Thanksgiving game ideas for family are a fantastic way to bring everyone together and create lasting memories. These Thanksgiving Game Ideas can range from fun and lighthearted activities to more competitive challenges, all designed to include participants of all ages. Classic games like Turkey Hunt, where players search for hidden paper turkeys, or Thanksgiving Bingo, with holiday-themed images on the cards, are easy to set up and encourage family interaction.
Pumpkin Bowling, where players roll small pumpkins at pins, adds a playful twist to a traditional sport, while Thanksgiving Trivia tests the family’s knowledge of the holiday’s history and fun facts. For a creative touch, you can organize a DIY Craft Challenge where families compete to make the best Thanksgiving centerpiece or decoration. Charades with Thanksgiving-themed phrases or actions brings out everyone’s acting skills, and a Gratitude Jar game, where players share what they’re thankful for, adds a heartfelt element to the celebration. These Thanksgiving Game Ideas help everyone, from the youngest to the oldest family member, stay engaged and enjoy the holiday together.
Thanksgiving Game Ideas
Here’s a 100+ list of Thanksgiving game ideas for family gatherings, ranging from fun and interactive to educational and creative:
Thanksgiving Themed Games [Thanksgiving Game Ideas]
Turkey Hunt – Hide paper turkeys around the house or yard for players to find.
Thanksgiving Bingo – Use holiday-themed cards with images of pumpkins, turkeys, leaves, and more.
Pumpkin Bowling – Roll small pumpkins to knock down pins or bottles.
Pumpkin Toss – Toss mini pumpkins into buckets or hoops from a distance.
Thanksgiving Charades – Act out Thanksgiving-related phrases or actions.
Turkey Feather Relay – Players race to attach turkey feathers (cut from paper) to a turkey outline.
Thanksgiving Trivia – Test knowledge about the history, food, and traditions of Thanksgiving.
Gratitude Jar – Each player writes what they’re thankful for and shares it aloud.
Pin the Wattle on the Turkey – A Thanksgiving twist on the classic “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”
Thanksgiving Pictionary – Draw Thanksgiving-related words or phrases for teammates to guess.
Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt – Create a list of Thanksgiving-related items for players to find.
Guess the Pie Flavor – Blindfolded players taste different pie flavors and try to guess them.
Turkey Trot Race – A fun relay race where players must “waddle” like turkeys.
Stuff the Turkey – A bean bag toss game where players toss bean bags into a large turkey cut-out.
Thanksgiving Word Search – Create a holiday-themed word search.
Cranberry Relay – Use a spoon to carry cranberries across the room.
Turkey Ring Toss – Toss rings over turkey cutouts or bottle necks.
Cranberry Spoon Race – A twist on the classic egg-and-spoon race using cranberries.
Thanksgiving Word Scramble – Unscramble holiday-related words like “pilgrim,” “feast,” or “harvest.”
Pumpkin Hunt – Hide tiny pumpkins or pumpkin-shaped items around the house.
Thanksgiving Jeopardy – Create a trivia game with Thanksgiving categories.
Harvest Memory Game – Use Thanksgiving pictures on cards to play a memory matching game.
Thanksgiving Tic-Tac-Toe – A themed version of the classic game with fall leaves and pumpkins.
Pumpkin Patch Hop – Set up a race where players must hop between “pumpkins” (circle cutouts on the ground).
Thanksgiving Hot Potato – Pass around a soft pumpkin or gourd while music plays, and the person left holding it when the music stops is out.
Pilgrim Hat Toss – Toss bean bags into large pilgrim hats.
Fall Cornhole – Use a cornhole set with Thanksgiving-themed bean bags or boards.
Guess the Number of Candies – Fill a jar with candies or nuts and have players guess how many are inside.
Pumpkin Patch Bowling – Use small pumpkins as bowling balls to knock down pins.
Gobble Gobble Relay – Players must race while making turkey sounds or acting like turkeys.
