28 Thanksgiving Party Games for the Whole Family

The food is very much the main event on Thanksgiving. I don’t think that’s really up for debate.

But there’s a period where the turkey’s still in the oven, half the family’s watching football, the kids are climbing the walls and nobody’s quite sure what to do with themselves. At this point you need a few games to save the day. Or at the very least act as a distraction.

Games fill in the waiting, get the different generations together into the same room and give everyone something to remember (apart from who fell asleep on the couch!)

Read More: 20+ Thanksgiving Work Party Ideas

So these 28 Thanksgiving party games — games for the whole family, ones for the kids, fast minute to win it rounds, grown up games for the adults and gratitude games made for around the meal. And best of all almost all of them use things you already have at home.

Thanksgiving Games for the Whole Family

These are the games for all ages that get grandparents, parents and kids playing together. For the full plan for hosting our Thanksgiving party ideas for families go very well with these.

Thanksgiving Charades

Act out Thanksgiving things — carving a turkey, a food coma, the Macy’s parade, Black Friday chaos etc. — while everyone guesses. You don’t need any props, there’s no talking but lots of laughs.

How to play: Draw a card, act it out silently, your team guesses before the timer runs out.

You’ll need: A list of Thanksgiving prompts.

Thankful A to Z

Go around the room naming something you’re thankful for, working through the alphabet — apple pie, blankets, cousins and so on. It gets funny fast around the tricky letters.

How to play: Each person takes the next letter in turn, stumble or repeat and you’re out.

You’ll need: Nothing but the people there.

Best for: A warm-up while you wait for the food.

Turkey Trivia

Thanksgiving Trivia Quiz Questions for Kids, Adults

Test the family on Thanksgiving history, traditions and random turkey facts. Split into teams — grandparents versus grandkids is always good.

How to play: 15 to 20 questions, teams write answers, highest score wins.

You’ll need: A question list, pens and paper.

Pass the Cornucopia

Thanksgiving hot potato. Pass a small pumpkin or gourd around while music plays — whoever’s holding it when it stops shares one thing they’re thankful for (or does a silly forfeit).

How to play: Pass on the beat, freeze when the music cuts, the holder takes a turn.

You’ll need: A small gourd and some music.

Thanksgiving Would You Rather

Quick fire holiday dilemmas – would you rather give up stuffing or pie forever? Great filler and it sparks some fun debates.

How to play: Read a prompt, everyone picks a side and defends it.

You’ll need: A list of prompts.

Turkey Hunt

Hide paper turkeys (or little turkey figures) around the house and set everyone loose to find them. Number them for a points twist, or hide one golden turkey worth the grand prize.

How to play: Hide the turkeys before guests arrive, whoever finds the most — or the golden one — wins.

You’ll need: Printed or craft turkeys and good hiding spots.

Best for: Keeping kids busy right up until the food’s ready.

Thanksgiving Games for Kids

Give the kids’ table something to do apart from waiting for dessert. These keep little ones busy and out the way while dinner comes together.

Our Thanksgiving ideas for kids have more where these came from and a simple Thanksgiving craft kit keeps the very youngest busy while the older kids play.

12 Pack Thanksgiving Turkey Crafts Kit for Kids

Pin the Feathers on the Turkey

Thanksgiving Games for Kids Pin The Tail On The Turkey Game

The Thanksgiving spin on pin the tail. Blindfold, spin and stick a paper feather closest to the turkey’s tail.

How to play: Blindfold each kid, spin gently, closest feather wins.

You’ll need: A drawn turkey poster, paper feathers, tape, a blindfold.

Turkey Waddle Race

Tuck a balloon between the knees and waddle to the finish line without dropping it.

How to play: Balloon between the knees, waddle to the line, drop it and start over.

You’ll need: Balloons and a clear stretch of floor.

Thanksgiving Bingo

Thanksgiving Bingo Game

Cards filled with Thanksgiving pictures — turkeys, pies, pumpkins, footballs. Call them out and mark them off.

