Fun Thanksgiving Party Games ( To Bring More Laughter to Your Celebration )

Inside: Seven fun Thanksgiving party games that both kids and adults will enjoy.

We gathered at the park. It was a fine chilly day and everybody was excited.

There were prepared games for the whole family and games just for the kids.

One of the games is called “Pinata,” and kids are supposed to break open this sturdy big thing made a few days back, by taking turns hitting it with a bat. When it opens, there are lots of candies and chocolates, even coins that kids can pick up as much as they can.

We also had a family scavenger hunt, which took us running all over to search for the “notes,” and to do the tasks. it was a good exercise and a lot of fun. Our minds and feet need to be fast to finish the race first.

This was before the pandemic. Good thing, we are already allowed again to gather in big parties.

For this year…

Have you started preparing for your Thanksgiving party? What food are you cooking?

Find some Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas here.

Our extended family, with some friends, usually gather together in someone’s house or at a park, with potluck food and some exciting activities.

I have gathered 7 fun games that you can do during the party, be it outside in the park, in the host’s backyard, or inside the house.

These games will surely add lots of laughter and screams, especially for the kids.

Here we go…..

1. Stuff the Turkey game

This is a fun game that is so easy to set up and prepare for.

Prepare the supplies at least a week or a few days before the party.

• 1 large paper bag – you can recycle a shopping bag from an online food order or buy here.
• 2 small brown paper bags- again recycle or buy
• paper scraps or newspaper scraps
• 2 pieces of white tissue paper
• stapler
• glue gun and glue sticks
• white paper for onions, brown paper for bread , green paper for celery

Follow the instructions here on how to make the paper turkey and how to play the game.

2. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt

We usually do this and every member of the group or family reads a note with a clue as to which location the next clue is, and you just keep on going and going until you reach the end of the hunt. Whoever finishes first or gets the “special treat’ first is the winner.

Here’s what you need to prepare days ahead:

• Printable scavenger hunt clues ( Download here )
• White card stock
• Scissors
• Tape – something colorful like these, to add to the festive spirit
• Prizes- you can prepare small prizes as you go along the game, or one big present at the end. Here are some choices.

Follow the instructions here on how to prepare the clues, and how to do the scavenger hunt game.

3. Thanksgiving Pinata

This game is very popular for kids, from the very young to teens. They enjoy hitting the pinata and anticipate whether they will break it and get excited about what’s inside.

Do you know how to make the pinata? My cousin knows how to do this and would ask the help of her younger nieces to prepare it, days before the event.

You can definitely make your own, or just buy one of these Thanksgiving pinata but quite pricey, though.

If you are artistic and would like to make your own, watch this video.

At the venue, the pinata is hung from 2 branches of a tree which are strong enough to hold the pinata even if it’s moved up and down to suit the height of the child who will be playing.

Make the kids line up, from the shortest to the tallest, or better yet, from the youngest to the oldest, to build the excitement.

Make sure they are standing as far from the pinata, otherwise, they might get hit by the bat.

Put a blindfold to the kid in front, bring him in front of the pinata and turn him three times clockwise, then let him hit three times. Continue to let the kids take turns, until the pinata is smashed or breaks open.

This game is always a hit for any party.

Related post: 8 Fun and Easy Activities for Thanksgiving  

4. Thanksgiving Family Feud

Who has not watched this very popular game show on TV?

Two families compete against each other to give out the most popular answers to some unusual questions.

It’s always exciting to wait ( if you’re just watching at home ) if their answer is the same as yours.

This game is easy to do in our homes or even outside. It just needs some preparation, especially coming up with questions and answers.

You need a buzzer or a bell to signal who can answer first.

You can let two families compete with at least 3-4 members or any 2 groups of friends, cousins, dads vs moms, etc .

Read the complete instructions here.

5. Face the Pie

This is quite a messy game, but fun! Players can only use their mouth to look for the letters within the pie tin full of whipped cream.

Materials:

• • Gummy ABC letters

• • Pie tins

• • Spray whipped cream ( or real whipped cream )

Read the complete instructions here.

6. Thanksgiving Sack Race

This group game is better done at a park or in a backyard.

Materials:

Sacks– can be bought or recycled if you love to eat rice

It could be an individual game, with kids or adults inside the sack all lined up horizontally and jump, starting at the same time to a finish line. Whoever goes to the finish line first, is the winner.

For a group game, the members line up ( one straight line for one group, another line for another group ) and the members take turns donning the sack, then jumping to the finish line but going back to the line and giving the sack to the next in line, until everybody is done. The group that finishes first is the winner.

This game is easy for kids but challenging for grown-ups because of the risk of falls.

But, this is so much fun, especially for onlookers, lol!

7. Sweet Potato Roll

This is another game of focus and strategy.

Gather these materials:

• • Sweet potatoes – one for each player, or plain big potatoes

• • Big wooden spoons– one for each player

• • Masking tape

This is an individual game.

Instructions:

Make a straight line on the floor using the masking tape, of about 12 feet long.

You can make it easier by putting another line, which is one foot apart, to make a lane for each person.

To play, let the sweet potato roll slowly along the line or lane, using the wooden spoon, and if it rolls off the line or the lane, the player has to roll it back to where it left the line and keep going.

Whoever reaches the end of the line or lane first, is the winner.

This game should be played on a slow but sure tactic.

 

Food plus Games is always Fun!

There you go, if time allows it, you can play all of them, or have a separate group of people to coordinate the games for grown-ups and a separate group to manage the kids’ games.

Have one game, like the Scavenger hunt as a family game.

The host of the party usually prepares the prizes or assigns a family to prepare or donate the gifts.

Search and buy prizes here.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

As always, Thanksgiving Day is a time to celebrate and be thankful for all the blessings of the past year and the years to come.

It is a joyful reunion of families, sometimes who have not seen each other for a while.

Cousins or siblings from out of province may go home to their families to rekindle memories.

May we all have a memorable Thanksgiving celebration!

Credits: Vectors/Images : Vecteezy.com

 

What is your most memorable Thanksgiving day fun game?