Pumpkin Patch Puzzle – Create a Thanksgiving puzzle for everyone to work on together.
Corn Stalk Balance – Use corn stalks to create a balance beam for players to walk across.
Thanksgiving Freeze Dance – Play Thanksgiving music and have players freeze when the music stops.
Autumn Leaf Toss – Use paper leaves or real leaves for players to toss into a bucket.
Pinecone Bowling – Set up pinecones and bowl with mini pumpkins.
Thanksgiving Bingo for Kids – Customize Bingo cards with easy images like turkeys, pies, and harvest items.
Apple Bobbing – Traditional game of bobbing for apples in a tub of water.
Thanksgiving Word Relay – Write Thanksgiving-related words on cards and have players race to spell them correctly.
Decorate a Pumpkin Contest – Let guests carve or decorate small pumpkins.
Stuff the Turkey Piñata – Fill a turkey-shaped piñata with candies and treats for a fun break.
Falling Leaves Race – Players must gather paper leaves from the ground and place them in a basket.
Guess the Fall Scent – Blindfold players and have them guess various fall-related scents.
Pumpkin Decorating Contest – Have everyone decorate mini pumpkins and vote for the best one.
Fall Jenga – Use a Jenga set with autumn-colored pieces.
Thanksgiving Balloon Pop – Each balloon has a Thanksgiving-related task inside it.
Thanksgiving Memory Lane – Everyone shares a favorite Thanksgiving memory.
Autumn Coloring Contest – Provide printouts of autumn scenes or Thanksgiving themes for a coloring contest.
Corn on the Cob Relay – Players pass a piece of corn (or corn-shaped object) down the line.
Witch’s Brew – Players make potions using Halloween leftover candy or fall ingredients.
Fall Picture Bingo – Bingo cards with pictures of pumpkins, turkey, and more.
Thanksgiving Tic-Tac-Toe – Draw a giant grid on a poster board and use pumpkins and leaves as Xs and Os.
Leaf Jumping Contest – Players jump into piles of leaves to see who can make the biggest splash.
Gobble Game – Players run across the room acting like turkeys, trying to be the fastest.
Pumpkin Spice Guessing Game – Blindfolded guests smell different pumpkin spice items to guess what they are.
Create Your Own Turkey Craft – Provide materials for guests to create their own turkey designs.
Fall-Themed Charades – Players act out fall activities or Thanksgiving-related things like “carving a turkey” or “baking pie.”
Fall Harvest Bowling – Knock down pins using mini pumpkins.
Pumpkin Bowling Tournament – Set up a mini bowling alley using small pumpkins as the balls.
Thanksgiving Hat Parade – Guests create or wear funny Thanksgiving hats and parade around the room.
Corn Maze Scavenger Hunt – Set up a mini corn maze or scavenger hunt in your yard or living room.
Pilgrim Hat Hunt – Hide pilgrim hats around the house or yard and have players search for them.
Fall Fruit Tasting – Set up a table with various fall fruits and have players guess each fruit.
Pumpkin Smash – Set up a pumpkin smash where players smash pumpkins with a mallet (or in a contained area).
Guess the Thanksgiving Dish – Blindfold players and have them taste different Thanksgiving dishes and guess what they are.
Pumpkin Spice Relay – Set up a relay race with different activities like carrying pumpkins or rolling them.
Make a Fall Craft – Give each player materials to create a Thanksgiving-themed craft to take home.
Guess the Thanksgiving Movie – Play short clips of Thanksgiving movies or TV specials and have players guess the title.
Fall-Themed Word Search – Create a Thanksgiving-themed word search for guests to complete.
Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin – A fall-themed twist on “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”
Pumpkin Seed Toss – Toss pumpkin seeds into a bucket or container from a distance.
Pumpkin Relay – Players pass a small pumpkin between each other without using their hands.
Make a Thanksgiving Collage – Use autumn-colored paper and supplies to create a Thanksgiving-themed collage.
