Thanksgiving is all about sharing good food, giving thanks, and creating memories with family and friends. We often think of Thanksgiving as centered around food, but the fun doesn’t have to end after the meal. Adding games to the mix can make the celebration even more unforgettable, keeping everyone entertained long after the turkey is carved.
While Thanksgiving activities for kids usually steal the show, adults deserve their share of excitement too! Whether you’re hosting a lively crowd or keeping it low-key, these Thanksgiving games are sure to get everyone laughing and connecting. Let’s dive into 23 games that will make this holiday even more memorable.
Instead of just chatting at the table, these games offer a fun way to bring everyone together, break the ice, and make this Thanksgiving the best yet.
1. Turkey Trot Trivia
Start with Turkey Trot Trivia, a quiz-style game packed with interesting questions about Thanksgiving history and quirky facts. You can create categories like “Thanksgiving Foods,” “History of Thanksgiving,” or “Turkey Tidbits” and get everyone thinking.
Playing is easy: split everyone into teams, pass out answer sheets, and fire off questions for each round. Add a prize to make things extra competitive! Turkey Trot Trivia is the perfect way to bond, sparking everyone’s curiosity and bringing out some friendly competition along the way.
2. Thanksgiving Charades
Thanksgiving Charades is a twist on the classic game, with Thanksgiving-themed words and phrases like “stuffing the turkey” or “fall leaves.” Prepare slips with each phrase and get ready for hilarious interpretations from your family and friends.
To play, divide into teams, set a timer, and have each person act out their chosen phrase. The result? Plenty of laughter as everyone tries to guess each other’s acts without speaking. This light-hearted game is perfect for engaging everyone and kicking off the festivities.
3. Thanksgiving Pictionary
Thanksgiving Pictionary is ideal if your group loves drawing games. All you need is a whiteboard or large sheets of paper, markers, and a timer to get started. Each team can take turns drawing Thanksgiving items like “cornucopia,” “Thanksgiving parade,” or “apple pie.”
Each team has a limited time to guess before the timer runs out, making it an exciting challenge. It’s easy to set up and always good for a laugh, especially when everyone interprets classic Thanksgiving symbols in their own artistic way.
4. Thanksgiving Bingo
Thanksgiving Bingo is simple to set up, making it a go-to game for casual fun. Customize your bingo cards with Thanksgiving icons like turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie for a festive twist.
Hand out cards and markers, and as each icon is called out, players mark their cards. The first to get a line yells “Gobble Gobble!” making it a game everyone can enjoy while waiting for dinner or as a warm-up activity.
5. Turkey Hunt
For those looking for something more active, a Turkey Hunt is a great choice. This scavenger hunt involves hiding small turkey-themed items around the house or yard, with each clue leading to the next.
Players can split into teams and race to find all the turkeys first, creating a sense of adventure and teamwork. It’s a fun way to get everyone moving before or after the big meal, especially if you want an energetic break from sitting around.
6. Turkey Waddle Relay
Turkey Waddle Relay puts a Thanksgiving spin on the classic relay race. Participants hold a balloon between their knees and waddle to the finish line, making for a funny and challenging twist.
Divided into teams, players race one at a time to the finish line without dropping the balloon. It’s a silly game that adds excitement, bringing everyone together for laughs and some friendly rivalry.
7. Thanksgiving Would You Rather?
Thanksgiving Would You Rather? is a lighthearted conversation starter that’s perfect for any group size. Pose questions like “Would you rather eat only turkey for a week or only pumpkin pie?” to spark fun debates.
Going around the table, each person answers and explains their choice, making for a playful way to share laughs. It’s ideal for breaking the ice and getting to know everyone’s quirky holiday preferences.
8. Thanksgiving Scattergories
Thanksgiving Scattergories adds a fast-paced twist to your gathering, where each player thinks up Thanksgiving-related words for each letter of the alphabet, like “turkey” for “T” or “pie” for “P.”
Set a timer and see who can come up with the most words before time’s up. Scattergories is a creative, quick-thinking game that challenges everyone, adding energy to the gathering and encouraging creative thinking.
9. Thanksgiving Cornhole
Thanksgiving Cornhole is a classic game that brings out everyone’s competitive spirit. Set up a cornhole board decorated with fall colors and start tossing bean bags to score points.
Each turn challenges players to land their bean bags in the hole, with the highest-scoring player winning. It’s simple to play but always brings out a sense of friendly competition, making it perfect for a backyard Thanksgiving gathering.
10. Pumpkin Bowling
Pumpkin Bowling is a festive twist on bowling that’s perfect for Thanksgiving. Use small pumpkins as bowling balls and plastic pins to create a fun, challenging setup.
