Fun Thanksgiving Games For The Whole Family

Thanksgiving is usually associated with food, football, food, parades and more food. When it comes down to it, many of us spend the majority of this festive holiday just sitting around eating or watching TV. Make this Thanksgiving special by starting a new tradition of playing games as a group. You'll be surprised at how much more memorable your holiday can be with a few fun activities thrown into the mix.

Family-Friendly Games

Thanksgiving is a holiday that centers around family, so you’ll want games that the little ones, the older ones and everyone in between can enjoy. The following are some examples of great family-friendly Thanksgiving games to spice up your holiday gathering.

Chopsticks Pass-Along

For this game, each player will need a set of chopsticks. Pick out a few small items (a cranberry, an acorn, a piece of candy corn, etc.) and place them on a plate in front of the oldest player. That player picks up each object, from largest to smallest, with their chopsticks and passes it to player on his right, who has to receive it with the chopsticks. Keep trying until all the items make it around the table and back onto the plate.

Pilgrim Voyage

Teach the kids something about the Pilgrims’ voyage across the sea with this fun game. Choose one person to be the “New World” and one person to be the “Mayflower.” Blindfold the Mayflower and have her stand on the opposite end of the room from the New World. Everyone else lies down, sits or stands in the space in between as “rocks.” The rocks call out directions to the Mayflower until they safely reach the New World.

Flag Football

This is a classic Thanksgiving tradition that many families have. Mark the sidelines and goal lines of a small football field in yard or in a nearby park. Give family members football flags to wear around their waist. The rules of football can be basically the same, but instead of tackling players snatch the flags off their opponents’ belts. If you don’t have flags, just play two-hand touch football (where touching an opponent with both hands counts as a tackle).

Wall Football

Prepare for this fun game by cutting two-inch wide strips of poster board and taping them to the wall in the shape of a football goal post. Then, cut out 5-inch-long football shapes from brown cardstock or construction paper. Place a small amount of poster tack on the back of each football. Then, blindfold and spin players one at a time and have them try to get the football in between the goal post uprights. It’s just like Pin the Tail on the Donkey but with a fun Thanksgiving Day theme.

Pumpkin Bowling

Find a few small pumpkins with a fairly round shape. Then, gather 10 empty 1- or 2-liter bottles and arrange them in a triangle formation. Have everyone take turns rolling the pumpkins down a hallway or driveway and see how many “pins” you can knock over.

Things To Keep in Mind

There are countless great Thanksgiving Day games to choose from, but how can you decide which ones will be the best for your family? Here are a few things to think about before selecting which games you’ll play:

• Number Of Players: If you have a lot of people, try a game like flag football where everyone can be involved at once. If you use a game like Chopsticks Pass-Along with a big group, players may have to wait a long time just to get a turn.
• Ages Of Players: Not all games will work for all ages. For example, the very young and old may have trouble with Chopsticks Pass-Along or Flag Football. However, players of almost any age can have fun playing a game like Pilgrim Voyage.
• Outside Vs. Inside: Plan ahead for the weather conditions. If you want to do an outdoor game like Flag Football, make sure your players bring along the appropriate jackets, gloves, hats, etc. for the game.
• When To Play: It’s a great idea to have these games ready to go to keep everyone occupied until dinner is ready. After dinner, you may feel a little too full to go run around and play a game like Flag Football, but your guests will probably be up for something a little more low-key like Wall Football.
• Prep Time: If you’re looking for ideas for games, think about how much prep time you’ll need to get things ready, including going to the store to buy the supplies and any crafting involved.

Thanksgiving games for the whole family can be a great new tradition that keeps the holiday exciting and meaningful. Incorporate some of these fun games into your next Thanksgiving Day gathering to create new memories and to enjoy a more active holiday get-together.