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41 Funny Thanksgiving Games to Play with the Family in 2023
A lot of these fun ideas are free.
By Carly Breit
Thanksgiving has finally arrived! While you're busy making last-minute trips to the grocery store and putting the finishing touches on the Thanksgiving pie, be sure to spend some time making sure the kids of the family are entertained with some Thanksgiving games. Sure, you could put on a favorite Thanksgiving movie like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, but we love to have a few non-screen time ideas to keep everyone having fun. These ideas are inexpensive or even free. All you need is a little crafty ingenuity.
Our games range from classics like Bingo, tick tack toe, charades, and Mad-Libs to more-outside-the box ideas like a yam race or “Would You Rather?” to ones that are sure to have you laughing like Face the Pie or Heads Up. Looking for games for adults and kids alike? What about both indoor and outdoor ones? We've got them all. And they are all low on mess and easy on cleanup because you certainly don't need to do any extra work that day. And for extra activities to keep little ones busy, you might want to plan some Thanksgiving crafts for kids too.
Now time to start playing and make some memories you can cherish for years to come! That's what Thanksgiving is all about, right?
Spin-the-Pie Game
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...”)
Ladder Toss
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.
Tree Slab Tic-Tac-Toe
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.
Apple Toss Game
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.
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.
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.
Get the tutorial at Play Party Plan.
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.
Get the tutorial at Lolly Jane.
Hand Turkey Race
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!
Get the tutorial at Good Housekeeping.
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.
Get the tutorial at Busy Toddler.
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!
Get the tutorial at Play Party Plan.
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?"
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.
Get the tutorial at Party Game Ideas.
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!
Get the tutorial at Play Party Plan.
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.
Get the tutorial at Teach Beside Me.
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!
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.
Get the tutorial at Mom of 6.
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.
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.
Get the tutorial at Kid Friendly Things to Do.
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.
Get the tutorial at Studio DIY.
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.
Get the tutorial at The Littles and Me.
Carly Breit is a freelance writer who loves to write about health, wellness, and strong women. She believes in year-round iced coffee and lip-syncing on treadmills.
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