Thanksgiving is a great time for families to slow down and enjoy being together. Once the meal is prepared, children often need something fun to keep them entertained. Simple games can turn the holiday gathering into a memorable family experience.

The best Thanksgiving games for kids are easy to explain and don’t require expensive supplies. A few paper cards, soft balls, plastic cups, or familiar household items can be enough to create hours of fun.

Some games work well for preschoolers, while others are better suited to older children. You can also adapt many of these ideas so adults and children can play together.

For more seasonal ideas, explore these Thanksgiving activities for kids.

Why Play Thanksgiving Games With Kids?

Games give children a chance to move, laugh, cooperate, and spend time with family members.

Thanksgiving games can encourage:

• Listening
• Communication
• Coordination
• Creativity
• Problem-solving
• Turn-taking
• Teamwork
• Observation
• Physical movement
• Family connection

The goal isn’t to make every game competitive. Cooperative games can be just as enjoyable.

1. Thanksgiving Charades

Write Thanksgiving-related actions on cards.

Ideas include:

• Cooking
• Eating pie
• Setting the table
• Raking leaves
• Picking pumpkins
• Decorating
• Watching a parade
• Giving thanks

One child chooses a card and acts it out without speaking.

Everyone else tries to guess the answer.

Younger children can use picture cards instead of written words.

2. Turkey Waddle Race

Give each child a safe space to move.

Ask them to waddle like a turkey from one point to another.

For younger children, make the distance short.

Older kids can make it more challenging by carrying a soft object while waddling.

Keep the focus on fun rather than speed.

3. Thanksgiving Bingo

Create bingo cards using Thanksgiving-themed pictures or words.

Possible squares include:

• Turkey
• Pumpkin
• Pie
• Leaf
• Corn
• Apple
• Family
• Parade
• Acorn

Call out the items one at a time.

Children mark the matching square.

Picture bingo is especially useful for preschoolers.

4. Turkey Says

Put a Thanksgiving twist on Simon Says.

The leader becomes Turkey.

Say:

“Turkey says flap your wings.”

Children should only follow instructions that begin with “Turkey says.”

Try actions such as:

• Flap your wings
• Waddle
• Touch your toes
• Spin around
• Pretend to eat
• Gobble like a turkey

This game works particularly well with younger children.

5. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt

Create a list of Thanksgiving-related objects for children to find.

They might search for:

• Something orange
• A leaf
• A spoon
• A pumpkin decoration
• Something round
• A napkin
• A family photo

Use pictures for younger children.

Set clear boundaries so children know where they can safely search.

6. Pin the Feather on the Turkey

Draw or print a large turkey.

Cut out several paper feathers.

Blindfolded older children can try to place a feather on the turkey.

For younger children, skip the blindfold and simply let them place the feathers wherever they like.

Use tape that won’t damage walls.

7. Turkey Balloon Keep-Up

Blow up a few balloons and pretend they are turkeys.

Children work together to keep the balloons from touching the floor.

Set a timer and see how long they can keep them in the air.

Use large balloons and supervise young children closely.

8. Thanksgiving Pictionary

Choose Thanksgiving-related words.

Examples include:

• Turkey
• Pumpkin
• Pie
• Corn
• Parade
• Family
• Leaves
• Dinner

One player draws while everyone else guesses.

Younger children can use picture cards.

9. Pumpkin Roll

Use small pumpkins or pumpkin-shaped balls for a rolling game.

Set up plastic cups as targets.

Children roll the pumpkin toward the cups and try to knock them down.

Use lightweight materials with young children.

10. Thanksgiving Hot Potato

Use a soft ball or plush turkey.

Children sit in a circle and pass it around while music plays.

When the music stops, the child holding the object performs a silly Thanksgiving action.

Try:

“Gobble like a turkey.”

“Pretend to eat pie.”

“Waddle around the room.”

Then restart the music.

11. Turkey Feather Hunt

Hide paper feathers around a safe room.

Give children a basket and ask them to find the feathers.

Once they collect them, they can use the feathers to complete a paper turkey.

For an older group, add clues.

12. Thanksgiving Would You Rather?

Ask children fun Thanksgiving questions.

Try:

“Would you rather eat pumpkin pie or apple pie?”

“Would you rather decorate the table or help cook?”

Let children explain their choices.

The explanations can become just as entertaining as the game.

13. Turkey Toss

Create a turkey target using a cardboard box or paper plate.

Give children soft beanbags or rolled-up socks.

Players take turns trying to land their “turkey” in the target.

Move the target closer for younger children.

14. Thanksgiving Freeze Dance

Play festive music while children dance.

Pause the music randomly.

