Thanksgiving Games for Families (Free & Printable Ideas)
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Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and you’re probably planning an epic family feast that’s bound to wow your guests. But don’t stop at the turkey! Throw in some festive cheer with some of these fun Thanksgiving party games. All of the games are easy to set up and will work perfectly for the whole family.
Thanksgiving Icebreaker Games
You know that slightly awkward bit when the first guests arrive, you’re still waiting for everyone else, and nobody quite knows what to do with themselves? And nobody wants to be stuck talking to that one relative, you know the one who tells you that same story over and over again, well not just yet at least!
That’s where a few Thanksgiving icebreaker games come in handy!
These are great little games to get everyone chatting, especially if you’ve got guests who don’t know each other particularly well. They’re quick to set up, and really don’t need much explaining and they can be played as people arrive.
Why I love these types of games is because you can leave everyone to get on with the fun while you finish getting everything ready for dinner!
What’s Your Turkey Name
If you are looking for an icebreaker to start the party, this game is super simple to set up, and a great way to get a conversation started. As guests arrive, have them discover their turkey name, which they can write down on the name tags.
Set up a “What’s your turkey name” station, pop the poster inside a picture frame, and set up the name tags and a few pens for people to write with.
Like the sound of this one? I’ve done the fiddly bits for you! You can grab the What’s your Turkey Name game in my shop.
Group Games
Thanksgiving is all about family, so you have to have some family games, these are some of my favorite family games to play!
Thanksgiving Family Feud
If you grew up in the 80’s like me you’ll probably have spent some family time watching the game show. Why not try a Thanksgiving version where two family teams pit themselves against each other in an attempt to find the top answer to some Thanksgiving themed questions.
Grab yourself some buzzers and let the Thanksgiving feud begin.
If you’d like a few tips on running the game, I’ve written a separate guide on how to set up a Thanksgiving Family Feud game, where I go into a bit more detail.
Fancy a game of Thanksgiving Family Feud without having to come up with all the questions yourself? I’ve done that bit for you!
Thanksgiving Escape Room Hunt
I love escape rooms, treasure hunts, and all things puzzles. So, if you are looking for fun with your kids this Thanksgiving, look no further! My Thanksgiving themed Escape Room Treasure Hunt is the perfect mix of puzzles and treasure hunt.
Players must decipher clues, decode secret messages, and embark on a quest to find Thanksgiving treasure. If you’d like to find out more about this game, I’ve written a separate guide on how to set up a Thanksgiving escape room hunt, where you’ll find out all the deets.
If you love this ideas but you’d rather not make everything yourself, I’ve got you covered! You can find my printable version of this Thanksgiving escape room hunt in the shop.
Thanksgiving Danger Words
Want to bring out the competitive side of your family? Then Thanksgiving Danger Words might be just the game for you!
The game is really simple. Get your teammates to guess the word on your card without using any of the forbidden “Danger Words” listed underneath.
It sounds pretty easy, right? Well, thats until you throw in a timer and suddenly it’s a whole different story!
Expect plenty of awkward pauses, frantic arm waving and some seriously exaggerated eyebrow twitching as players desperately try to send subliminal messages to their teammates without actually saying the forbidden words.
And of course, there’s always that one family member who accidentally blurts out a Danger Word within the first five seconds, absolutely positive they didn’t!
Fancy giving Thanksgiving Danger Words a try? I’ve already put together the cards for you, so there’s no need to think up all those tricky words yourself!
Take a peek at my Thanksgiving Danger Words printable →
Turkey Trivia
Put everyone’s Thanksgiving knowledge to the test with Turkey Trivia! Compile a list of fun facts about Thanksgiving history, food, and traditions, whatever you fancy. Print out your questions and hand them out to teams. See who can score the highest and claim the title of Thanksgiving trivia champion!
Thanksgiving 5 Second Game
You’ll need to think quickly on your feet for this Thanksgiving family game!
The idea is another simple one. Pick up a card, read the prompt and name three things before your five seconds are up. Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? Well, you’d be surprised how quickly your brain goes completely blank as soon as that timer starts ticking!
For example, can you name three things you’d eat for Thanksgiving dinner? Easy! But how about three things that rhyme with turkey? Not quite so simple when everyone’s staring at you waiting for an answer!
