Explore 41 Hilarious Thanksgiving Games for Family Fun in 2023

As Thanksgiving festivities unfold, amidst those last-minute grocery store runs and the final touches on your pie, spare a moment to ensure the younger members of the family are delightfully engaged with Thanksgiving games. While opting for a cherished Thanksgiving film like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is a possibility, we’re inclined toward screen-free activities that promise collective enjoyment. These suggestions come with minimal costs or are entirely cost-free, relying on a touch of inventive creativity.

Our repertoire of games spans the classics: Bingo, tic-tac-toe, charades, and Mad-Libs, as well as innovative concepts like a yam race or rounds of “Would You Rather?” Furthermore, we’ve curated ideas that will undoubtedly evoke laughter, such as Face the Pie or Heads Up. In search of entertainment suitable for both adults and children? Considering options for both indoor and outdoor settings? Our collection caters to diverse preferences, and the best part is the minimal mess and effortless cleanup, sparing you any additional chores on that special day. And for additional ways to occupy the little ones, incorporating Thanksgiving crafts for kids might also be on your agenda.

Now, it’s time to immerse yourself in play and craft cherished memories that will resonate for years to come. After all, fostering such moments is the essence of Thanksgiving, isn’t it?

1. Spin-the-Pie Game

Brian Woodcock

Let guests spin to unveil six slices of life (Family, Friends, Travel, Home, Pets, Work), each of which is intended to conjure a memory for which they’re grateful. To make, segment the center of a paper plate into six sections; write prompts in each. Cut a smaller round from colorful craft paper; remove one “slice” for category window. Attach wheel to plate with a gold brad. Attach jute rope to rim with hot-glue. Add stenciled letters. (For Thanksgiving, try “Lattice Give Thanks…”)

2. Ladder Toss

Becky Luigart-Stayner

A ladder toss game is a classic crowdpleaser. (Here, we used vintage house numbers to give it one-of-a-kind charm.) For a Halloween-worthy flourish, embellish the ladder with stretchy spiderweb. If you’re not up for the DIY effort, check out this store bought option.

3. Tree Slab Tic-Tac-Toe

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Ditch your devices the next time you head on a family camping trip and focus on the fun to be had in the world around you with this kid-friendly craft.

To make: Pick up a round wood slab and four leather strips. On the slab, form a grid (pictured at left) with the strips and secure each end with an upholstery tack. Once in the woods, gather two five-piece groupings of found objects such as small rocks and pine cones to use as game pieces.

4. Apple Toss Game

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Start with apple bushels of varying sizes and assign points based on level of difficulty (the smaller the bushel, the higher the point value). Assign a certain number of apples to each player; whoever can “produce” the most points wins.

5. Pumpkin Checkers

Paint 32 squares on a large (roughly 30-inch) wood board with burnt orange craft paint. Use mini white and orange pumpkins as game pieces.

6. Thanksgiving Family Feud

This Family Feud game will find out who knows the holiday best! The tutorial includes questions and answers to make putting together this Thanksgiving game even easier.

7. Pumpkin Toss

This fall DIY idea will be fun at tailgates and indoor bashes all season long—and it’ll be just as fun next year too.

8. Hand Turkey Race

Meaghan Murphy

Time everyone as they work to create a perfect hand turkey. The person who is fastest to complete it is the winner. Or, you can have all the adults draw, and have the kids be the judges!

9. Feed the Turkey

Keep your toddler busy while you get cooking in the kitchen with this easy-to-make and even easier-to-play pom-pom game.

10. Thanksgiving Charades

Everyone can take part in this classic game with a Thanksgiving twist. It even comes with free printables, so all you have to do is play!

11. Thanksgiving Mad-Libs

This charming version of the classic fill-in-the-blanks game Mad-Libs lets friends and family share what they’re thankful for. Take turns reading them out loud after dinner. The Mad-Libs are part of a printable pack, which also includes two more table games: Thanksgiving bingo and “Would You Rather?”

12. Family Photographer Scavenger Hunt

Challenge the kids to a scavenger hunt to gather photos of family members and holiday-themed items throughout the day with tricky clues.

13. Traffic Yam Thanksgiving Race

Race each other by taking a yam (or a sweet potato) and seeing who can roll it to the finish line first. It’s a lot harder than it sounds!

14. Gratitude Game

Since Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect on what you’re most grateful for, this gratitude game is right on theme. This twist on pick-up sticks can be recreated with your choosing of each category.

15. Thanksgiving Sack Race

The only game more classic than football on Thanksgiving, might be the sack race. Standard rules apply, but you can invest in some Thanksgiving-themed sacks on Amazon to make it more festive.