Everyone freezes when the music stops.

Add silly movements such as:

• Turkey waddle
• Pumpkin stomp
• Leaf dance
• Pie-making motions

The game works indoors when outdoor weather isn’t suitable.

15. Thanksgiving Guessing Jar

Fill a transparent jar with a safe number of large items.

You could use:

• Large craft leaves
• Pom-poms
• Plastic autumn decorations

Ask children to guess how many items are inside.

Write down everyone’s guesses.

Then count them together.

For younger children, keep the numbers small.

16. Thanksgiving Word Guessing Game

Give one player a Thanksgiving-related word without letting the others see it.

The player provides clues without saying the word.

For example, the word is pumpkin.

The clues might be:

“It’s orange.”

“People use it in fall.”

“You can make pie with it.”

Children try to guess the word.

17. Thanksgiving Cup Stack

Use lightweight plastic cups.

Children stack them into a pyramid.

Then they carefully knock the tower down and rebuild it.

Add a timer for older children if they enjoy challenges.

Avoid glass or breakable cups.

18. Thanksgiving Relay Race

Divide children into small teams.

Create a simple relay using safe objects.

For example, players can:

1. Carry a soft pumpkin.
2. Walk around a marker.
3. Return to the starting point.
4. Pass the object to the next player.

Younger children can play individually without teams.

19. Thanksgiving Turkey Dance

Play music and call out different turkey movements.

Try:

“Waddle!”

“Flap!”

“Spin!”

“Freeze!”

“Gobble!”

Children follow the instructions until the music stops.

This is a simple way to get energetic children moving.

20. Thanksgiving Picture Guessing

Show children a partially covered Thanksgiving picture.

Reveal a small section at a time.

Ask:

“What do you think it is?”

Possible pictures include a pumpkin, turkey, pie, leaf, or corn.

Younger children can be given two choices.

21. Family Thanksgiving Trivia

Create questions about your own family.

Try:

“Who makes the family dessert?”

“Who usually arrives first?”

“What food does Grandma like best?”

“Where did we celebrate last year?”

The game can encourage children to learn more about family traditions.

Keep questions easy enough that everyone has a chance to participate.

22. Thanksgiving Story Game

Sit in a circle.

One person starts a Thanksgiving story with one sentence.

For example:

“On Thanksgiving morning, a turkey found a mysterious box.”

The next person adds another sentence.

Continue around the group.

The story can become increasingly silly.

This game encourages imagination and listening.

23. Thanksgiving Balloon Race

Give each child a balloon.

Ask them to move it from one side of the room to another without holding it.

They can:

• Tap it
• Blow it
• Push it gently

Create a clear playing area first.

Adults should supervise balloon play with young children.

24. Thanksgiving Observation Challenge

Place several Thanksgiving-themed objects on a table.

Give children a short time to look at them.

Cover the objects.

Ask questions such as:

“What color was the napkin?”

“How many pumpkins were there?”

“Where was the turkey?”

This game is different from a traditional memory-card game because the focus is on observing and answering questions about a scene.

25. Thanksgiving Family Challenge

Create a collection of quick mini-games.

For example:

 1: Waddle like a turkey.

 2: Name three Thanksgiving foods.

 3: Toss a soft ball into a basket.

 4: Act out a Thanksgiving word.

 5: Name something you enjoy about family gatherings.

Players can choose challenges individually.

Thanksgiving Games for Preschoolers

Preschoolers usually enjoy games with simple rules and plenty of movement.

Try:

• Turkey Says
• Turkey waddle races
• Thanksgiving bingo
• Feather hunts
• Freeze dance
• Turkey toss
• Simple charades

Use pictures instead of written instructions whenever possible.

Keep each game short because young children may lose interest quickly.

Thanksgiving Games for Kindergarteners

Kindergarteners can handle games with slightly more complicated rules.

Good choices include:

• Pictionary
• Scavenger hunts
• Cup stacking
• Guessing games
• Story games
• Family trivia
• Relay races

Give children opportunities to take turns being the leader.

Thanksgiving Games for Older Kids

Older children may enjoy games involving strategy, competition, or more complicated clues.

Try:

• Thanksgiving trivia
• Advanced charades
• Word guessing
• Team relay races
• Thanksgiving Pictionary
• Observation challenges
• Family storytelling

Allow older children to create some of the questions or clues themselves.

Thanksgiving Games for the Whole Family

Games become even more enjoyable when adults participate.

Try:

• Family trivia
• Thanksgiving charades
• Would-you-rather questions
• Story games
• Pictionary
• Turkey Says
• Balloon games

Mixed-age games work best when everyone has a reasonable chance to participate.

