If your kids love to hang out in the kitchen when you're cooking, why not try involving them in the fun of preparing a big Thanksgiving dinner? You can ask them to help with simple tasks like breaking up stale bread for stuffing or you can let them make their own dishes to add to the family dinner. Simple Thanksgiving recipes will allow your children to prepare their contributions with very little help from the grownups.

One simple recipe idea for older kids is an easy version of the sweet potato casserole. Simply open a can of sweet potatoes and heat it in the microwave. Place the sweet potatoes in a casserole dish and then top them with a melted mixture of two tablespoons of butter, a cup of miniature marshmallows and two tablespoons of brown sugar. If you’d like the casserole to have that golden hue that comes from being cooked in the oven, a grownup can place the dish in the oven for five to ten minutes to allow it to brown.

A recipe that is easy enough for young children to make is cinnamon applesauce. Open a can of apple slices and a jar of applesauce. Ask the child to pour the applesauce into a microwave safe bowl and top it with the apple slices. Then, sprinkle a teaspoon of cinnamon to the container. Heat the applesauce in the microwave and serve it while it is still warm.