10 Best Thanksgiving Games ideas to Keep the Whole Family and Kids Entertained

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with family and friends, enjoy delicious food, and express gratitude for all the blessings in life. But it can also be a challenge to keep the kids entertained and happy during the long hours of preparation and festivities. That’s why we have compiled a list of 10 awesome Thanksgiving games for kids to play that are fun, easy, and festive. These games will keep the kids busy and engaged, while also teaching them about the history and traditions of Thanksgiving. Whether you need some indoor or outdoor activities, some crafty or educational games, or some simple or challenging ones, we have something for everyone. So, without further ado, here are 10 awesome Thanksgiving games for kids to play:
1. Turkey Bowling
This game is a hilarious twist on the classic bowling game, where you use a frozen turkey as the ball and empty soda bottles as the pins. You can decorate the bottles with feathers, googly eyes, and beaks to make them look like turkeys, too. To play, set up the bottles in a triangle formation on a flat surface, such as a driveway, a patio, or a lawn. Then, have the kids take turns rolling the frozen turkey towards the bottles, trying to knock down as many as possible. You can keep score and award prizes for the most strikes, spares, or turkeys (three strikes in a row).
This game is great for kids of all ages, as it helps them practice their hand-eye coordination, balance, and strength. It also teaches them about physics, as they learn how different angles and speeds affect the movement of the turkey and the bottles. Plus, it’s a lot of fun to watch and play!
2. Pin the Feather on the Turkey
This game is a Thanksgiving version of the classic Pin the Tail on the Donkey game, where you blindfold the kids and have them try to pin a feather on a picture of a turkey. To play, you will need a large poster or cardboard cutout of a turkey, some colorful paper feathers, some tape or pins, and a blindfold. You can either draw or print out the turkey, and cut out the feathers from the paper. Then, hang the turkey on a wall, and give each kid a feather with their name on it. Blindfold the kids one by one, spin them around a few times, and have them try to pin the feather on the turkey’s tail. The kid who pins the feather closest to the center of the tail wins.
This game is suitable for kids of all ages, as it helps them develop their spatial awareness, memory, and fine motor skills. It also teaches them about colors, shapes, and patterns, as they try to match the feathers to the turkey. Moreover, it’s a fun and creative way to decorate your wall with a colorful turkey!
3. Thanksgiving Bingo
This game is a Thanksgiving-themed version of the popular Bingo game, where you use cards with pictures or words related to Thanksgiving, instead of numbers and letters. To play, you will need some printable Thanksgiving bingo cards, some markers or stickers, and a caller. You can either make your own cards, or download some from the internet. Then, give each kid a card and a marker, and have the caller randomly draw and announce the pictures or words from a hat or a bowl. The kids have to mark the corresponding squares on their cards, and shout “Bingo!” when they have a complete row, column, or diagonal. You can also play with different patterns, such as four corners, a cross, or a blackout.
This game is ideal for kids of all ages, as it helps them improve their concentration, listening, and matching skills. It also teaches them about vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation, as they learn the names and meanings of different Thanksgiving symbols and items. Furthermore, it’s a fun and interactive way to learn about the history and culture of Thanksgiving!
4. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
This game is a scavenger hunt with a Thanksgiving twist, where you hide clues and items related to Thanksgiving around the house or the yard, and have the kids find them. To play, you will need some printable or handwritten clues, some Thanksgiving-themed items, such as mini pumpkins, cornucopias, pilgrim hats, etc., and some prizes. You can either make your own clues, or use some from the internet. Then, hide the clues and the items in different locations, and give the kids the first clue. The clue should lead them to the next clue and item, and so on, until they reach the final prize. You can make the clues as easy or as hard as you want, depending on the age and skill level of the kids.
This game is perfect for kids of all ages, as it helps them enhance their problem-solving, reading, and reasoning skills. It also teaches them about teamwork, cooperation, and communication, as they work together to find the clues and the items. Additionally, it’s a fun and adventurous way to explore the house or the yard, and discover new things!
5. Thanksgiving Charades
This game is a Thanksgiving-themed version of the classic Charades game, where you act out words or phrases related to Thanksgiving, without speaking or making any sounds. To play, you will need some slips of paper, a hat or a bowl, and a timer. You can either write or print out the words or phrases, such as turkey, cranberry sauce, pilgrims, etc., and put them in the hat or the bowl. Then, divide the kids into two teams, and have one kid from each team draw a slip of paper and act it out for their team. The team has to guess the word or phrase within a certain time limit, such as 30 seconds or a minute. If they guess correctly, they get a point. If they don’t, the other team gets a chance to steal the point. The team with the most points at the end wins.
