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Thanksgiving is (obviously) all about the food. Savory, golden oven-roasted turkey. Classic sides like crispy apple sausage walnut stuffing, brown sugar-drenched sweet potatoes, and ooey, gooey green bean casserole. And, of course, you can’t forget the desserts: pumpkin pie or maybe a lush, indulgent Hummingbird cake.
But the holiday has many other important aspects and traditions as well. Thanks for time spent with friends and family, and the year that has passed. Over-the-top TV parades with god-awful lip syncing. Football. Dog shows. More football. And, if you’re lucky, a few hours spent bonding and connecting with friends or loved ones over a favorite Thanksgiving game.
Whether played at the table, following the big feast, or over the course of the long holiday weekend, Thanksgiving games are best enjoyed when everybody can join in. Feeling too full to figure out where to get started? Let us serve up a generous helping of at-home holiday fun. Now, let the games begin!
Table games
Whether you’re waiting for the next course or just letting your meal digest, some of the best Thanksgiving games can be played without ever leaving the table. Start with something easy, like “Two Truths and a Turkey.” Similar to the classic “Two Truths and a Lie,” each person at the table shares two truths and one made-up fact about themselves while others guess which is not true (i.e., the “turkey.”)
For a game that lasts throughout the meal, try a round of “Turkey Bingo.” Start by printing out some blank bingo cards for your guests before you sit down to eat. Then, fill each card with Thanksgiving-themed items, such as “turkey,” “cranberry sauce,” or “mashed potatoes.” Hand out the cards at random before the meal starts. To play, instruct your guests to mark the cards off as items are mentioned in conversation. The first player to complete their card and yell “Bingo!” wins. And for a prize? How about the wishbone!
Thanksgiving-themed charades is a proven winner, but for an even more challenging guessing game, consider a round of Turkey Day “Who Am I?” Grab some sticky notes or index cards and a marker, and have players write down the name of a Thanksgiving-related person or object, such as “a Pilgrim” or “pumpkin pie.” Collect the completed cards, mix them up, and then distribute them at random. Without looking at what’s written, ask each player to stick their note on their forehead or hold it up to their head so everyone except them can see it. Moving around the table, players take turns asking “yes” or “no” questions to the group to try to figure out who or what they are. (For example: “Am I a food?” or “Am I a person?”) The goal is to guess what’s written on your card first. The best — and fastest — guesser wins!
Games for giving thanks
Gratitude is a fundamental aspect of Thanksgiving, and it can also be the basis for some great gameplay. For instance, in the game “Grateful ABCs,” each player names something they’re grateful for. Start with the letter A. When one answer is said, gameplay moves to the next person at the table, who must say something starting with the next letter of the alphabet. Miss or skip a letter, and you’re out — no apple pie for you!
For something a bit more challenging, try “Thanksgiving Memory Chain.” Starting at the head of the table, player one says something they’re grateful for. The next player repeats that gratitude and then adds their own. The chain continues, moving around the table until someone forgets the order (most likely Aunt Linda, who’s too busy watching her stories).
Is your family artsy? Turn those skills into a game and play a round of “Thanksgiving Pictionary.” Players draw objects or phrases they are grateful for while others guess. Use a small whiteboard or empty notebook and keep score. The winner is whoever racks up the most correct guesses.
Finally, for a fun twist on gratitude (and to get those youngsters involved), work as a group to make a list of 20 things you are all grateful for — and agree on. Then, pull out your phones. In “Phoning It In,” one person announces something from the list you just made — such as “family” or “pets” — and then everyone races to find a photo of that item from the phone’s camera roll. Whoever finds the item first and shows the rest of the group gets the point.
Just for laughs
Turkey-themed scavenger hunts, corn hole, potato sack races, and tossing a football around in the backyard — ”Turkey Bowl” style — are fantastic ways to keep your afternoon fun and festive. But if you’re looking for laughs, try some games your guests likely haven’t played before, such as “Pumpkin Bowling.” Set up your “pins” using empty plastic bottles from your recycling that are either partially or fully filled with water. Then, grab a couple of small to medium-sized pumpkins to use as your “bowling ball.” Players roll the pumpkin and try to knock down the pins. The player with the most strikes wins. (Save any pumpkins with especially long stems — they’re ideal for a DIY game of ring toss. Using the rings of your choice, try to land as many rings as possible on the pumpkin stem before time runs out. Best tosser wins.)
Another farm-to-game favorite is “Traffic Yam.” In this game, players have to roll a raw yam (or sweet potato) from one side of the room to the other, crossing a finish line, using just a metal spoon. For round 2, instead of rolling that uncooked tuber, have players balance it on their spoon and race for the line. Drop your yam? Go back to the beginning and start over! Loser has to peel all those taters.
In “The Mayflower,” players compete to see whose “boat” can reach the finish line first. Fill a large, long plastic storage bin with water. Then, give each player their “boat” — a small cork with a plastic flower stuck in the top. On “go,” each player blows into a straw, trying to push their boat forward. The first “boat” to reach the opposite side wins.Finally, taking some inspiration from the star of the day — the turkey — round up your guests for a “Turkey Battle.” Give each player a small fake feather. Then, on “go,” have them blow it into the air. The goal is to keep your feather airborne longer than anyone else…and to not destroy the house or break any bones as you scramble to keep it hovering over the competition. It sounds far easier than it is.
AUTHOR
Brian Good is a writer, editor, and project manager with more than 20 years experience in publishing. He's written for some of the country’s biggest magazine brands including Men’s Journal, Men’s Fitness, Shape, Men's Health, Muscle & Fitness, US Weekly, AARP: The Magazine, and websites including Mashed, Health Digest, DiversityInc and others. Good specializes on topics including lifestyle, travel, pop culture, health, food and nutrition, spirits, products, politics, and activism.