How to play: Hand out cards, call images at random, first to a line shouts “gobble.”

You’ll need: Printed bingo cards and markers.

Feather Relay

Race to carry a feather across the room on a spoon – or by keeping it in the air with nothing but your breath.

How to play: Balance or blow the feather to the finish, drop it and go back.

You’ll need: Craft feathers and spoons.

Candy Corn Counting Jar

Fill a jar with candy corn and have the kids guess how many. Closest guess wins the jar (don’t need to buy a separate prize!)

How to play: Everyone writes a guess, reveal the count, closest number wins.

You’ll need: A jar, candy corn, paper and pens.

Best for: A quiet game while you set up the others.

Thanksgiving Minute to Win It Games

These are fast and last about a minute each and work for any age and get everyone off the couch between the courses. A minute-to-win-it party kit bundles most of the props if you’d rather not gather them yourself.

Funwares Minute of Fun Outdoor Edition, 272 Challenges, 2-12 Players

Candy Corn Straw Race

Move candy corn from one bowl to another using only a straw and suction. Trickier than it sounds after a big meal.

How to play: Suck a piece onto the straw, carry it across, drop it. Most moved in a minute wins.

You’ll need: Candy corn, straws, two bowls per player.

Gourd Roll

Race to roll a small gourd or mini pumpkin across the floor to a target using only your nose.

How to play: On hands and knees, nudge the gourd to the finish line with your nose.

You’ll need: Small gourds or mini pumpkins.

Stack the Gourds

Build the tallest tower of mini pumpkins or gourds before the timer runs out. One wobble and you’re starting again.

How to play: Tallest freestanding stack in 60 seconds wins.

You’ll need: A pile of mini pumpkins or gourds.

Cotton Ball Pie

Put a dollop of whipped cream (or a dab of petroleum jelly) on your nose, then transfer cotton balls to a plate using only your face. It’s ridiculous but great for photos.

How to play: No hands — pick up cotton balls with your nose, most moved in a minute wins.

You’ll need: Cotton balls, whipped cream, plates.

Turkey Feather Blow

Blow a craft feather across the finish line using only a straw. No hands and no touching.

How to play: Line up feathers, blow through a straw, first over the line wins.

You’ll need: Feathers, straws, a flat table.

Cranberry Spoon Race

Balance cranberries on a spoon and race across the room without spilling. They roll a lot so it’s harder than it looks.

How to play: Spoon in hand, walk fast, drop one and go back to start.

You’ll need: Fresh cranberries and spoons.

Thanksgiving Games for Adults

Once the kids are occupied and the food’s settling these games will keep the grown ups entertained.

Thanksgiving Trivia (Grown Up Edition)

The harder version — Thanksgiving history, presidential turkey pardons, parade facts, football records. For the family that thinks they know it all.

How to play: Teams answer 20 tougher questions, highest score wins.

You’ll need: A question list, pens and paper.

Guess the Dish

A blindfolded taste test of Thanksgiving foods and leftovers – can you tell Aunt Carol’s stuffing from the store bought one? Nobody has to know the results.

How to play: Blindfold, taste small samples, write down each guess, most correct wins.

You’ll need: Small samples, blindfolds, spoons.

Two Truths and a Turkey

This one is a classic icebreaker but with a Thanksgiving twist — two things you actually did this year and one you made up. Great for the mix of relatives who only see each other once a year.

How to play: Each person shares three statements, the group guesses the lie.

You’ll need: Nothing.

Most Likely To: Family Edition

Part awards show, part loving roast. Vote on who’s most likely to fall asleep first, go back for thirds, start the family debate.

How to play: Read a prompt, everyone points at once, funniest results win.

You’ll need: A list of prompts.

Best for: Families who can laugh at themselves.

Football Squares

Thanksgiving and football go hand in hand. Set up a squares grid for the big game so even the people who don’t watch have a reason to cheer.