This game is suitable for kids of all ages, as it helps them boost their creativity, imagination, and expression skills. It also teaches them about body language, gestures, and facial expressions, as they try to convey the meaning of the word or phrase. Moreover, it’s a fun and hilarious way to break the ice and get everyone laughing!
6. Thanksgiving Pictionary
This game is a Thanksgiving-themed version of the classic Pictionary game, where you draw words or phrases related to Thanksgiving, without writing any letters or numbers. To play, you will need some slips of paper, a hat or a bowl, a whiteboard or a large sheet of paper, and some markers. You can either write or print out the words or phrases, such as stuffing, pumpkin pie, Mayflower, etc., and put them in the hat or the bowl. Then, divide the kids into two teams, and have one kid from each team draw a slip of paper and draw it for their team. The team has to guess the word or phrase within a certain time limit, such as 30 seconds or a minute. If they guess correctly, they get a point. If they don’t, the other team gets a chance to steal the point. The team with the most points at the end wins.
This game is ideal for kids of all ages, as it helps them improve their artistic, visual, and spatial skills. It also teaches them about shapes, colors, and proportions, as they try to draw the word or phrase. Furthermore, it’s a fun and challenging way to test their knowledge and memory of Thanksgiving!
7. Thanksgiving Trivia
This game is a trivia game with questions related to Thanksgiving, where you test the kids’ knowledge and memory of the history and traditions of Thanksgiving. To play, you will need some printable or handwritten trivia questions, some answer sheets, and some pens or pencils. You can either make your own questions, or use some from the internet. Then, give each kid an answer sheet and a pen or pencil, and read the questions aloud. The kids have to write down their answers, and then compare them with the correct ones. You can award points for each correct answer, and give prizes for the highest scores.
This game is perfect for kids of all ages, as it helps them sharpen their cognitive, recall, and analytical skills. It also teaches them about facts, dates, and events, as they learn more about the history and traditions of Thanksgiving. Additionally, it’s a fun and educational way to celebrate and appreciate Thanksgiving!
8. Thanksgiving Word Search
This game is a word search puzzle with words related to Thanksgiving, where you find and circle the hidden words in a grid of letters. To play, you will need some printable or handwritten word search puzzles, and some pens or pencils. You can either make your own puzzles, or use some from the internet. Then, give each kid a puzzle and a pen or pencil, and have them find and circle the words. The words can be hidden horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or backwards. You can also give clues or hints for the words, such as their meanings, synonyms, or antonyms. You can award points for each word found, and give prizes for the fastest or the most accurate solvers.
This game is suitable for kids of all ages, as it helps them develop their vocabulary, spelling, and pattern recognition skills. It also teaches them about word formation, word families, and word origins, as they discover new words and their meanings. Moreover, it’s a fun and relaxing way to pass the time and enjoy Thanksgiving!
9. Thanksgiving Mad Libs
This game is a mad libs game with stories related to Thanksgiving, where you fill in the blanks with words of your choice, and then read the hilarious results. To play, you will need some printable or handwritten mad libs stories, and some pens or pencils. You can either make your own stories, or use some from the internet. Then, give each kid a story and a pen or pencil, and have them fill in the blanks with the type of word indicated, such as noun, verb, adjective, etc. The kids should not look at the story while filling in the blanks, to make it more fun and surprising. After they are done, have them read their stories aloud, and enjoy the laughter and silliness.
This game is ideal for kids of all ages, as it helps them practice their grammar, syntax, and word usage skills. It also teaches them about parts of speech, sentence structure, and punctuation, as they learn how different words affect the meaning and tone of the story. Furthermore, it’s a fun and creative way to express themselves and have fun with words!
10. Thanksgiving Memory Game
This game is a memory game with cards that have pictures or words related to Thanksgiving, where you flip over two cards at a time and try to find the matching pairs. To play, you will need some printable or handmade cards, and a flat surface, such as a table or a floor. You can either make your own cards, or use some from the internet. Then, shuffle the cards and lay them face down on the surface, in rows and columns. Have the kids take turns flipping over two cards at a time, and try to find the matching pairs. If they find a match, they get to keep the cards and take another turn. If they don’t, they have to flip the cards back over and let the next kid take a turn. The game ends when all the cards are matched, and the kid with the most pairs wins.
This game is perfect for kids of all ages, as it helps them improve their memory, concentration, and attention skills. It also teaches them about visual discrimination, matching, and sorting, as they try to find the pairs. Additionally, it’s a fun and simple way to review and reinforce the Thanksgiving theme!
Conclusion
These are some of the awesome Thanksgiving games for kids to play that are fun, easy, and festive. They will keep the kids busy and engaged, while also teaching them about the history and traditions of Thanksgiving. You can play these games with your family and friends, and create some wonderful memories and moments. We hope you enjoy these games and have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!