Turkey Trivia – Ask trivia questions about turkeys and Thanksgiving traditions.
Pie in the Face – Players answer trivia questions, and those who get them wrong get a “pie” in the face (use whipped cream).
Mimic the Turkey – Players mimic turkey sounds, movements, or behaviors for others to guess.
Scarecrow Dress-Up Contest – Create scarecrow outfits from old clothes and have players dress up as scarecrows.
Find the Hidden Cranberries – Hide cranberries around the house and see who can find the most.
Thanksgiving Name That Tune – Play Thanksgiving-themed or fall-inspired songs for guests to guess.
Turkey Feather Toss – Toss paper feathers into a bucket.
Turkey Bowl Game – Toss bean bags into cut-out turkey designs.
Autumn Word Scramble – Create Thanksgiving-related word scramble challenges for players.
Turkey Trot Obstacle Course – Set up an obstacle course for players to race through while mimicking turkey movements.
Pumpkin Relay Run – Have participants run while holding a pumpkin in their arms.
Harvest Festival Guessing Game – Guess the number of pumpkin seeds or cranberries in a jar.
Fall-Themed Balloon Darts – Pop balloons filled with trivia or challenges.
Thanksgiving Fortune Teller – Create a homemade fortune teller to predict Thanksgiving “fates.”
Leaf Painting Contest – Paint or color leaves with Thanksgiving designs.
Pumpkin Stack Challenge – Stack mini pumpkins as high as possible.
Autumn Leaf Sorting – Sort real or paper leaves into different piles by color.
Thanksgiving Hopscotch – Create a Thanksgiving-themed hopscotch with images of pumpkins and turkeys.
Turkey Balloon Pop – Write Thanksgiving-themed tasks or challenges inside balloons to pop.
Guess the Pumpkin Weight – Guess how much a large pumpkin weighs.
Build a Turkey Tower – Use marshmallows or candy to build the tallest turkey-themed tower.
Thanksgiving Icebreaker Questions – Ask fun or thoughtful questions related to Thanksgiving.
Muffin Tin Game – Place different Thanksgiving-themed items in muffin tins for players to match or guess.
Corn Harvest Toss – Toss popcorn kernels into a container from a distance.
Decorate a Thanksgiving Placemat – Have a DIY craft station where kids can decorate placemats for the dinner table.
Autumn Sensory Box – Fill a box with fall-themed items for kids to feel and guess what they are.
Give Thanks and Share – Take turns sharing something you’re thankful for while playing a game.
Pie-Tasting Contest – Blindfolded players taste various pies and guess the flavor.
These Thanksgiving Game Ideas activities will keep your family and friends entertained, engaged, and full of laughter throughout Thanksgiving day!
How to play
Here’s a detailed guide on how to play the Thanksgiving Game Ideas, including a list of requirements for each activity:
1. Turkey Hunt
Requirements: Paper turkeys, tape or other adhesive.
How to Play: Hide small paper turkeys around the house or yard. Players must find as many turkeys as they can within a set time limit. The person who finds the most turkeys wins.
How to Play: Call out Thanksgiving-themed items and players mark them on their cards. The first person to complete a row or column shouts “Bingo!” and wins.
3. Pumpkin Bowling
Requirements: Mini pumpkins, empty bottles (or plastic cups), bowling pins, and a ball.
How to Play: Set up the “pins” and have players roll mini pumpkins towards them, trying to knock down as many as possible. Count the number of pins knocked down for each player’s score.
4. Pumpkin Toss
Requirements: Small pumpkins or soft balls, buckets or hoops.
How to Play: Set up several buckets or hoops at different distances. Players take turns tossing the pumpkins into the containers. The farther away the bucket, the higher the score.
5. Thanksgiving Charades
Requirements: Charades cards with Thanksgiving phrases (e.g., carving the turkey, eating pie).
