Thanksgiving Games for the Whole Family

Games at the table

1. The gratitude game

You need: Nothing, or slips of paper and a bowl. Players: Any number.

Go around the table and have each person share one thing they're thankful for. For a twist, write questions on slips of paper ("What's a small thing that made you happy this year?" "Who helped you when you needed it?") and let each person draw one. It's a gentle way to get quieter relatives talking.

2. Two truths and a lie, Thanksgiving edition

You need: Nothing. Players: 4 or more.

Each person shares three statements about their year, two true and one false. Everyone else guesses which is the lie. Family members often learn surprising things about each other.

3. Thanksgiving "I'm going on a picnic"

You need: Nothing. Players: 3 or more, great for kids.

The first player says, "At Thanksgiving I ate apple pie." The next repeats it and adds an item starting with B: "At Thanksgiving I ate apple pie and biscuits." Keep going through the alphabet. Anyone who forgets an item is out.

Active games for kids

4. Pass the pumpkin

You need: A small pumpkin and music. Players: 5 or more.

Like musical chairs or hot potato: players sit in a circle and pass the pumpkin while the music plays. When it stops, whoever is holding the pumpkin is out. Last person standing wins.

5. Turkey feather hunt

You need: Craft feathers or paper feathers. Players: Kids of any age.

Hide colorful feathers around the house or yard. Kids race to find as many as they can. Assign points to colors (gold feathers worth five) to keep older kids interested.

6. Pie-eating race (no hands)

You need: Small tarts or whipped cream pies on paper plates, and towels. Players: 2 to 6 at a time.

Hands behind backs, players race to finish their mini pie first. It's messy, it's silly, and it makes great photos. Do this outside or over a plastic tablecloth.

Word and guessing games

7. Thanksgiving charades

You need: Slips of paper with prompts. Players: 4 or more, in two teams.

Write Thanksgiving prompts (carving the turkey, falling asleep on the couch, a parade balloon, a pilgrim, catching a football, stuffing a turkey). Players act them out silently while their team guesses within one minute. Keep score across rounds.

8. Turkey bingo

You need: Homemade bingo cards and markers. Players: Any number.

Make cards with things likely to happen during the day: "someone falls asleep," "the dog steals food," "someone mentions the weather," "a touchdown is scored," "Grandpa tells the same story." Players mark squares as events happen. First to get five in a row wins dessert first.

9. Thanksgiving trivia

You need: A list of questions. Players: Teams of two to four.

Ask questions about the holiday's history and traditions: What year was the first Macy's parade? (1924.) Which president made Thanksgiving a national holiday? (Abraham Lincoln.) What temperature should turkey reach? (165°F.) You can also play our ready-made Thanksgiving trivia game on a phone or tablet and read the questions aloud.

Games for older kids and adults

10. Who am I?

You need: Sticky notes and a pen. Players: 4 or more.

Write the name of a famous person, character or Thanksgiving item (gravy, the Mayflower, a pumpkin pie) on a sticky note and stick it to each player's forehead without them seeing. Players ask yes-or-no questions to figure out who or what they are.

11. Gratitude alphabet challenge

You need: Paper and pens, a timer. Players: Individuals or teams.

Set a timer for three minutes. Players write one thing they're thankful for for each letter of the alphabet. Score one point for each unique answer nobody else wrote. It's competitive and heartwarming at the same time.

Outdoor games

12. Backyard touch football

You need: A football and some open space. Players: 6 or more.

A Thanksgiving classic. Split into teams, mark end zones with jackets or cones and play touch or flag rules to keep it safe for all ages. Short halves (10 minutes) work well before dinner. Grandparents can referee or keep score.

Other good outdoor options: a leaf-pile jump, a family walk with a nature scavenger list, or a turkey trot, a short race around the block with silly prizes for every finisher.

Low-key options for tired guests

Not everyone wants to run around after a big meal, and that's fine. Keep a few calm activities on hand for people who want to stay social without much effort.

• Jigsaw puzzle: Leave a fall-themed puzzle out on a side table and let people drift in and out all afternoon.
• Card games: Go Fish, Crazy Eights and Uno work for kids, while Rummy, Hearts or Spades suit older players.
• Story chain: One person starts a story with a single sentence ("The turkey woke up on Thanksgiving morning and...") and each player adds a line. It gets silly fast.
• Memory lane: Bring out old family photo albums and have older relatives tell the stories behind them. It's not technically a game, but kids often find it surprisingly fun.
• Gratitude jar reading: If guests wrote notes in a gratitude jar earlier, read them aloud and try to guess who wrote each one.

Tips for game time

• Time it right. The best window is after the main course, before pie, when everyone is too full to move but not quite ready to nap.
• Mix ages on teams. Pair kids with grandparents and teens with aunts and uncles. It keeps teams balanced and gets people talking.
• Keep prizes small. First slice of pie, choice of leftovers or getting out of dish duty are all highly motivating.
• Have a quiet option. A jigsaw puzzle on a side table gives introverts and tired guests something relaxed to do.
• Prep ahead. Write charades slips and bingo cards the week before so you can start a game in seconds.