Thanksgiving Games
Are you planning a Thanksgiving party or family gathering? If so, it may help pass the hours while waiting for the turkey to bake if there are plenty of fun activities and games. Here are a few suggestions, some from the present and others from the past.
High Energy Games
Corn Gobbling Contest: Prepare a pot full of corncobs and have a corn-gobbling contest. The players must eat the corn without using their hands. Or, you can pair up the contestants, blindfold one, tie the other’s hands, and have the blindfolded player try to feed his partner. Sounds like fun, and maybe messy!
Snap Apple: A not-so-messy and not-so-cold option to Bobbing for Apples. Tie strings around apples and suspend them from the ceiling or a tree branch. Adjust the length so apples are at mouth height or lower. Each player must attempt to eat the entire apple without touching it with their hands. Another prize can be given to the person who gets the first bite out of their apple. For younger children slightly cooked apples can be used, or an alternative such as popcorn balls.
Pillowcase Races: This is always an energizing activity. Prepare sacks or pillowcases ahead of time and let the kids race as they jump, hop and wobble over to the finish line. Add an autumnal touch by creating an obstacle course using pumpkins, corn stalks and bales of hay.
Pumpkin in a Pair: Divide the group into pairs and give each pair a small mini pumpkin. The pair then needs to put the mini pumpkin in between their foreheads. A leader gives commands like “Squat!” “Jump” “Four steps to the right!” “Four steps to the left!” etc. The pairs need to fulfill these commands without the pumpkin dropping. Whoever achieves this longest, are the winners.
Pass the Corn: Divide guests into two teams and form two lines. You will need two cobs of dried Indian corn. At the signal “go”, the corncob is to be passed from person to person. The catch is that they can use any part of their bodies, except their hands. If the corn touches the ground at any time, it must go back to the beginning of the line again. Whichever team manages to get the corn to the end of the line first wins the game.
Games for the Chicklets
Corn Hunt or Turkey Hunt: Hide candy corn or small sticker pictures of turkeys in various places throughout your home. When found, they put them in their bag. The one with the most, wins!
Pin the Feather on the Turkey: Thanksgiving version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Blindfold each player, use a cut-out or real feather, and take turns pinning onto a large drawing of a turkey.
Corn Pitching: Use candy corn and have the kids pitch them into containers of different point value. Play several rounds and keep score.
Color the Turkey: Host a coloring competition and have the kids color turkey drawings for a prize.
Pumpkin Beanbag Toss: Fairly self explanatory! *pic to right
Indoor Games
Thanksgiving Scattergories: Divide into two teams. Give a category such as “Fall Words”, “Thanksgiving food”, “Names of Trees”, “Fruits and Vegetables” etc. Each team member can generate words and the recorder writes them on a team list. Score a point for each answer that is not listed on the other team’s sheet.
Charades: Classic fun whether themed for the season or not.
Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt: Weather permitting, this is a better outdoor game, but can be played indoors. Divide into groups and give each a list of fall items to find. If indoors, hide enough items in different rooms. Stickers of different objects are one option to use in this game.
Tom Turkey Says: Simon Says only adding in demands such as “Gobble like a turkey”.
Table Games
Turkey Talk: Create your own conversation starter topics and type them onto decorative tags. Place them in a decorative Thanksgiving basket or bowl so family members and friends can draw one at random.
Thanksgiving Trivia: A variation of the above with trivia questions on the cards rather than personal queries. Can play for points, or just for fun.
Thanksgiving Bingo: Cards can be found on various websites, including THIS ONE. Provide each guest (or team) with a card and a handful of beans, candy corn, small nuts, etc. to place on a square. Winner person (or team) gets a prize!