How to Play: Players take turns drawing a card and acting out the Thanksgiving-related action without speaking. The other players guess what it is. Points are awarded for correct guesses.
6. Turkey Feather Relay
Requirements: Paper turkey feathers, tape or sticky notes.
How to Play: Players must race to attach a turkey feather to a large turkey poster or cutout. The next player in line must continue until all feathers are added. The first team to complete the turkey wins.
7. Thanksgiving Trivia
Requirements: A list of Thanksgiving-related trivia questions and answers.
How to Play: Divide the players into teams. Ask trivia questions about Thanksgiving history, foods, and traditions. The team with the most correct answers wins.
8. Gratitude Jar
Requirements: A jar, slips of paper, pens.
How to Play: Ask each player to write something they are thankful for on a slip of paper and place it in the jar. Later, read the slips aloud for everyone to guess who wrote each one.
9. Pin the Wattle on the Turkey
Requirements: A large turkey poster, paper wattles (turkey neck parts), blindfold, tape.
How to Play: Blindfold the players and spin them around before they attempt to pin the wattle on the turkey’s neck. The person who gets closest to the correct spot wins.
10. Thanksgiving Pictionary
Requirements: Pictionary board, paper, and markers (or an app for digital play).
How to Play: Players draw Thanksgiving-related items (e.g., turkey, pie) while others try to guess what it is before time runs out.
11. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
Requirements: A list of Thanksgiving-themed items (turkey figurines, seasonal fruits, autumn decorations), small containers.
How to Play: Hide the Thanksgiving-themed items around the house or yard. Players must find the items based on the clues provided. The first person or team to find everything wins.
12. Guess the Pie Flavor
Requirements: Several different pie flavors, spoons, blindfolds.
How to Play: Blindfold players and feed them small bites of various pies. They must guess the flavor of each pie. The person who guesses the most correctly wins.
13. Turkey Trot Race
Requirements: Open space, cones or markers to designate a race path.
How to Play: Players must run or “waddle” like turkeys from the starting line to the finish line. The fastest turkey wins!
14. Stuff the Turkey
Requirements: Large turkey cut-out or stuffed animal, bean bags or soft balls.
How to Play: Players take turns tossing bean bags into the turkey cut-out. Each successful toss earns points. The player with the most points at the end wins.
15. Thanksgiving Word Scramble
Requirements: List of Thanksgiving-related words scrambled up (pilgrim, turkey, harvest, etc.), pen and paper.
How to Play: Players must unscramble as many Thanksgiving words as they can within a time limit. The player who unscrambles the most words wins.
16. Corn Stalk Balance
Requirements: A narrow balance beam or tape on the floor to represent the balance beam, fake corn stalks or poles.
How to Play: Players must walk across the balance beam while holding corn stalks or pretending to hold them. The player who walks across without falling wins.
17. Thanksgiving Freeze Dance
Requirements: Thanksgiving music playlist, open space for dancing.
How to Play: Play Thanksgiving songs while everyone dances. When the music stops, everyone must freeze. The last person to freeze is out. The last player remaining wins.
18. Autumn Leaf Toss
Requirements: Paper leaves or real leaves, a basket or container to toss them into.
How to Play: Set up several baskets or containers at different distances. Players toss the leaves into the containers. Each successful toss scores points, with further distances earning higher points.
19. Pumpkin Seed Toss
Requirements: Pumpkin seeds, containers, or buckets.
How to Play: Players toss pumpkin seeds into containers from a distance. Each successful toss scores a point. The player with the most points wins.
20. Thanksgiving Jeopardy
Requirements: Jeopardy-style board with categories (e.g., Thanksgiving Foods, Pilgrim Facts, History of Thanksgiving).
How to Play: Players take turns selecting questions from categories and answering them for points. The player with the most points at the end wins.
21. Autumn Word Search
Requirements: Pre-made Thanksgiving-themed word search or a blank grid with fall-related words, pens or pencils.