How to play: Everyone claims squares on a 10×10 grid, winners are decided by the score at the end of each quarter.

You’ll need: A printed grid and a pen.

Thanksgiving Pictionary

Draw Thanksgiving words and phrases while your team races to guess. The bad drawings are half the fun.

How to play: Draw the prompt, no letters or numbers, your team guesses before time’s up.

You’ll need: Paper, markers, a prompt list.

Guess the Baby Photo

Ask everyone to bring a baby photo (or text one over ahead of time), number them on a board and have the family guess who’s who. It gets everyone telling old stories and also gets the biggest laughs of the day.

How to play: Display the numbered photos, everyone writes their guesses, most correct matches wins.

You’ll need: Baby photos gathered in advance and a board to display them.

Best for: Big gatherings where the generations mix.

Gratitude Games for Around the Table

These turn “what are you thankful for” into something people look forward to — and they are usually the moments everyone remembers long after the pie’s gone.

The Thankful Jar

Everyone writes what they’re grateful for on slips of paper and drops them in a jar through the day. After dinner, read them out and guess who wrote each one.

How to play: Fill the jar all day, read and guess after the meal.

You’ll need: A jar, paper slips, pens.

A dedicated gratitude jar or conversation card deck makes this a tradition you can easily do every year.

Gratitude Jar 200 Cards 1 Pen for Gratitude Practice, Classic, Dark Brown

Around the Table

The simplest one and often the best – go around and each share one thing you’re grateful for this year. No advice just listening.

How to play: One person at a time, one gratitude each, all the way around.

You’ll need: Nothing.

The Compliment Game

Draw a name and give that person a compliment or a favorite memory of them. It sounds small and but it has a very real impact.

How to play: Pull names from a bowl, share a compliment, pass it on.

You’ll need: Slips with everyone’s name.

Gratitude Scavenger Hunt

Send the kids (or everyone) hunting for things that represent something they’re thankful for — a photo, an object, a person to hug etc.

How to play: Give a list of gratitude prompts, everyone finds an item for each and shares why.

You’ll need: A short prompt list.

Best for: Keeping kids meaningfully busy before the meal.

Printable Thanksgiving Games

For zero prep, printables are the shortcut — print, cut and hand out. Ideal for the kids’ table or keeping guests busy while the turkey rests.

• Thanksgiving Bingo — picture cards for all ages.
• Thanksgiving trivia sheets — pre written so you can play too.
• Would You Rather: Thanksgiving — quick and no setup.
• Thanksgiving Mad Libs — always a hit with kids and tipsy adults alike.
• Gratitude prompt cards — conversation starters for the table.

A single Thanksgiving printable games pack usually bundles all of these — the cheapest way to sort a whole day’s entertainment at once.

Tips for Running Thanksgiving Games

A game only works if the day’s set up for it so some planning can make a difference:

• Time them around the meal — a warm up game before dinner then an active one to shake off the food coma after.
• Mix the generations. The best Thanksgiving games get grandparents and grandkids on the same team.
• Have props ready before guests arrive so you’re not prepping while people stand around.
• Keep the prizes small and silly — leftovers to take home is a funny and great prize.
• Don’t force it. Offer the game, let those who are into it take the lead and let the football watchers watch.
• Have a backup game in your pocket — energy can change quickly on a full stomach so it helps to be able to pivot to something else without any problems.
• Let a kid help run one. Handing a ten year old the role of game host keeps them invested for the whole afternoon.

Final Thoughts

Games fill the gaps but they’re only one piece of the day. For the full plan — food, timing, decor and more — start with our complete guide to hosting Thanksgiving or try to the version for your situation, be that kids or teens. Need the words to go with it? We’ve got Thanksgiving wishes for the cards and funny Thanksgiving quotes to lighten the table.

Pick four or five of these, get your props ready and you’ve turned that awkward pre-dinner stretch into the part of the day everyone remembers. Happy Thanksgiving.