Want to keep the entire family entertained this Thanksgiving? Being the Thanksgiving host can be a bit of a pain and stressful, to say the least, but it doesn’t have to be! As long as you are prepared with the right materials and activities, everyone will be having fun in no time at all. If you’re not sure what kind of games will be a hit with your family, we’ve got you with this ultimate list of the 50 super fun Thanksgiving games for the entire family, both kids and adults.
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THANKSGIVING BOARD GAMES
Let’s start off with some board games, as these family board games are easy to set up on your end. Simply provide the board game, and you’re good to go! Many of these board games are easy to play with larger families as well.
1. SETTLERS OF CATAN
- EXPLORE CATAN: Set sail to the uncharted island of Catan and compete with other...
- RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: Strategically gather and trade resources like ore, brick,...
- BUILD AND UPGRADE: Use your resources to build roads, settlements, and cities to...
Catan is a classic board game that everyone will enjoy playing. While this game is technically for up to 4 players, you can buy an expansion to allow for more players or play in pairs. This board game famously heightens tempers and excitement, so for those competitive families out there, this is a great hit for both kids and adults. In Catan, players work to expand their territory and earn resources in order to be the first to win 10 Victory Points. As players sabotage one another, this game is a lot more difficult than it looks at first glance!
2. PICTIONARY
- Celebrate 40 years of the original classic family drawing game Pictionary!
- Sketch and guess your way to the finish line with this board game for family...
- Features 3 levels of clues, including Learn to Draw clues for younger players...
Another classic family board game is none other than Pictionary. The great thing about Pictionary is that you can play this game with up to 16 players! The goal of the game? Teams work together to guess what their artist is drawing in order to move their game marker across the board in order to win the game! If you fail to guess the drawing in time, tough luck; it’s the next team’s turn.
3. CODENAMES
- Work together to contact all of your agents before the other team
- A perfect party game experience for game nights
- 2-8+ player (in two teams)
Although technically, the board game says you can only play up to 8 players, you can easily add more players to each team if needed. Codenames is a super fun board game that involves decoding your spymaster’s codes to figure out which keywords you need to guess before the other team. But the twist is that the spymaster can only give a one-word code, which can be a lot more difficult than you think!
4. APPLES TO APPLES
- Filled with surprises and outrageous answers!
- From your seven cards, pick the closest “Apples to Apples” comparison.
- If the judge likes your comparison the best, you keep the Description card.
Apples to Apples is a game with a very simple concept that you could easily play for hours on end with your family this Thanksgiving. In this game, players take turns acting as the judge. The judge picks a green apple card and reads it out loud. All other players must pick a red apple card from their hand that they believe best suits the adjective written on the green card. The judge can then shuffle the red apple cards and pick their favorite. The player who played the chosen card is the winner of the round.
5. SCATTERGORIES
- A FAMILY FAVORITE: Bring back the joy of families and friends getting together...
- FAITHFUL REPLICA: This is a reproduction of the cherished 1989 edition including...
- THE PLAY: Choose a category card, slide it in your folio, roll the die to see...
Is your family a big fan of word games? Then, Scattergories is a great choice! In this fast-paced game, players are given a list of categories and a letter. Then, each player must write down a word for each category, making sure each word begins with the letter chosen. But try to be unique, because once scoring time comes around, if another player has the same word as you, neither of you gets a point!
6. CLUE
- Ditch the TV, and re-ignite family night with the get-together amusement of a...
- Party it up, and surprise guests at your next event with laugh-out-loud game...
- Nostalgic tabletop gameplay meets interactive digital content for an immersive...
Another classic board game worth mentioning here is Clue. You can play Clue with up to 6 players, so it should be suitable for most family Thanksgiving gatherings. This is the perfect game for mystery lovers. The objective of the game is to find the murder weapon, murderer, and murder location! To guess, you’ll need to move your character around the board and make educated guesses as you slowly narrow down the truth of who murdered the victim with what and where!
7. THE CREW
- A follow-up to the Kennerspiel des Jahres winner, The Crew, with an underwater...
- The Crew: Mission Deep Sea has the same innovative cooperative twist on the...
- Work together to win the right tricks at the right time.
One of our new favorite board games is The Crew. You can play The Crew with as few as 2 people and as many as 5, so this is perfect for a smaller family. This trick-taking game is cooperative, so you and your family will work together to complete missions in the logbook. But the twist is that you can’t really communicate with the others, so you’ll need to be very strategic about how to complete the missions!