16. Thanksgiving “Would you Rather” Questions

To play around the dinner table once everything is cleared, or to pass the time on your annual road trip to Grandma’s, this game poses a series of questions, such as, “Would you rather spend Thanksgiving weekend without football or without shopping?” You’ll leave knowing your family better than ever before.

17. DigitalSimplicity What’s on Your Phone?

You might even get the teenagers involved in this game! Print out a checklist for everyone with a phone, and they’ll earn points for selfies, social media posts, memes, and more.

18. Turkey Leg Wrap

Turkey legs are probably on your dinner table at Thanksgiving, and now they can be a part of the fun too. Players have one minute to wrap up their teammate in burlap and a chef’s hat in this game.

19. DIY Confetti-Stuffed Turkey Piñata

Come Thanksgiving, this confetti-stuffed turkey piñata works beautifully as both a kids’ table centerpiece and a post-feast activity. Fill it up with small candies and a ton of confetti.

20. Pin the Feather on the Turkey

You can set up this game two different ways: Craft your very own Thanksgiving turkey with some construction paper, or save time and buy a similar version.

21. Roll A Turkey Dice Game

Grab some die and print off this fun game, which is great for all ages. Whoever completes their turkey first wins!

22. Guess How Many?

Place a glass jar or vase filled with candy corn in the center of the kids’ table, then let your littlest guests jot down how many candies they think the container holds. The “winner” is whichever child guesses closest to the actual number. This one’s sure to foster conversation and keep them entertained throughout the night.

23. Turkey Scavenger Hunt

This is no wild goose chase! Using these fun printables, create a turkey-themed scavenger hunt for your kids right in your own backyard. If they manage to track down every one of the 12 turkeys, they’ll win a small prize.

24. Thanksgiving Pictionary

DIY your very own turkey-tastic version of the classic game with this easy project.

25. Thanksgiving Turkey Trivia

Courtesy of Craftaholics Anonymous

This trivia game is just the thing to pull out and play between courses at your Thanksgiving dinner, or later in the night while you enjoy your dessert spread.

26. Make-Your-Own Turkey

This sticker set lets kids create their very own turkey. Apply to construction or craft paper, or let little ones decorate pumpkins with their creations.

27. Face the Pie

Courtesy of Play Party Plan

In this messy game, participants race to find the candy letters in their whipped-cream-covered dishes and then use them to spell out “pie”—all without their hands.

28. Turkey Bowling

Courtesy of The Seasoned Mom

Use mini pumpkins to knock over as many turkeys as you can!

29. Thanksgiving Scratch Off Cards

Perhaps the easiest game on our list, place on at each table, and whoever finds the ticket that says “Happy Thanksgiving” wins a prize.

30. Thanksgiving Turkey Tag

This festive activity is an easy Thanksgiving craft and game in one, meaning the kids will have twice the fun and be occupied even longer. Say hello to some quiet time in the kitchen!

31. Autumn Tic-Tac-Toe

Courtesy of It’s Overflowing

Put a fall spin on this classic game. All you’ll need are mini pumpkins in two different colors.

32. Stuff The Turkey

Courtesy of Kid Friendly Things To Do

While you’re stuffing the turkey inside, the kids can play this fun game outside.

33. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt

Courtesy of The Taylor House

The kids will work up an appetite by searching near and far for turkeys and pumpkins

34. DIY Pumpkin Twister Game

Courtesy of Pint Sized Treasures

The only way to make Twister more fun? Add pumpkins!

35. Thanksgiving Turkey Baster Relay

This is such a fun one for the little ones at the party.

36. Turkey Balloon Rockets

The kiddos will love watching these turkeys fly across the room!

37. Turkey Tic-Tac-To

This tic-tac-toe set features cute turkeys hand painted on stones, and comes with a draw-string bag for storage.

38. Thanksgiving Dinner Version of Heads Up

Everyone at the table has to stick a word to their forehead using a sticky note. Then, each person has to guess the random word on their head with the help of others giving them clues. You can make it a Thanksgiving version by having all the words be Turkey Day foods.

39. Thanksgiving Jeoparty

If you’re spending Thanksgiving away from most of your family this year, definitely get this Jeoparty game! Once you download the file, you’ll get five pre-loaded rounds that include five questions. As long as everyone has the file, they can play!

40. Funnlot Thanksgiving Bingo

Kids will love this bingo set with familiar Thanksgiving motifs like fall leaves, pie, and turkey. It works well for a large group, too, with enough cards for 24 players.

41. Kavoc Happy Thanksgiving Toss Game

Head outside for a game of bean bag toss with this festive scarecrow set.