Each player takes turns knocking down as many pins as they can with their pumpkin “ball.” Pumpkin Bowling is a unique and slightly tricky game that will have everyone laughing and cheering each other on.
11. Thanksgiving Word Search
Thanksgiving Word Search is a relaxed, puzzle-style game for those who enjoy a quieter activity. You can print themed word search puzzles with Thanksgiving words like “cranberry” or “harvest.”
Players work at their own pace, making it a perfect option for those who want a break from high-energy games. It’s also a great way to keep everyone’s mind engaged while enjoying some downtime.
12. Turkey Card Draw
Turkey Card Draw is a card game with Thanksgiving-themed twists. Using a deck of cards, assign meanings to each suit, like “share a Thanksgiving memory” for hearts and “name a favorite dish” for spades.
Players take turns drawing cards and performing the assigned actions, adding an element of surprise. The game encourages bonding and storytelling, making it a personal and engaging way to spend the holiday.
13. Pass the Stuffing
Pass the Stuffing is a hilarious relay game where players pass a small stuffed item, like a beanbag, without using their hands—only their chins.
Teams line up and pass the “stuffing” down the line, adding laughs as everyone tries not to drop it. This game is ideal for larger gatherings and is guaranteed to bring out some competitive, lighthearted fun.
14. Thanksgiving Left-Right Story Game
In the Left-Right Story Game, guests sit in a circle and pass an item left or right every time those words appear in a Thanksgiving-themed story.
As the story is read, the constant passing adds an amusing challenge, and the last person holding the item wins a small prize. This game adds a touch of storytelling while keeping everyone engaged and entertained.
15. Thanksgiving Taste Test
Put your guests’ taste buds to the test by setting up a Thanksgiving-themed blind taste test with foods like cranberry sauce, stuffing, and pie.
Players are blindfolded and must guess the dish they’re tasting. The game is a fun way to celebrate traditional dishes while adding an element of surprise.
16. Guess the Gratitude
In Guess the Gratitude, each player writes down something they’re thankful for, and others try to guess who wrote each note.
It’s a meaningful way to reflect on the holiday’s purpose while creating a guessing game that brings everyone closer together. The game encourages thoughtful connections and heartfelt moments.
17. Thanksgiving Trivia Bingo
Combine trivia with Bingo by filling Bingo cards with trivia answers. Each time a question is answered correctly, players mark the spot on their card.
This mix of Bingo and trivia makes it both challenging and familiar. It’s a unique twist that blends two classic games into one.
18. Pie Eating Contest
Bring out the competitive side with a pie-eating contest, using mini pies and setting a time limit.
Players race to finish their pie first, making for a messy and fun challenge that everyone can watch and cheer on. It’s a game that adds an element of humor and tradition.
19. Name That Thanksgiving Tune
Play clips of classic Thanksgiving or autumn songs, and see who can name the tune fastest.
It’s a music-themed challenge that taps into nostalgia, as everyone tries to be the first to recognize their favorite seasonal tunes.
20. Thanksgiving Memory Game
Place a variety of Thanksgiving items on a tray, and give players a few seconds to memorize what’s there.
After covering the tray, ask each person to write down as many items as they remember. The player with the best memory wins, adding a simple yet fun challenge to the mix.
21. Thanksgiving Bingo with a Twist
Try a unique version of Thanksgiving Bingo by creating cards with actions like “someone spills a drink” or “kids running around.”
As each action occurs, guests mark their cards, and the first to complete a line wins. This game is easy and adds humor to the celebration as everyone keeps an eye out for these common Thanksgiving moments.
22. Thanksgiving Jeopardy
Thanksgiving Jeopardy is a trivia game with categories based on Thanksgiving themes, perfect for adding some mental challenge to your celebration.
Create categories and offer small prizes for correct answers, encouraging everyone to work in teams. It’s a lively game that adds structure to your trivia rounds.
23. Gratitude Circle
End your Thanksgiving evening with a Gratitude Circle where each person shares one thing they’re grateful for.
It’s not a traditional game, but it’s a meaningful way to reflect on the holiday’s purpose, bringing everyone together on a heartfelt note.
Conclusion
Thanksgiving is more than a meal; it’s a celebration of togetherness, gratitude, and joy. By incorporating these fun and engaging games, you’re adding an extra layer of warmth and laughter to your gathering. Whether you’re looking for lighthearted competition, a few laughs, or meaningful moments, these games offer something for everyone to enjoy.
So, this Thanksgiving, take the opportunity to connect, laugh, and create memories with your loved ones. From trivia and charades to heartfelt moments of gratitude, these games will make this Thanksgiving a celebration that everyone will remember fondly. Embrace the fun, enjoy the togetherness, and make this holiday one for the books!