8. TABOO
- Classic game of unspeakable fun: want a great party game that makes people...
- Food and drink cards: This exclusive edition of the taboo board game includes...
- Taboo game with electronic buzzer: if a player says a Forbidden word on the...
A Thanksgiving family board game you can play with both kids and adults is Taboo. As you might be able to guess from the name of the game, this game involves some wordplay. Divide the group into two teams. A clue-giver from each team will take turns trying to get their teammates to guess the word on a card without using any of the banned words. You’ll really need to get creative with your clues for this one!
9. TICKET TO RIDE
- FAST-PACED STRATEGY: Race to build your train routes across iconic American...
- COMPETITIVE FUN: Challenge friends and family in a 2-5 player game, where every...
- COLLECT TRAIN CARDS: Strategically gather train cards to claim routes and earn...
A board game that involves quite a bit of strategy, Ticket to Ride is a great board game choice for Thanksgiving if you’re looking for something a little more challenging. In this game, players compete to create train routes throughout the continent. But as every other player will try to sabotage your routes, this game can get pretty competitive!
10. THROW THROW BURRITO
- THE ULTIMATE COMBINATION: What do you get when you combine a card matching game,...
- A RECIPE FOR GLEE: A game where your quick-thinking skills are tested and you...
- BURRITO WAAARRR!: Get those antiques out of the way and prepare yourself for the...
Throw Throw Burrito is the perfect Thanksgiving board game for families with younger kids. This game involves a bit of movement, which is akin to dodgeball, so keep that in mind! In this game, players take turns drawing cards with the goal of getting three of a kind. But some of these cards are action cards that may end up in throwing the burritos placed in the middle of the table, so try not to get hit!
CARD GAMES TO PLAY ON THANKSGIVING
What about some card games? There are a lot of card games out there that can be just as fun as board games at a Thanksgiving gathering. Here are some of our favorites.
11. EXPLODING KITTENS
- THE LEGENDARY ORIGINAL MADE FOR TWO TO FIVE PLAYERS: The card game that gave...
- HOURS OF HILARITY: There’ll be lots of chuckling. Rib-cracking outbursts. More...
- EXPAND THE SMILES: The Original edition is a recipe for hours of fun. But those...
Starting off with a family reunion game classic, Exploding Kittens. If you don’t have this game already in your board game closet, you are missing out! In this game, players must draw a card and play a card, trying their best not to explode, thanks to one of the exploding kittens cards hidden in the draw pile. You can use power cards like defuse, skip, and see the future, to protect yourself throughout the game.
12. UNO
- UNO is the classic family card game that's easy to learn and so much fun to...
- In a race to deplete your hand, match one of your cards with the current card...
- Strategize to defeat your competition with special action cards like Skips,...
Of course, a classic card game we’ve got to mention in this list is Uno. If you’ve never played Uno before, have you been living under a rock? If you need a refresher course on how to play, don’t worry; it’s super simple. Just take turns laying down a card on the discard pile, making sure to either match the color or number of the previous card. The goal? Get rid of all of your cards before the other players!
Want to win at Uno? Check out our Uno strategy guide.
13. RUMMY
There are a few different rummy card games you can play, all of which can be super fun to play with family on Thanksgiving. In the classic rummy card game, players take turns making melds or sets and runs, with the goal of getting rid of all of the cards in your hand. You can add to the melds that are already on the table as well!
Other fun rummy games include:
14. DUTCH BLITZ
- Contents include 160 cards and rules
- Fast moving game for up to 4 people
- Quick to learn and hard to master
One of the funniest card games out there that you can play with family is Dutch Blitz. While you can only play this game with up to 4 players, if you have more players, you can simply play tournament-style. Or you can buy an expansion pack for an even crazier game. In this super competitive card game, players must race to get rid of the 10-card Blitz pile. But getting rid of these 10 cards is a lot harder than you think, as you’ll need to pay attention to the entire table in order to get rid of them.
15. PHASE 10
- Phase 10 is the Rummy-type card game with a twist!
- Be the first player to complete 10 varied phases with two sets of three, one run...
- Each phase is specific for each hand, meaning each player must complete one...
Phase 10 is a great card game to play at a Thanksgiving gathering. As you might be able to guess from the name of the game, players must complete 10 different phases, melding specific sets and runs in order to complete each phase. Once a player completes a phase, they may then start hitting cards by adding cards to the completed phases on the table. The first player to successfully complete all ten phases and empty their hand wins!