How to Play: Players are given a word search puzzle filled with fall-themed words. The person who finds the most words in the shortest amount of time wins.
22. Cornhole
Requirements: Cornhole boards, bean bags.
How to Play: Players take turns tossing bean bags at cornhole boards, trying to land them in the hole for 3 points or on the board for 1 point. The player with the most points after a set number of rounds wins.
23. Turkey Ring Toss
Requirements: Large turkey cut-out or figure, rings (you can use hoops or hula hoops).
How to Play: Set up a turkey cut-out and place rings at various distances. Players toss the rings onto the turkey’s neck. The player with the most successful tosses wins.
24. Pumpkin Smash
Requirements: Small pumpkins, a mallet or soft hammer, a designated area for smashing.
How to Play: Players take turns smashing pumpkins with a mallet (or a soft toy mallet). If you’re using small pumpkins or squishy toys, it’s a safe and fun way to vent some holiday stress!
25. Fall Sensory Box
Requirements: A box filled with fall-related items (corn kernels, dried leaves, mini pumpkins, acorns, etc.).
How to Play: Blindfold players and have them stick their hands into the box. They must identify the items based on touch alone. The player who guesses the most items correctly wins.
26. Thanksgiving Hot Potato
Requirements: A small pumpkin, soft ball, or another Thanksgiving-themed object.
How to Play: Players sit in a circle and pass the object around while music plays. When the music stops, the player holding the object is out. The last person remaining wins.
27. Thanksgiving Fortune Teller
Requirements: A paper fortune teller (the folded paper game).
How to Play: Players take turns picking numbers or colors, and the fortune teller reveals a fun Thanksgiving-related prediction or activity.
28. Pumpkin Seed Guessing Game
Requirements: A jar filled with pumpkin seeds.
How to Play: Players guess how many pumpkin seeds are in the jar. The person closest to the correct number wins the jar of seeds.
29. Turkey Feather Toss
Requirements: Paper feathers, a turkey cut-out or target, baskets or buckets.
How to Play: Players toss paper feathers into a turkey cut-out or designated basket. The more feathers in the basket, the higher the score.
30. Pilgrim Hat Relay
Requirements: Paper pilgrim hats, a racecourse or designated area.
How to Play: Players must race to a finish line wearing pilgrim hats, but they must pick up a hat from a table and place it on their head. The fastest person wins.
31. Create a Thanksgiving Collage
Requirements: Magazines, scissors, glue, large piece of paper.
How to Play: Players cut out Thanksgiving or fall-themed images from magazines and glue them onto a piece of paper to create a Thanksgiving collage. The most creative collage wins.
32. Pumpkin Spice Relay
Requirements: Mini pumpkins, spoons, cones or markers for racecourse.
How to Play: Players must carry a mini pumpkin on a spoon through an obstacle course. The fastest person to finish without dropping the pumpkin wins.
33. Fall-Themed Word Scramble
Requirements: A list of scrambled Thanksgiving-related words (like “pilgrim,” “harvest,” “feast”).
How to Play: Players must unscramble the words as quickly as possible. The player who unscrambles the most words correctly within the time limit wins.
34. Thanksgiving Cupcake Decorating Contest
Requirements: Plain cupcakes, frosting, candy decorations, sprinkles, and other edible decorations.
How to Play: Players decorate cupcakes with Thanksgiving-themed designs (turkeys, pumpkins, leaves). The most creative cupcake wins!
35. Autumn Leaf Identification
Requirements: A collection of real or fake autumn leaves.
How to Play: Players are given a collection of leaves and must identify what tree each leaf comes from. The person who identifies the most leaves correctly wins.
36. Pie Eating Contest
Requirements: Small pies or pie slices, napkins, or towels.
How to Play: Players race to eat a small pie or pie slice the fastest without using their hands. The winner is the first to finish.
