# Thanksgiving break with kids in San Jose

> 21 Thanksgiving parades, turkey trots, break camps and things to do with kids in the San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara area over Thanksgiving break 2026, each linked to the organizer’s own page with the date we last checked it.

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 2, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-01), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/thanksgiving

Towns with listings: San Jose (14), Gilroy (1), Hollister (1), Los Altos (1), Los Gatos (1), Mountain View (1).

## Quick answers

### Where is there a turkey trot for kids near San Jose?

3 listings: [17th Annual Spartan Turkey Trot with Kids Fun Run](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/17th-annual-spartan-turkey-trot-with-kids-fun-run--listing-a06345b9c9f6f44c1b681ac7) (Thu, Nov 26, Paid); [Silicon Valley Turkey Trot Kids Fun Run and Kids Fun Zone](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/silicon-valley-turkey-trot-kids-fun-run-and-kids-fun-zone--listing-2c11ce3523b89d4daf9cb004) (Thu, Nov 26, From $27.50); [Zoom Turkey Trot at Hellyer County Park](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/zoom-turkey-trot-at-hellyer-county-park--listing-cfd1b8a20dba453ae80a5657) (Thu, Nov 26, Paid).

### What free Thanksgiving break events are there for kids in San Jose?

5 listings, the soonest 4: [Wacky Wednesdays: Coffee Filter Turkey Craft (King Library)](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/wacky-wednesdays-coffee-filter-turkey-craft-king-library--listing-686c6921d4d74e458d26c944) (Wed, Nov 25, Free); [Christmas in the Park in Downtown San José](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/christmas-in-the-park-in-downtown-san-jose--listing-e60c2f300343f0b087443a9a) (Fri, Nov 27, Free); [36th Annual Lights On Celebration Parade](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/36th-annual-lights-on-celebration-parade--listing-7f6ab2e616c1b3233d2b59eb) (Sat, Nov 28, Free); [Christmas in the Park Opening Night Ceremony](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/christmas-in-the-park-opening-night-ceremony--listing-f6ca119aefdc53e9d6362def) (Sat, Nov 28, Free).

### Which Thanksgiving break events suit toddlers and young kids in San Jose?

2 listings: [Silicon Valley Turkey Trot Kids Fun Run and Kids Fun Zone](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/silicon-valley-turkey-trot-kids-fun-run-and-kids-fun-zone--listing-2c11ce3523b89d4daf9cb004) (Thu, Nov 26, From $27.50); [AM Thanksgiving Break Basketball Camp (Ages 5-8) at Camden Community Center](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/am-thanksgiving-break-basketball-camp-ages-5-8-at-camden-community-cen--listing-5b63d11c54426e7ab9154b40) (Open through the season, Paid).

