20 Thanksgiving Games for Families That Need Absolutely No Supplies
Need easy Thanksgiving games for kids and families? These 20 fun Thanksgiving games require no supplies, no printables and no prep! Perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, family gatherings, classrooms, little kids, older kids and adults.
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays with kids. There’s good food, family time, traditions, and usually at least one point when every child in the house starts asking, “When are we eating?”
And somehow that question begins approximately four hours before Thanksgiving dinner is actually ready, every single eyar.
If you need an easy way to entertain everyone without making another Target run, these Thanksgiving games for families require absolutely no supplies. No printables. No complicated setup. No random craft supplies you swore you had somewhere.
Just people willing to be a little silly together!
These no-prep Thanksgiving games are great for kids, adults, grandparents, cousins, and mixed-age family gatherings. Play them around the Thanksgiving table, while everyone waits for dinner, after dessert, on a road trip, or anytime the kids need something to do.
I’ve included easy games for little kids as well as options that older kids and adults can genuinely enjoy, because there’s nothing quite like watching Grandma get way too competitive over a game intended for a six-year-old.
Here are 20 easy Thanksgiving games with no supplies needed.
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Easy Thanksgiving Games with No Supplies
- Thanksgiving 20 Questions
Pick one person to secretly choose something related to Thanksgiving. It could be a turkey, pumpkin pie, the Thanksgiving parade, mashed potatoes, a Pilgrim, or even Grandma.
Everyone else gets up to 20 yes-or-no questions to figure out what it is.
- “Is it food?”
- “Is it alive?”
- “Is it usually on the Thanksgiving table?”
The person who guesses correctly gets to choose the next mystery item. For younger children, skip the 20-question limit and just keep asking until somebody figures it out.
- Thanksgiving Would You Rather
This one is always a hit with kids because the questions can get completely ridiculous.
- Would you rather eat nothing but mashed potatoes for a week or nothing but pumpkin pie?
- Would you rather have a pet turkey or be able to talk to squirrels?
- Would you rather cook Thanksgiving dinner or wash every single dish afterward?
You can make up questions as you go, or use our 80 Would You Rather Questions for Kids: Thanksgiving Edition if you want a huge list of funny and thoughtful Thanksgiving prompts ready to go.
- I’m Going to Thanksgiving Dinner
The first person says:
“I’m going to Thanksgiving dinner, and I’m bringing apple pie.”
The next person repeats the first item and adds another:
“I’m going to Thanksgiving dinner, and I’m bringing apple pie and biscuits.”
Keep going around the circle, with each person repeating the entire growing list before adding something new. Eventually someone will forget an item, which always results in giggles!
With older kids, make it harder by requiring everyone to add foods alphabetically: apple pie, biscuits, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls…
- Thanksgiving Charades
No cards required! One person thinks of something Thanksgiving-related and acts it out without talking.
Try:
- Turkey
- Pumpkin pie
- Eating mashed potatoes
- Watching a football game
- A Thanksgiving parade
- Cooking a turkey
- Falling leaves
- Picking pumpkins
- Setting the table
- Taking a post-Thanksgiving dinner nap
Whoever guesses correctly gets to act out the next one. For little kids, whisper an idea in their ear if they can’t think of one themselves.
- The Thankful Alphabet Game
Start with the letter A and have someone name something they’re thankful for beginning with that letter.
“I’m thankful for apples.”
The next person gets B.
“I’m thankful for books.”
Continue through the alphabet.
And yes, X is going to cause problems (and that’s part of the fun).
This is also an easy way to bring a little gratitude into the day without forcing every child at the table to give a heartfelt speech about what they’re thankful for. For another simple gratitude activity, check out our Thanksgiving I Am Thankful Turkey Headband Craft.
Funny Thanksgiving Games for the Whole Family
- Don’t Say Turkey
At the beginning of your Thanksgiving gathering, announce one rule:
Nobody can say turkey!
Then see how long everyone can make it! If someone catches another person saying the forbidden word, they’re out.
You can make this harder by banning several Thanksgiving words, like turkey, Thanksgiving, pie, and football. The best part is watching adults forget they’re playing and accidentally eliminate themselves.
- Thanksgiving Categories
Choose a Thanksgiving-related category, then go around the group naming something that fits.
For example:
- Thanksgiving foods: Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce…
- Things you’re thankful for: Family, pets, home, friends…
- Things you see in fall: Leaves, pumpkins, acorns…
Nobody can repeat an answer, and anyone who can’t think of something within five seconds is out. Keep going until one person remains.
- Thanksgiving Riddle Challenge
Take turns making up riddles or telling ones you already know.
Here’s an easy one:
What kind of key can’t open a door?
A turkey!
And yes, the worse the joke, the better. If you need ammunition, our collection of 75 Best Thanksgiving Riddles for Kids & Families has plenty of easy riddles, harder brain teasers, turkey puns, and delightfully terrible dad jokes.
- Fortunately, Unfortunately: Thanksgiving Edition
This storytelling game gets ridiculous quickly. The first person starts a Thanksgiving story with something positive:
“Fortunately, our Thanksgiving turkey was finally ready.”
The next person adds something negative:
“Unfortunately, the dog ate it.”
Next:
“Fortunately, Grandma had another turkey.”
Then:
“Unfortunately, it was still frozen.”
Keep alternating between fortunately and unfortunately while building one increasingly ridiculous Thanksgiving story.
There are no winners. Just chaos.
- Two Truths and a Turkey
This is Thanksgiving’s version of Two Truths and a Lie. Each person shares three statements about themselves: two true and one made up.