It’s one of those games where the pressure makes people blurt out the most ridiculous answers, which is half the fun. It’s a great game to bring out while everyone’s sitting around the Thanksgiving table.
Fancy putting your family’s quick thinking to the test? I’ve got a printable Thanksgiving 5 Second Game ready for you, complete with prompts to get everyone thinking!
Thanksgiving Charades
Charades is a firm favorite in our family, we love it because it is great game for all ages and there is always a little bit of friendly team rivalry.
If you’ve never played before, it’s really simple to set up. All you need to do is write down some Thanksgiving-themed activities, films, songs or phrases on slips of paper, fold them up and pop them into a bowl.
Players take turns picking a slip and acting out what’s written on it without speaking, while their teammates try to guess the answer.
Now, just imagine watching your family members attempting to act out “carving a turkey” or “falling leaves” without saying a single word! Some people really do take their acting skills seriously, which makes it even more entertaining, especially when they’re not the best, haha.
You can make up your own clues, but if you don’t fancy coming up with all those Charades ideas yourself? I’ve put together a printable Thanksgiving Charades game so you can skip the preparation and get straight to playing!
Thanksgiving Pictionary
I’ve always loved drawing, so Pictionary is one of my favourite family games. Now, I’m no Leonardo da Vinci, but I’m not too bad with a pencil. That is, until someone starts a timer! Suddenly, all my drawing skills just disappear out the window.
To play, simply write some Thanksgiving themed words or phrases on cards. Players take turns drawing what’s on their card while their teammates try to guess the answer. No talking or writing words allowed!
A whiteboard or a large sheet of paper works perfectly, but we’ve also played using Pictionary Air 2, and our family LOVED it!
If you’ve never tried it, you draw in the air using an oversized pen, and your masterpiece appears on the TV screen. Ours was a little glitchy when drawing, but that just added to the fun. It doesn’t come with specific Thanksgiving themed prompts, but as a family game, it’s brilliant.
And here’s a little tip. You can use the same Thanksgiving Charades cards for Pictionary. Just swap the acting for drawing, and you’ve got yourself another game without any extra preparation!
Thanksgiving Word Games
Keep guests entertained with a Thanksgiving-themed wordsearch. Print out the word search for guests to solve. It’s simple to set up and perfect for winding down after a big meal. I love using these simple games because of how simple they are to prepare and that they are great at keeping everyone busy.
I have a Thanksgiving activity pack filled with fun games. Easy to set up and play. You can grab the bundle over from my shop.
Turkey Hat Ring Toss
End the day with a game that will get people running around burning off those extra calories from dinner. Grab this set of two turkey hats and split into two teams. One person from each team wears one of the turkey hats. It is the job of everyone else on the opposing teams to try and score by throwing cardboard rings over the turkey necks. You can keep stationary, but it is far more fun to run around trying to avoid the rings.
Love this idea? Check these funky turkey hats here!
Thanksgiving Bingo
Everyone loves Bingo, (well in my family they do!) and this Thanksgiving edition is sure to be a hit! Grab this Bingo game complete with Thanksgiving-themed images like turkeys, pumpkins, and pilgrims. Hand out the cards and some markers, then draw the bingo calling picture card one by one. The first person to complete a line wins! Instead of shouting house have the winners shout Gobble Gobble!
Thanksgiving Games for Kids
Don’t get me wrong these games are great for players of all ages but particularly suitable for kids as they require minimal supervision while still keeping the kids entertained.
Pin the Tail on the Turkey
This classic game never gets old! Print a large turkey image without a tail and some colorful tails separately. Blindfold each player and have them try to pin the tail on the turkey. This is a simple game for kids to play
Get the FREE Thanksgiving Turkey Scavenger Hunt!
Need something to keep the kids busy while you’re preparing Thanksgiving dinner? This FREE Thanksgiving Turkey Scavenger Hunt is just the thing!
The idea is so simple. Hide the turkey cards around your home, give everyone a game board and send them off to find those missing turkeys. The first player or team to find them all wins!
How to Play
- Download and print the free Thanksgiving scavenger hunt. Cut out the turkey cards and print a Gobble Gobble game board for each player or team. You can laminate them for durability ready for next year!
