20 Thanksgiving Games for Kids and the Whole Family

These 20 Thanksgiving games give kids and adults something fun to do while dinner cooks, around the table and after the meal. You can play most of them with things already at home, and none needs much preparation.

If you're hosting a house full of cousins, especially children between 3 and 12, you'll want games that don't leave the youngest ones out. I've included quiet choices for the dinner table, active games for burning off some energy and printable activities you can prepare before everyone arrives.

Thanksgiving games to play at the table

Waiting for the turkey can feel like forever to a hungry 5-year-old. These games keep everyone busy without asking people to leave their seats or putting anything messy near the food.

1. Thanksgiving category game. Players: 3 or more. What you need: Nothing. Pick a category such as Thanksgiving foods, autumn animals or things you'd find in a kitchen. Take turns naming something that fits. Nobody can repeat an answer. Younger children can get help from an older cousin.
2. Guess the Thanksgiving food. Players: 2 or more. What you need: Small slips of paper. One person thinks of a Thanksgiving food and gives three clues without saying its name. For example, it's orange, often mashed and tastes sweet. Everyone else guesses. Switch turns after each correct answer.
3. Who am I? Thanksgiving edition. Players: 3 or more. What you need: Sticky notes and a pencil. Write Thanksgiving-related characters or objects on the notes, then stick one on each player's forehead without showing them. Players ask yes-or-no questions until they guess their identity.
4. The alphabet dinner game. Players: 2 or more. What you need: Nothing. Start with A and name a food that might appear at Thanksgiving dinner. Continue through the alphabet. Apple pie, bread rolls and cranberry sauce are easy starters. Let younger players skip difficult letters.
5. Pass the compliment. Players: 4 or more. What you need: Nothing. One person turns to the next guest and says something kind about them. That person does the same for someone else. Keep going around the table. It's a lovely choice when grandparents, children and relatives who don't see each other often are together.

Active Thanksgiving games for the yard or living room

Once the children have been sitting for a while, give them room to move. You don't need a big backyard for these games, although a clear patch of grass makes a few of them easier. Move breakable decorations out of the way before starting indoors.

6. Turkey feather relay. Players: 4 or more, split into teams. What you need: Craft feathers or small pieces of paper and spoons. Each player carries a feather on a spoon to a marked spot and back, then passes the spoon to the next teammate. If the feather falls, pick it up and continue.
7. Pumpkin roll race. Players: 2 or more. What you need: Small pumpkins and a clear outdoor path. Players roll their pumpkins toward a finish line using their hands. No kicking or throwing. For younger children, use small soft balls instead.
8. Turkey freeze dance. Players: 3 or more. What you need: Music and a speaker. Play a cheerful song and let everyone dance like a turkey. Stop the music at random. Everyone freezes. Anyone who moves gets to choose the next silly turkey dance.
9. Thanksgiving obstacle course. Players: 2 or more. What you need: Cushions, cones, cardboard boxes and a few safe household objects. Set up a short course with places to step around, crawl under and walk between. Time each player if they enjoy a little competition, or simply let everyone take turns.
10. Stuff the turkey. Players: 4 or more, split into teams. What you need: Two large empty baskets and several rolled-up pairs of clean socks. Place a basket at each end of the room. Players take turns carrying one sock at a time to fill their team's basket. The team with the most socks after two minutes wins.

Quiet Thanksgiving games for after dinner

After a big meal, some children want to keep playing while others are ready to settle down. These games work well around the coffee table or on the living room floor. They also give adults a chance to join without having to run around.