37. DIY Thanksgiving Bingo
Requirements: Blank Bingo cards, Thanksgiving-themed images or words (turkey, cranberry sauce, etc.).
How to Play: Create Bingo cards with Thanksgiving images. Call out the images for players to mark off on their cards. The first to complete a line wins.
38. Harvest Festival Guessing Game
Requirements: Jars filled with autumn-themed items (acorns, dried corn kernels, mini pumpkins, etc.).
How to Play: Players guess how many items are in each jar. The person with the most accurate guesses wins.
39. Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin
Requirements: A large pumpkin poster, cut-out noses, blindfold.
How to Play: Blindfold players and have them try to pin a cut-out nose onto a pumpkin poster. The person who gets the closest to the right spot wins.
40. Guess the Thanksgiving Movie
Requirements: Clips from Thanksgiving movies (e.g., Planes, Trains, and Automobiles or A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving).
How to Play: Play short clips from Thanksgiving-themed movies and have players guess the movie. The person with the most correct guesses wins.
41. Pumpkin Patch Puzzle
Requirements: A puzzle with a fall or Thanksgiving theme.
How to Play: Players work together to put together a Thanksgiving-themed puzzle. The first team to complete it wins.
42. Autumn Leaf Sorting
Requirements: Different types of real or fake leaves, sorting bins or containers.
How to Play: Players must sort leaves into different bins based on type or color. The player who sorts the most leaves in the shortest amount of time wins.
43. Thanksgiving Hot Potato with a Twist
Requirements: A small Thanksgiving-themed object (like a mini pumpkin or gourd).
How to Play: Players pass the object around the circle while music plays. When the music stops, the player holding the object is out. The last person remaining wins.
44. Turkey Bowling
Requirements: Plastic cups or cans, small pumpkins (or a ball), and a flat surface.
How to Play: Set up the plastic cups or cans as pins. Players roll a pumpkin or ball to try to knock down as many pins as possible. The player with the most pins knocked down wins.
45. Pumpkin Carving Contest
Requirements: Mini pumpkins, carving tools, and decorations (optional).
How to Play: Players carve pumpkins into fun or spooky designs. The most creative or spooky pumpkin wins.
46. Autumn-Themed Jenga
Requirements: A Jenga set (or large blocks) and markers or stickers with autumn or Thanksgiving-themed designs.
How to Play: Play the traditional Jenga game, but with autumn or Thanksgiving-themed blocks. For an added twist, each block can have a challenge or question on it.
47. Guess the Thanksgiving Song
Requirements: A playlist of Thanksgiving or fall songs.
How to Play: Play short snippets of Thanksgiving or fall songs. The first player to guess the song wins a point. The player with the most points wins.
48. Cranberry Relay
Requirements: Cranberries, spoons, cups, and a finish line.
How to Play: Players must balance a cranberry on a spoon and race to the finish line without dropping it. If the cranberry falls, they must go back to the start. The fastest player wins.
49. Autumn Pictionary
Requirements: A whiteboard or paper, markers, and a list of Thanksgiving-related things to draw.
How to Play: Players take turns drawing autumn or Thanksgiving-related items (e.g., pilgrims, pie, turkey) while others try to guess what they are.
50. Turkey Waddle Relay
Requirements: Open space, cones, or markers.
How to Play: Players must race while waddling like a turkey. The first player to reach the finish line wins.
These additional Thanksgiving Game Ideas should help fill out your Thanksgiving party with lots of fun activities! Enjoy!
Hi, I’m Maggie Culp, the founder of PartyVibesFun.com, based in North Little Rock, Arkansas, United States! With a passion for creating unforgettable celebrations, I specialize in turning any event into a fun and vibrant experience. From birthday parties to themed gatherings, I’m here to help you bring your party ideas to life with ease and excitement. Whether you’re looking for unique games, creative themes, or party planning tips, I’m dedicated to making sure every moment of your event is filled with joy. Let’s create memories together and make your next party the talk of the town!