Indoor Thanksgiving Games

Cold or rainy weather doesn’t have to stop the fun.

Indoor options include:

• Bingo
• Charades
• Pictionary
• Turkey Says
• Cup stacking
• Story games
• Guessing games
• Freeze dance

Clear furniture and fragile objects from the play area before active games.

Outdoor Thanksgiving Games

If the weather is comfortable, move some games outside.

Children can enjoy:

• Scavenger hunts
• Turkey races
• Pumpkin rolls
• Relay races
• Feather hunts
• Balloon games

Choose a safe surface and make sure children are dressed appropriately.

Thanksgiving Games That Don’t Need Supplies

Some of the easiest games require nothing at all.

Try:

Turkey Says

Would You Rather?

Thanksgiving Charades

Story Chain

Turkey Dance

Family Trivia

These are especially useful when children suddenly need something to do while adults are preparing dinner.

Make Thanksgiving Games Cooperative

Not every game needs a winner.

Try setting a group goal.

For example:

“Can everyone keep the balloon in the air for one minute?”

“Can we find all ten hidden feathers?”

Cooperative games can be a good choice when children don’t enjoy competition.

Keep Games Age Appropriate

A game that works for a ten-year-old may be frustrating for a three-year-old.

Adjust the rules when necessary.

Younger children may need shorter turns, simpler instructions, and more physical movement.

Older kids can handle longer challenges and more complicated clues.

Don’t Make Every Game About Winning

Thanksgiving is a family gathering, so the experience matters more than the final score.

Praise children for:

• Taking turns
• Listening
• Trying
• Helping others
• Following the rules
• Including younger players

This keeps the atmosphere positive.

Add Thanksgiving Learning to Games

Games can also reinforce simple learning skills.

Children can practice:

• Counting
• Colors
• Vocabulary
• Listening
• Following directions
• Observation
• Storytelling

For example, a turkey toss can involve counting points, while bingo can reinforce vocabulary.

Use Games During Waiting Times

Children often become restless while adults prepare a holiday meal.

Keep a few simple games ready for those moments.

A quick scavenger hunt or Turkey Says game can give children something enjoyable to do without requiring a large setup.

For more ways to keep children involved during the holiday, explore these Thanksgiving activities for kids.

Create a Thanksgiving Game Basket

Put supplies for several games into one basket.

Include:

• Paper feathers
• Soft balls
• Plastic cups
• Picture cards
• Crayons
• Thanksgiving word cards

Children can choose an activity when they need something to do.

This also makes preparation easier for adults.

Final Thoughts

Thanksgiving games for kids can make family gatherings more exciting while encouraging movement, creativity, communication, listening, and teamwork. The best games don’t require complicated equipment or a large amount of preparation.

Choose a mixture of active games, guessing games, group challenges, and quiet activities. Younger children may enjoy Turkey Says and feather hunts, while older kids can take part in trivia, Pictionary, and storytelling games.

Remember that Thanksgiving isn’t a competition. Let children play at their own level, adjust the rules when necessary, and focus on having fun together.

Even a five-minute game can create a memorable moment during a busy family celebration.

For another way to encourage children to enjoy meaningful family time, explore these family bonding activities.

FAQs

What are good Thanksgiving games for kids?

Turkey Says, Thanksgiving bingo, charades, scavenger hunts, turkey toss, freeze dance, Pictionary, and Thanksgiving trivia are fun choices.

What are good Thanksgiving games for preschoolers?

Preschoolers can enjoy Turkey Says, turkey waddle races, picture bingo, feather hunts, freeze dance, simple charades, and soft-ball tossing games.

What Thanksgiving games can the whole family play?

Family trivia, charades, Pictionary, Thanksgiving story games, Would You Rather questions, and cooperative balloon games can work well for mixed ages.

What Thanksgiving games can kids play indoors?

Bingo, charades, Turkey Says, Pictionary, cup stacking, story games, guessing games, and freeze dance are good indoor choices.

What Thanksgiving games can kids play outside?

Children can enjoy scavenger hunts, relay races, turkey races, pumpkin rolls, feather hunts, and outdoor tossing games when the weather and playing area are safe.

What Thanksgiving games require no supplies?

Turkey Says, Thanksgiving charades, Would You Rather, family trivia, storytelling games, and turkey dance games don’t require special equipment.

How can I make Thanksgiving games cooperative?

Give the group a shared goal instead of individual winners. Children can work together to complete a scavenger hunt, keep a balloon in the air, or create a Thanksgiving story.

How can I keep Thanksgiving games safe for young children?

Use soft and age-appropriate materials, clear the play area, supervise active games, avoid small choking hazards, and adjust the rules for younger children.