16. OLD MAID
A very simple card game for kids and adults to play is Old Maid. To play this game, simply remove the Jokers and three of the Queens from a standard deck of cards. Then, deal out the cards to the players. The objective? Sort the cards into pairs and place them on the table. Once that’s done, players take turns picking a card from the player on their right in order to find more pairs. The player holding the lone Queen at the end of the game is the loser.
17. COUP
- FUN FOR ADULTS, TEENS AND FAMILIES: An extremely fast-paced card game that is...
- BLUFF? CHALLENGE? COUP?: Every turn you take an action, and you can take an...
- EASY TO LEARN: Like all great family card games, it takes only minutes to learn...
We have several favorite hidden role games, one of which is Coup. In this game, players have two secret political influences. But be careful not to lose your influences, which can happen if you get too cocky. Deception is a huge part of this game, so play your opponents well so that your political influences don’t get assassinated or killed during the game.
18. CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY: FAMILY EDITION
- Our first expansion to Cards Against Humanity: Family Edition, with 300...
- The box literally glows in the dark, making it easy to find in a cave.
- Also includes bonus glow-in-the-dark stickers!
Did you know there’s a family-friendly version of Cards Against Humanity? We didn’t either! Just like the standard game, players take turns acting as the czar. The czar reads a black card out loud. Then, all other players must pick a card from their hand of white cards that they think best suits the black card. The czar picks their favorite card, with the player who played that card winning a point!
19. HAPPY SALMON
- How to Play: Dive into the fun with Happy Salmon! Each player has a stack of...
- What's Included: Contains 98 action cards featuring original artwork by The...
- Who's it For?: Perfect for 3-8 players of all ages looking for a fast-paced,...
Happy Salmon is a super fast-paced game you can play in under 90 seconds. Yep – you read that right. This card game involves a lot of moving around, so it’s a great game to burn those calories before or after the Thanksgiving feast. In this game, players must match cards with the other players and perform silly actions together. These actions include “High 5” and “Happy Salmon,” in which players slap each other’s forearms. The goal of the game? Match a card with another player, perform the action together, and then get rid of the card. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins!
20. SPOONS
One of our favorite Thanksgiving card games is Spoons. Set up one less spoon than there are players in the middle of the table. Then, deal four cards to each player. Now, the game moves fairly fast. The dealer starts by picking up a card from the deck and then discarding a card to their left. The player on their left then picks up the discarded card and does the same. Keep moving super quickly so that everyone is picking up a card and discarding at the same time.
If a player gets four cards of the same value, they must grab a spoon from the middle. And everyone else must race to get one, too! The player who is left without a spoon gets the letter “S” for spoon, slowly spelling “spoon” as they lose more and more rounds. Once a player spells “spoon,” they are out of the game. Remove a spoon from play when this happens.
THANKSGIVING-THEMED GAMES
Since you’re playing games on Thanksgiving, it’s only fitting that you play some games that are properly Thanksgiving-themed. While your standard board games and card games will go over well in any setting, these games are Thanksgiving-specific, so they’ll get your entire family in the mood for some Thanksgiving fun.
21. THANKSGIVING BINGO
- Package includes- 32 thanksgiving bingo player cards , 18 maple leave player...
- Measurement - bingo card: 5” x 7”, player chip: 5” x 3.5”, caller chip:...
- Materials - made of 250g sturdy card stock paper. Easily cut along dotted lines...
Bingo is an absolute classic game you can play in any setting. You can make your own unique Thanksgiving-themed Bingo cards with stuff like: turkey, family, pumpkin, and pie. Or, you can buy some Bingo cards that are already made for you. Once that’s set up, simply give each player a 5×5 bingo card that they must cross out as you call out each item one by one. The first player to cross out a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line on their Bingo card wins!
22. PIN THE TAIL ON THE TURKEY
- THANKSGIVING GAMES FOR KIDS: The pin the tail on the turkey game set comes with...
- DURABLE MATERIAL : The pin the feather on the turkey poster game is made of...
- EASY TO USE PIN THE TAIL GAMES: First, marking a line on the ground as the...
You might have heard of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, but why not play a Thanksgiving version of the game with Pin the Tail on the Turkey! Players simply take turns being blindfolded and spun around a couple of times. Then, they must try their best to place the tail on the turkey in the right spot!
23. THANKSGIVING RING TOSS
- Inflatable Turkey HatRing Toss Game - The package contains 3 inflatable turkey...
- Suitable for Kids & Adults - The inner diameter of each inflatable turkey hat is...
