jpg?ug_____DCnHInNM0" align="left" height="254" width="300">Start with Kid-Friendly Tableware</strong> -- The last thing anyone wants to do during a festive meal is clean up broken glasses or dishes, so choose kids&#39; dinnerware wisely. Plastic or disposable dinnerware is (or should be) acceptable for kids even in formal settings. One fun and attractive dinnerware option is <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.simplysmartliving.com/Disposable-Bamboo-Dishes-for-Eco-Friendly-Events_c_171-1.html" target="_blank">Bambu disposable dinnerware</a>, made of, you guessed it, bamboo. They even have sporks! Bambu is the year&#39;s hottest earth-friendly dinnerware item. Or consider using durable plastic dinnerware. Melamine dinnerware styles,&nbsp;like <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.kidsmartliving.com/vemepldita.html" target="_blank">Venetian Melamine Dinnerware</a> pictured,&nbsp;offer the look of better ceramics while acrylic glasses add a festive touch, without the worry.<br><br><strong>Capture Their Attention with the Unexpected</strong> -- Make kids feel special with a creative placecard. Here we&#39;ve used mini pumpkins with their name, which they can continue to decorate after the meal. Small toys or stuffed animals with kids&#39; names or holding little name cards are good options too.<br><br><strong>Take a Tip from Busy Restaurants</strong> -- Cover the kids&#39; table with kraft or butcher paper and let kids draw or decorate with stamps or stickers before and after the meal. Or buy some holiday-themed coloring books and assemble your own restaurant-style coloring placemats, complete with a small bundle of crayons for each child.<br><br><strong>Turn the Kids&#39; Table into the Craft Corner -- </strong>If kids are old enough to use glue sticks, holiday-themed projects such as indian headbands, turkeys, wreaths, woven paper placemats or tree ornaments&nbsp;can keep them happily occupied while you enjoy your meal. For smaller kids, pre-cut parts from construction paper, craft foam or felt so they just have to stick the pieces together. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.familycorner.com/dir/Family/Holidays/Thanksgiving/Crafts/">Family Corner </a>has some great holiday project ideas for kids&#39; table entertainment.</p>