- Hide the turkeys in different spots around your home. You can make them easy to spot for younger children or a little trickier for older kids.
- Set a few ground rules. This is a must, let everyone know which rooms are off-limits before the hunt begins. The last thing you need is a group of hungry turkey hunters charging into the kitchen while you’re trying to get dinner ready!
- Let the hunt begin! Players search for the hidden turkeys and mark them off on their game boards as they find them. The first to find them all is the winner!
Why Choose This Thanksgiving Game
It’s a great little activity you can prepare well before your guests even arrive, and once everything is hidden, that’s it, there is nothing else for you to do.
Older children can usually play independently, which means the adults might actually get five minutes to sit down, enjoy a cuppa and catch up without being interrupted every five minutes, bliss!
It’s also a great game to have ready as a filler activity when everyone’s arrived and the kids are already bored but Thanksgiving dinner isn’t quite ready.
Download your free Thanksgiving activity!
Ready to send the kids turkey hunting? Grab your FREE Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt printable and let the fun begin!
Thanksgiving Coloring Contest
Unleash your guests’ creativity with a Coloring Contest. Print out some coloring pages and supply crayons, markers, pencils, and other materials. Set a time limit and create a little gallery to display everyone’s masterpiece.
This can be great fun for kids; making a little creative corner will keep them busy too, perhaps long enough for you to enjoy a hot beverage (well, you can hope so).
My Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Games
Planning a few Thanksgiving games doesn’t need to turn into another big job on your already busy to-do list! A little preparation goes a long way, especially when you’ve got dinner to organise and a house full of guests to entertain. Here are a few things I like to do to keep everything running smoothly.
Have Everything Ready Before Guests Arrive
If you’re using printable games, get them printed, cut out and ready to go ahead of time. I like to keep everything together in little envelopes or bags so I’m not hunting around for missing game cards when everyone is ready to play.
And don’t forget the little extras like pens and pencils. Give them a quick check too! The last thing you need is your family moaning at you because the ink has dried up or their pencil is blunt.
Make sure you’ve got a timer or an app ready to go, and if you’re using buzzers, check the batteries beforehand. There’s nothing worse than getting everyone excited for a game only to discover half your equipment doesn’t work!
Mix Up the Games
Not everyone enjoys the same kind of game, so I like to have a mixture ready. A quick icebreaker is great while guests are arriving, something more competitive works well once everyone’s together, and a scavenger hunt is perfect when the kids need to burn off a little energy.
You don’t have to play everything. It’s just nice to have a few options up your sleeve.
Keep the Rules Simple
Nobody wants to sit through a ten minute explanation before they can start playing! Explain the basics, make sure everyone understands how to win, and get started. And if you need to change the rules slightly, absolutely go for it!
I’m not exactly a follow-the-rules kinda gal. I’d much rather bend them a little to let someone else win rather than have a silly disagreement spoil the fun. After all, it’s a family game, it’s not the end of the world!
Don’t Forget a Little Prize!
Now, I do love giving out little prizes when we play family games. Nothing expensive or fancy, just a small little something for the winners. It’s surprising how competitive people can get when there’s a prize involved, even if it’s something worth pennies!
That’s why I created these FREE Thanksgiving Turkey Lolly Holders for you.
They’re cute little printable turkey party favours that you can add a lolly to and hand out as prizes. Make enough for everyone so nobody goes home empty handed!
Go ahead, download, print, cut and add your favourite lollies. It’s a silly little finishing touch to your Thanksgiving games, and I’ve done the designing for you!
Grab your FREE Thanksgiving Turkey Lolly Holders here!
Download your freebie!
Ready to print your FREE turkey lolly party favor for Thanksgiving? Use the button below to grab your free printable and enjoy! Don’t forget to tag me with your finished creations.
Make This Thanksgiving Unforgettable!
Go on and bring a dash of friendly competition to your Thanksgiving celebration with one or two of these games! Grab an easy to set up icebreakers like “What’s Your Turkey Name?” or some friendly competition with a family feud style game. Whether you’re entertaining a crowd or enjoying a cozy gathering, these games should make your holiday that little bit more special.
Check out our full Thanksgiving game collection now and start a new tradition!
Let’s stay connected!
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