- Inflatable Toy - MorTime Turkey Hat Ring Toss Game is made of premium PVC...
A ring toss is a super fun game to play in an outdoor setting. If you already have the ring toss materials, you can decorate your rings and pegs with Thanksgiving colors, but if you’d really like to go all out, get an inflatable turkey that you can toss the rings on!
24. THANKSGIVING BEAN BAG TOSS
- 🍁HOW TO TIE: First divide the rope into four sections, pass through the four...
- 🍁WASHABLE & REUSABLE MATERIAL: Made of durable polyester, washable and...
- 🍁NEVER GO OUT OF DESIGN: Funny Turkey, Maple, Pumpkin, Thanksgiving pattern,...
Everyone loves a bean bag toss! But make this classic game turkey-themed by setting up a bean bag toss sheet decorated with turkeys, pumpkins, and other classic fall drawings. Why not also use orange bean bags to really get everyone in the Thanksgiving mood? In this game, players simply take turns tossing bean bags into the appropriate target, earning points for each bean bag.
25. THANKSGIVING TRIVIA
- Premium Quality & USA Made: Our Thanksgiving Trivia Challenge game features 5x7...
- Complete Party Pack: Designed for 25 guests, this game pack includes an answer...
- Versatile & Fun: Perfect for Thanksgiving party games, Thanksgiving ideas, and...
Want to test your Thanksgiving knowledge? Play some trivia! Either make your own questions and answers with some research or get something pre-made for something easier. Give each player a sheet of paper to answer the questions. The player with the most correct answers wins!
26. THANKSGIVING CHARADES
- GREAT GAME FOR GROWN-UP FUN, FAMILY FUN, & FUN WITH FRIENDS. Play before or...
- CLASSIC THANKSGIVING CHARADES | A Thanksgiving party isn't complete without our...
- EXCITING GAME PLAY | Just open it, put them in a bowl, and let the fun begin!...
Who doesn’t love a round or two of charades at any family or friend gathering? But, of course, this Thanksgiving, you should make charades turkey-themed to really play into the Thanksgiving party. With words and phrases like “four-day weekend,” “NFL football,” and “leftovers,” this charades game will be one you’ll want to bring out every Thanksgiving.
27. THANKSGIVING MAD LIBS
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Price, Roger (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Mad libs is a super funny game you can play in any setting, including at Thanksgiving. But to really get into the spirit of things, you should either prepare Thanksgiving-themed stories to complete or get this Thanksgiving mad libs book filled with 21 stories to complete with random nouns, verbs, numbers, and more!
28. TURKEY FEATHER HUNT
You’ve probably heard of an Easter egg hunt, but have you heard of a turkey feather hunt? Just like an Easter egg hunt, prepare for this game beforehand by hiding a bunch of turkey feathers. Or, if you’d prefer to hide something that is not likely to blow away, use small plastic turkeys! Then, let everyone loose in the designated playing area. The player who manages to find the most turkey feathers or plastic turkeys wins!
29. HOT TURKEY
Hot potato is one of our favorite back to school games. But you can easily play this in a Thanksgiving setting, either at school or at a Thanksgiving party with children. Make sure to substitute the potato with a plastic turkey of some sort and play some music! Then, have everyone sit around in a circle and pass the turkey to the next player as fast as they can. Whoever is caught holding the turkey when the music stops is out of the game. Keep playing until there’s a winner.
30. GRATITUDE JAR GUESSING GAME
Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks. If you want to play a game with a spin on simply saying things that you are thankful for, this is a great game to play before dinnertime. Have everyone write down something they are thankful for and anonymously put it in a jar. Then, read these slips out loud one by one and try to guess who wrote what is written!
THANKSGIVING MINUTE TO WIN IT GAMES
We love to play minute to win it games any day of the week. And the great thing is that you can play these games even on Thanksgiving. Here are some perfect Thanksgiving-themed minute to win it games you should play with your friends and family.
31. TURKEY FEATHER BLOW
Give each contestant a feather. Contestants must keep the feather in the air for an entire minute. But the twist? You can only use your breath to keep it in the air. Try not to get too lightheaded!
32. STUFF THE TURKEY
Before the game begins, decorate a bucket like a turkey. You can either do this before the party or have the kids decorate the bucket as a Thanksgiving activity. Then, to play the actual game, contestants must compete to throw as many marshmallows as they can into the bucket from a designated distance away.