11. Thanksgiving memory tray. Players: 2 or more. What you need: A tray and 10 small household objects. Arrange the objects on the tray and let everyone look for 30 seconds. Cover it with a towel and ask players to write or name as many objects as they remember. Give younger children a smaller selection.
12. Draw the turkey. Players: 2 or more. What you need: Paper, crayons and pencils. Everyone draws a turkey in two minutes. Add a funny rule each round, such as drawing with your eyes closed or using your non-dominant hand. Put the pictures together and let everyone vote for the funniest one.
13. Thanksgiving story circle. Players: 3 or more. What you need: Nothing. One person begins a story with a sentence about Thanksgiving. The next person adds another sentence, and everyone continues until the story reaches a silly ending. Encourage the youngest children to add a character or an unexpected event.
14. Thanksgiving charades. Players: 3 or more. What you need: Paper slips with simple words or actions. Players take turns acting out things such as carving a turkey, picking apples, baking a pie or being a sleepy bear. No talking. Divide into teams if you have a larger group.
15. Build the tallest turkey. Players: 2 or more. What you need: Paper cups, craft feathers and tape. Give everyone the same number of cups and feathers. Set a five-minute timer and see who can build the tallest turkey decoration without it falling over. Younger children can work with an older partner.

Printable Thanksgiving games for kids and families

Printable games are handy when you want something ready before guests arrive. Put a few copies on a side table with pencils and crayons. Children can start playing whenever they have a spare moment, and adults can join without needing a long explanation.

16. Thankful scavenger hunt. Players: 2 or more, individually or in teams. What you need: Printed scavenger hunt sheets and pencils. Give everyone a list of things to find, such as something orange, something that smells nice, a family photo and something that makes them smile. Players search the house and tick off each discovery. For a ready-made activity, use our scavenger hunt for kids.
17. Thanksgiving would you rather cards. Players: 2 or more. What you need: Printed question cards. Take turns drawing a card and choosing between two funny Thanksgiving situations. Would you rather eat only mashed potatoes or only pumpkin pie for a week? Ask everyone to explain their choice. Our would you rather questions for kids have more ideas for a family round.
18. Thanksgiving word search race. Players: 2 or more. What you need: Printed word searches and pencils. Hand each player the same puzzle and start a timer. Players circle Thanksgiving words such as turkey, family, dinner and pumpkin. The first person to find every word wins. Adjust the puzzle difficulty for different ages.
19. Thanksgiving maze race. Players: 2 or more. What you need: Printed maze sheets and pencils. Everyone starts at the same time and tries to guide a little turkey through the maze to its Thanksgiving dinner. Give younger children easier paths and older cousins harder ones. Our printable mazes for kids are useful for this game.
20. Thanksgiving trivia challenge. Players: 2 or more, individually or in teams. What you need: Question sheets and pencils. Ask questions about Thanksgiving traditions, food and history. Give younger children simpler questions and let teams discuss their answers before responding. For a separate collection of ready-to-use questions, see our trivia questions for kids with answers.

How to make Thanksgiving games work for a big group

Got a house full of cousins aged 3 to 12? Choose games where children can play together rather than making every round a contest between individual ages. Turkey freeze dance, Thanksgiving charades, the scavenger hunt and the obstacle course are particularly good choices. A 3-year-old can follow an older cousin through the course or copy their dance moves without needing to read instructions.

For games involving writing, reading or remembering details, pair younger children with older ones. A 10-year-old can read the scavenger hunt clues while a 4-year-old looks for the objects. That arrangement gives both children something useful to do, and the older child gets to feel like a helper rather than another competitor.

How many games should you prepare? I'd pick four or five, not all 20. Have one table game ready before dinner, two active choices for the afternoon and a couple of quiet printables for later. Keep the rules flexible. If everyone is enjoying a game, there's no reason to rush to the next one.

Put the printable sheets, pencils and crayons in one basket so children can help themselves. Keep a few spare copies nearby for unexpected guests. Most of all, let children leave a game when they're ready. Thanksgiving is a family gathering, not a tournament that needs a winner.

Questions parents ask

What are some easy Thanksgiving games for kids?

Turkey freeze dance, Thanksgiving charades, a food guessing game and a scavenger hunt are easy choices. Most need only paper or ordinary household items.

What Thanksgiving games can adults and children play together?

Try Thanksgiving memory tray, pass the compliment, story circle or pumpkin roll race. Choose games where younger children can team up with adults instead of competing against them.

How do you entertain kids on Thanksgiving while dinner is cooking?

Set out paper, crayons and a few printed activities before guests arrive. Table guessing games, simple scavenger hunts and drawing challenges give children something to do while the adults prepare dinner.