26 Turkey-tastic Thanksgiving Activities & Games

Here's a cornucopia-filled selection of ideas that will add extra joy and fun to your holiday gathering:

Autumnal Charades: Play a game of charades with seasonal and Thanksgiving-themed words and phrases – get a words list and printable charades cards here. 

Bingo: Create bingo cards featuring turkeys, pumpkins, and other holiday symbols. Use candy corn or other treats as markers. Pro Tip: Save time with our printable fall-themed Bingo cards! 

Coloring Placemats: Print our free Day of Thanks coloring placemats for an easy way to entertain your little guests and adults alike! 

DIY Wearable Crafts: Set up a craft station with supplies for making wearable Thanksgiving-themed decor, like paper turkey hats or fall-themed bracelets and necklaces. 

Family Feud: Thanksgiving Edition: Survey guests ahead of time (“Top 5 Thanksgiving Side Dishes!”) and play a quick game of Family Feud after dinner — complete with teams and buzzers (or spoons!).

Festive Family Photoshoot: Capture the memories with a Thanksgiving-themed family photoshoot, using fall foliage and festive props such as pumpkins, hay bales, and potted mums. 

Gratitude Garland: Provide paper leaves and markers so guests can write what they’re thankful for, then clip the leaves onto string or ribbon to form a garland of gratitude across the room.

Gratitude Scavenger Hunt: Organize a scavenger hunt where participants find items or experiences they're thankful for around the house or in nature. 

Guess the Gobble: Blindfold participants and have them guess which family member or friend is making turkey gobbling sounds. 

Harvest-Themed Cooking Challenge: Divide guests into teams for a friendly cooking competition to create unique side dishes to add to your feast – use only local ingredients and set a time limit for even more fun. 

Leaf Pile Jump: Gather autumn leaves into a large pile for kids (and kids at heart) to have fun jumping and playing in. 

Mystery Pie Tasting: Blindfold participants and have them guess pie flavors (pumpkin, pecan, apple, sweet potato, etc.). Keep score and crown the Pie Pro!

Parade Watch Bingo: Hand out printable bingo cards featuring parade staples — giant balloons, marching bands, celebrity guests, and Santa’s sleigh. Guests mark off squares as they watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Pilgrim Hat Ring Toss: Use construction paper or mini cones decorated like pilgrim hats, then toss rings made from pipe cleaners or glow sticks. Simple setup, loads of laughs.

Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest: Have a friendly competition to see who can eat a slice of pumpkin pie the fastest, hands-free! 

Storytime Circle: Sit in a circle and take turns sharing favorite Thanksgiving memories or stories from past holidays. 

Stuff the Turkey Toss: Create a large paper-bag or cardboard “turkey” with an open mouth and have players toss beanbags, mini plushies, or crumpled paper “stuffing” balls into it. Great for kids indoors!

Table Talk Jar: Fill a jar with thoughtful or funny Thanksgiving conversation starters like “If you could invite any historical figure to dinner, who would it be?” or “What’s the weirdest side dish you’ve ever had?”

Thankful Turkey: Craft a paper turkey with removable feathers, then each guest can write down something they're grateful for on a feather, creating a beautiful display of gratitude. 

Thanksgiving Pictionary: Use a dry-erase board or large pad and add festive prompts like “cranberry sauce,” “grandma’s stuffing,” “turkey nap,” and “Black Friday shopping.”

Thanksgiving Trivia: Host a Thanksgiving trivia game with questions about the holiday's history, traditions, and fun facts. 

Thanksgiving Mad Libs: Fill in the blanks of a Thanksgiving-themed Mad Libs story for hilarious and creative results. 

Thanksgiving Movie Marathon: Set up a cozy movie area and enjoy Thanksgiving-themed films or classic holiday favorites like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving or Home for the Holidays.

Turkey Tag (Feather Chase): Give each player a clothespin “feather” to clip on their sleeve. Players chase one another to collect as many feathers as possible without losing their own! The person with the most feathers at the end wins.

Turkey Trot Relay Race: Organize a relay race where participants waddle like turkeys with a balloon between their legs. 

Unbe-leaf-ably Fun Fall Activity Sheets: Perfect for the kids’ table (or a cozy corner!), our printable coloring pages and puzzles keep little hands busy while grown-ups prep the feast.

These Thanksgiving games and activities are sure to cause contagious laughter and create treasured memories that will be talked about for years to come. So, gather 'round, give thanks, and enjoy each other's company to the fullest. Happy Thanksgiving!

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About the Author

   

Tara McAdams

Digital Marketing Manager, Content Strategist & Creator

Tara leads content strategy at SignUp and creates a variety of resources on a wide range of topics – including lifestyle trends, prep for holidays, volunteer management, and event planning. More about Tara →