## Ongoing programs

### San Jose (7)

- [Thanksgiving Break Camp San Jose @ Mayfair](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/thanksgiving-break-camp-san-jose-mayfair--listing-b1d732cc25497668595ef107) — Ongoing · Mayfair Community Center · Ages 5–12 · Paid · checked Oct 30. City of San José full-day Camp San Jose over the Thanksgiving school break with games, sports, arts and crafts and songs at a 1:10 leader ratio. Camp is closed Thursday and…
- [AM Thanksgiving Break Basketball Camp (Ages 5-8) at Camden Community Center](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/am-thanksgiving-break-basketball-camp-ages-5-8-at-camden-community-cen--listing-5b63d11c54426e7ab9154b40) — Ongoing · Camden Community Center · Ages 5–8 · Paid · checked Oct 30. Half-day morning basketball camp for the Thanksgiving break: skills through fun drills, with games at the end of each day. Pack water, sunscreen and a nut-free snack.
- [PM Thanksgiving Break Volleyball Camp at Camden Community Center](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/pm-thanksgiving-break-volleyball-camp-at-camden-community-center--listing-73610461bd13dc7b0c050af3) — Ongoing · Camden Community Center · Ages 10–14 · Paid · checked Oct 30. Afternoon volleyball camp for beginners and returning players covering serving, passing, basic offense and defense, and rules and scoring.
- [AM Thanksgiving Break Art Explorers Camp at Camden Community Center](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/am-thanksgiving-break-art-explorers-camp-at-camden-community-center--listing-f18565882b8cffd138668ef9) — Ongoing · Camden Community Center · Ages 5–10 · Paid · checked Oct 30. Hands-on morning art camp with daily painting, drawing, sculpture and mixed-media projects to take home. Bring water and a nut-free snack.
- [AM Thanksgiving Break Camp Dance at Camden Community Center](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/am-thanksgiving-break-camp-dance-at-camden-community-center--listing-5eabb52c8760952b46f97ce8) — Ongoing · Camden Community Center · Ages 5–12 · Paid · checked Oct 30. Half-day dance camp sampling ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, gymnastics, cheer, singing and Hawaiian dance, with campers grouped by age.
- [Thanksgiving Break: Build 'Em All Pokémon Camp at Camden Community Center](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/thanksgiving-break-build-em-all-pokemon-camp-at-camden-community-cente--listing-933a8931775716fba31a0092) — Ongoing · Camden Community Center · Ages 5–10 · Paid · checked Oct 30. Three-hour morning LEGO camp where kids build their favorite Pokémon and themed scenes; no experience needed.
- [Thanksgiving Break Camp at Valley Sports Center](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/thanksgiving-break-camp-at-valley-sports-center--listing-1a97eb3ecb8bbf79957b9f3e) — Half day 9am–12pm; full day 9am–3pm · Valley Sports Center · From $220 · checked Oct 30. Futsal, basketball and multi-sport camp over the Thanksgiving break, with campers grouped by age; half-day, full-day and single-day drop-in options.

### Other towns in the San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara area (1)

- [School Break Camp: Thanksgiving Break — Camp Shalom at APJCC Los Gatos](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/school-break-camp-thanksgiving-break-camp-shalom-at-apjcc-los-gatos--listing-2f74f2bc7394c16149d674aa) — November 23–25, 2026, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. · Addison-Penzak JCC — Club J, Los Gatos · From $130 · checked Oct 27. Camp Shalom runs a three-day School Break Camp over Thanksgiving week for children in TK through 5th grade at the Addison-Penzak JCC in Los Gatos. The 2026 dates are Monday…

## Dated events

### San Jose (7)

- [Thanksgiving Celebration at Village Square Library](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/thanksgiving-celebration-at-village-square-library--listing-517430cac897056775ee7d61) — Fri, Nov 20 · 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM · Village Square Branch Library · checked Oct 24. Village Square Branch Library in Evergreen celebrates Thanksgiving with a one-hour afternoon of arts and crafts, snacks and prizes for children up to age 12. Walk-ins are…
- [Celebrating Thanksgiving Storytime (Hillview Branch Library)](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/celebrating-thanksgiving-storytime-hillview-branch-library--listing-3d86a4a7abd8c131d1ba6e69) — Sun, Nov 22 · 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM · Hillview Branch Library · All ages · checked Oct 30. A family Thanksgiving storytime with stories, songs, rhymes, fingerplays and movement, designed for a mix of ages with parents and caregivers.
- [Thanksgiving Button Making (Hillview Branch Library)](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/thanksgiving-button-making-hillview-branch-library--listing-eb1b1fa3eb08d08a300d4a36) — Sun, Nov 22 · 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM · Hillview Branch Library · checked Oct 30. Pick or create a Thanksgiving-themed design and turn it into a button. All materials provided; no registration required.
- [Wacky Wednesdays: Coffee Filter Turkey Craft (King Library)](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/wacky-wednesdays-coffee-filter-turkey-craft-king-library--listing-686c6921d4d74e458d26c944) — Wed, Nov 25 · 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM · Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library · Free · checked Oct 30. Drop-in Wednesday craft time; on November 25 kids make coffee filter turkeys. Free, no registration, while supplies last.
- [Silicon Valley Turkey Trot Kids Fun Run and Kids Fun Zone](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/silicon-valley-turkey-trot-kids-fun-run-and-kids-fun-zone--listing-2c11ce3523b89d4daf9cb004) — Thu, Nov 26 · 10:15 AM – 11:00 AM · Arena Green West (Kids Fun Zone), W. St. John Street · Ages 2–7 · From $27.50 · checked Oct 24. The Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot, billed as America's largest Thanksgiving Day race, has its own Kids Fun Run for ages 2 to 7. Children run short out-and-back…
- [Zoom Turkey Trot at Hellyer County Park](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/zoom-turkey-trot-at-hellyer-county-park--listing-cfd1b8a20dba453ae80a5657) — Thu, Nov 26 · 8:30 AM · Hellyer County Park (Buena Vista Pavilion) · All ages · Paid · checked Oct 30. Thanksgiving-morning half marathon, 10K and 5K along the Coyote Creek Trail from Hellyer County Park's Buena Vista Pavilion, with youth 5K pricing and a free 50-yard Kid's Run…
- [Free Photos with Santa at Christmas in the Park](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/free-photos-with-santa-at-christmas-in-the-park--listing-be781450d803d46b7470c520) — Nov 28 – Dec 24 · Plaza de César Chávez · Free · checked Oct 30. Santa sits for free photos every night of the Christmas in the Park season, starting on opening night among the plaza's decorated trees and displays.