33. CRANBERRY STACK
Give each contestant a small bowl full of cranberries. When the minute starts, contestants must race to stack cranberries as high as possible. The highest cranberry tower by the time the minute is over wins.
34. BUILD-A-TURKEY
Cut out parts of a turkey on a piece of paper and give the pieces to each blindfolded contestant. Contestants must try to build a turkey with those pieces as best as they can manage while blindfolded!
35. TURKEY BALLOON WADDLE
Each contestant must put a balloon between their legs. Then, on the mark, they must race to the finish line by waddling!
36. PUMPKIN BOWLING
No Thanksgiving is complete without some pumpkins. Set up 10 plastic pins on one end of a designated playing area. Contestants must then roll a small pumpkin towards these pins, trying to knock as many pins down as possible.
37. CANDY CORN PICKUP
Give each contestant two bowls: one filled with candy corn and the other empty. Contestants must compete to move as many candy corns from one bowl to the other using just a pair of chopsticks.
38. GRAVY BOAT RACE
Set up a bowl of water on one end of a designated playing area and an empty bowl on the other. Contestants must move the water from one bowl to the other using just a cup of water to transfer the water bit by bit. Try not to spill too much water on the way!
39. FEATHER RELAY
This is a team minute to win it game. In this game, contestants must pass a feather down the line of teammates using only their hands (no fingers and no grabbing allowed!). If you drop the feather, you’re out!
40. TRAFFIC YAM
Designate a start and finish line. Then, give each contestant a yam or sweet potato to place on the start line. Contestants must race to get their yam to the other side of the finish line by using just a spoon to roll it. You cannot guide the yam; you MUST roll it. Hilarity will ensue as the yams go in all sorts of directions!
OUTDOOR THANKSGIVING GAMES
If the weather is nice enough to have a Thanksgiving party outdoors, we’ve got you with the best outdoor Thanksgiving games that’ll take advantage of the last of the good weather before winter truly sets in.
41. POTATO SACK RACE
A potato sack race is a classic outdoor game for both kids and adults. In this game, all players must start before the starting line and race to the finish line. But they must hop within their potato sack the entire time. This is a lot more difficult than it looks!
42. PIE EATING CONTEST
A classic game to play at any Thanksgiving gathering is a pie eating contest. Have all the contestants line up on a long table with a pie in front of them. Then, blow the whistle and everyone races to finish their pie first! If you want to add another challenge, tell contestants they cannot use their hands.
43. TURKEY FOOTBALL
A classic sport to play with your friends and family on Thanksgiving is football. Divide everybody into teams and get tackling! Here’s a refresher on American football rules if you need them. And if you would prefer to play a version of football that is less likely to end in tackles on the grass, try flag football instead. But, of course, to make it Thanksgiving-themed, attach turkey feathers instead of flags.
44. MINI PUMPKIN HUNT
Hide a bunch of mini pumpkins in a designated playing area outdoors. Then, have everybody go around looking for the pumpkins. Whoever can collect the most pumpkins wins!
45. TURKEY TAG
One player is “it” in tag. “It” must chase all of the other players with the goal of tagging someone else. One tagged, that player is the new “it.” This is a great game to expel some energy outdoors before moving indoors for a Thanksgiving feast.
46. PUMPKIN TOSS
Set up three large pumpkins and mark a throwing line several feet away from the pumpkins. From the throwing line, players must toss hula-hoops toward the pumpkins with the aim of getting the hoop around one of the large pumpkins! One point for each one you manage to ring.
47. THANKSGIVING SCAVENGER HUNT
Do a scavenger hunt with Thanksgiving-themed items, such as mini pumpkins, plastic turkeys, Pilgrim hats, and turkey feathers. Strategically hide these items around a designated playing area along with some clues to help players along. Then, give each player a list of items they have to find and let them loose!
48. TUG OF WAR
Want to test how strong everyone is? Play tug of war! Evenly divide the group into two teams, but try your best to even out the strength. Then, the two teams start pulling on a long rope. The team that manages to pull over the other team to their side of the playing area wins!
49. TURKEY TROT
It’s a good idea to burn some calories before sitting down for a massive Thanksgiving feast. While running may not seem like the most entertaining thing in the world, turn it into a competition by offering a prize to the winner of the race, such as first pick of the turkey, a corner slice, or the best seat at the Thanksgiving table.
50. TURKEY FRISBEE
In this Thanksgiving game, simply throw frisbees toward a designated target. Make the target turkey-themed, such as a Pilgrim hat or a turkey. Give one point for each hit!
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