Thanksgiving is a time for family gatherings, delicious food, and reflecting on what you’re thankful for.
If you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year and looking for fun ways to keep everyone entertained throughout the day, discover below some great games and activities that the entire family will enjoy.
From kid-friendly activities to fun Thanksgiving-themed games, there are plenty of things to do on Thanksgiving to add some fun to your celebration.
Fun Thanksgiving Games
Thanksgiving Charades
In Thanksgiving Charades, players act out holiday-themed phrases or items without speaking. You can create your own phrases, such as “cooking a turkey” or “finding the wishbone.”
Divide into teams and take turns guessing. Use a timer for each round, giving players one minute to act out their phrases. To add a twist, consider including Thanksgiving-related movie titles or songs. Keep a score to see which team wins!
Thanksgiving Pictionary
Thanksgiving Pictionary combines drawing and guessing where players take turns drawing holiday-themed prompts while teammates guess what it is.
Use a large whiteboard or paper for visibility. Prepare prompts ahead of time, like “pumpkin pie” or “Thanksgiving dinner.” Each team gets a set time, usually one minute, to guess as many prompts as possible.
Roll a Turkey
A great game for little kids, each player takes turns rolling a dice, aiming to complete a turkey image based on the rolls.
The game typically uses a printable turkey template that you fill up with M&M’s. Once someone completes their turkey, they win!
Thanksgiving Scattergories
Thanksgiving Scattergories requires quick thinking and creativity. Set a timer and choose a letter of the alphabet for that round.
Players must list Thanksgiving-themed items that start with that letter, such as “cranberry sauce” or “turkey.” For additional fun, you can set up categories like “Thanksgiving traditions” or “food items.”
Thanksgiving Trivia
Playing a Thanksgiving Trivia is a fantastic way to test your holiday knowledge. Prepare a series of questions related to Thanksgiving history, traditions, and fun facts.
You can have players compete individually or in teams. Each correct answer scores points, and you can mix in simple, medium, and challenging questions.
Would You Rather
Would You Rather is a simple yet entertaining game perfect for mixed-age groups. Create a list of Thanksgiving-themed dilemmas, like “Would you rather eat turkey or ham?”
Players take turns sharing their choices and explaining why. This encourages lively discussions and can lead to hilarious debates. Feel free to think outside the box with your questions.
Minute to Win It
Minute to Win It challenges you to complete funny tasks in under a minute. Prepare various stations around the room with quick games, such as stacking cups or balancing items.
Players rotate through stations, racing against the clock. Each completed task earns points, and the player with the most points at the end wins a small prize.
Board Game Tournament
Hosting a Board Game Tournament is a great way to include favorite family games. Choose a selection of Thanksgiving-themed or classic board games everyone enjoys.
Set up a tournament bracket and let players compete in rounds. Having a mix of classic favorites like Monopoly and Clue and newer games like Card Against Humanity (for adults) and Exploding Kittens ensures everyone finds something they like.
Thanksgiving Activities for Kids
Setting up some games and activities for kids is a great way to keep them busy and entertained throughout the celebration.
You could also include them in the preparations, asking them to help you cook or with setting up the table. A craft station with supplies and coloring books is also an easy thing to set up that kids will enjoy.
Turkey Bowling
Turkey Bowling is a playful twist on traditional bowling. Create bowling pins using empty plastic bottles decorated to look like turkeys. You can fill the bottles with sand or water to keep them stable.
Set up a bowling lane in your backyard or living room and use a small ball to knock down the “turkey pins.”
Sack Race
A Sack Race is a classic outdoor game that is easy to set up. Gather burlap sacks or large pillowcases and line up the kids.
The objective is simple: hop to a designated finish line without falling over. You can also have them decorate their sack beforehand.
Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
A Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt is a classic game to keep kids busy for a while. Prepare a list of Thanksgiving-themed items for the kids to find outdoors or indoors.
These can include things like a turkey feather, a corn cob, a pinecone or pumpkin-themed items.
Turkey Hunt
Similar to the scavenger hunt, a Turkey Hunt is another engaging activity. Use small turkey cutouts or stuffed turkeys hidden around your space.
Provide clues or riddles that lead them to the hidden turkeys for added fun. The excitement lies in the search, and it allows for different age groups to participate together, making it a great family activity.
Pin the Feather on the Turkey
This game is a Thanksgiving version of “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” Create a large paper turkey and cut out feathers from colored paper.
Blindfold the child and spin them around before letting them try to pin a feather onto the turkey. This game encourages laughter and can be a hit with preschoolers, making it a fun way to incorporate a classic game into your holiday.
Thanksgiving Coloring Pages
Providing Thanksgiving coloring pages can keep little hands busy while fostering creativity. You can find a variety of printable coloring sheets online featuring turkeys, cornucopias, and fall scenes.
Set up a coloring station with crayons or markers and let the children freely create masterpieces during the holiday.
Crafts
Thanksgiving craft activities will keep the kids busy and they’ll be happy to help you by creating decorations and party favors for guests.
You can organize a crafting session where kids make homemade decorations, such as acorn napkin rings or pie garlands using paper plates.
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