### Other towns in the San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara area (6)

- [Turkey Bingo: Win Your Turkey and Sides (Gilroy Library)](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/turkey-bingo-win-your-turkey-and-sides-gilroy-library--listing-e550dcbdd814447cd6a3d4a1) — Mon, Nov 23 · 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM · Gilroy Library · All ages · checked Oct 30. A whole-family bingo night where winners take home Thanksgiving dishes from cranberry sauce to pumpkin pie, with a turkey as the grand prize. First come, first served; no…
- [17th Annual Spartan Turkey Trot with Kids Fun Run](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/17th-annual-spartan-turkey-trot-with-kids-fun-run--listing-a06345b9c9f6f44c1b681ac7) — Thu, Nov 26 · 8:30 AM · Mountain View High School · All ages · Paid · checked Oct 30. Mountain View High School's Thanksgiving-morning trot on and around the school track: a 5K walk/run, the Spartan Mile, and a Kids Fun Run (60-yard and 400-yard dashes). Spots are…
- [Christmas in the Park in Downtown San José](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/christmas-in-the-park-in-downtown-san-jose--listing-e60c2f300343f0b087443a9a) — Nov 27 – Jan 1 · 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM · Plaza de Cesar Chavez · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. San José's free holiday tradition since 1980 fills the two-acre Plaza de Cesar Chavez downtown with an enchanted forest of trees decorated by local schools, community groups and…
- [36th Annual Lights On Celebration Parade](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/36th-annual-lights-on-celebration-parade--listing-7f6ab2e616c1b3233d2b59eb) — Sat, Nov 28 · 5:30 PM · Veterans Memorial Building, Hollister · Free · checked Oct 27. The Hollister Downtown Association lines San Benito Street with the 36th Annual Lights On Celebration Parade on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The theme is The Nutcracker, and…
- [Christmas in the Park Opening Night Ceremony](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/christmas-in-the-park-opening-night-ceremony--listing-f6ca119aefdc53e9d6362def) — Sat, Nov 28 · 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM · Plaza de Cesar Chavez · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. The 2026 Christmas in the Park season officially opens with an hour-long Opening Night Ceremony at Plaza de Cesar Chavez on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It also kicks off…
- [Los Altos Festival of Lights Parade](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/los-altos-festival-of-lights-parade--listing-eb3a39d94e68f4951bf12726) — Sun, Nov 29 · 6:00 PM · Downtown Los Altos — parade start at First and State Streets · All ages · checked Oct 27. The Los Altos Festival of Lights Parade returns for its 50th year on the evening of November 29, 2026, stepping off at First and State Streets at 6 p.m. The organisers list the…

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