Everyone has to guess which statement is the “turkey.”
For a family gathering, encourage people to share stories nobody else knows. Grandparents and older relatives can make this especially fun because kids often have no idea what their parents and grandparents were like when they were young.
Thanksgiving Games to Play Around the Dinner Table
- Thanksgiving Trivia
Have one person ask Thanksgiving trivia questions while everyone else tries to answer. You can ask about Thanksgiving foods, traditions, history, fall, turkeys, or anything else connected to the holiday.
For example:
- What month is Thanksgiving celebrated in the United States?
- What bird is most associated with Thanksgiving?
- What red sauce is traditionally served with turkey?
If your family loves trivia, I’ve already done the hard part for you. Our 50 Thanksgiving Trivia Questions for Kids includes easy questions for younger children and harder ones for older kids.
- Guess the Family Member
One person secretly thinks of someone at the gathering. Everyone else asks yes-or-no questions:
- “Is this person an adult?”
- “Does this person have a dog?”
- “Is this person wearing glasses?”
- “Does this person live in another state?”
Keep going until somebody correctly identifies the mystery family member. This is especially fun at a big extended-family Thanksgiving.
- Most Likely To
Ask funny “most likely to” questions and have everyone point to the person they think fits best.
- Who is most likely to eat three pieces of pie?
- Who is most likely to fall asleep after dinner?
- Who is most likely to sneak food to the dog?
- Who is most likely to start decorating for Christmas tomorrow?
- Who is most likely to go back for fourths?
Keep it lighthearted and steer clear of anything that might embarrass someone. Thanksgiving dinner probably isn’t the moment to unpack family drama.
- Thanksgiving Story Chain
One person starts a story with a single sentence:
“On Thanksgiving morning, we opened the front door and discovered a turkey wearing sunglasses.”
The next person adds one sentence.
Continue around the table, with each person adding another part of the story. For little kids, don’t worry about whether any of it makes sense.
Actually, the less sense it makes, the better.
- Five-Second Thanksgiving
Choose a category and give someone five seconds to name three things that fit it.
- “Name three Thanksgiving foods!”
- “Turkey! Pie! Potatoes!”
- “Name three things that are orange!”
- “Name three things you might see at a Thanksgiving parade!”
- “Name three things you’re thankful for!”
Keep taking turns until everyone has had a chance.
You don’t even need an actual timer. Someone can dramatically count:
FIVE… FOUR… THREE…
Which somehow makes everything more stressful and more hilarious.
Active Thanksgiving Games for Kids
Need to get the kids moving before they start climbing the furniture? These easy Thanksgiving games work especially well for younger children.
- Turkey Says
It’s Simon Says with a Thanksgiving makeover!
- “Turkey says flap your wings!”
- “Turkey says gobble!”
- “Turkey says stand on one foot!”
- “Touch your nose!”
Anyone who touches their nose without hearing “Turkey says” first is out. Or skip eliminating kids altogether and just keep playing. With preschoolers, that’s usually more fun anyway.
- Turkey Freeze Dance
You technically don’t even need music. One person hums, sings, claps, or makes increasingly questionable musical noises while everyone dances.
When the sound stops, everyone freezes.
Anyone caught moving has to do their best turkey gobble before the next round. If you do have music handy, throw on your family’s favorite songs and turn it into a real dance party.
- Turkey Walk
Have someone call out different ways everyone has to cross the room:
- Waddle like a turkey.
- Crawl like you’re sneaking toward the pumpkin pie.
- Float like a falling leaf.
- March like you’re in a Thanksgiving parade.
- Roll like a cranberry.
- Stomp like you’re making mashed potatoes.
This is ridiculously simple and preschoolers LOVE it (and so do bigger kids too, surprisingly).
If you’re entertaining toddlers this Thanksgiving, you’ll also find more age-appropriate ideas in our Free Printable Thanksgiving Activity Book for Toddlers and Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for Toddlers.
Quiet Thanksgiving Games With No Supplies
Sometimes you need exactly the opposite of Turkey Walk.
Maybe a baby is napping. Maybe Grandma needs five minutes. Maybe you’ve reached that special part of Thanksgiving when every adult in the room is questioning why children have so much energy.
Try these.
- I’m Thinking of a Thanksgiving Food
One person chooses a Thanksgiving food without telling anyone. Give the group one clue at a time.
“I’m thinking of something orange.”
Then:
“It’s usually sweet.”
Then:
“You might put marshmallows on top.”
Answer: Sweet potatoes!
Whoever guesses the food using the fewest clues wins the round. This works especially well with younger kids because you can make the clues as easy or challenging as needed.
- Thanksgiving Memory Round
Finish with something a little quieter. Go around the group and ask everyone to share a favorite Thanksgiving or fall memory.
It could be something from this year, a childhood Thanksgiving, a funny family story, a favorite tradition, or even their favorite Thanksgiving food.
For younger children, make the question more concrete:
- “What was your favorite thing we did today?”
- “What food did you like best?”
- “What made you laugh today?”
- “What do you want to do again next Thanksgiving?”
This one isn’t really about winning. It’s just a sweet way to slow down and actually talk to each other.
And those conversations can be some of the best parts of the holiday.
How to Choose Thanksgiving Games for Different Ages
If your Thanksgiving includes everyone from toddlers to grandparents, don’t worry about finding one game that works perfectly for every person.
Mix it up!
Little kids will probably have the most fun with Turkey Says, charades, Turkey Walk, and simple guessing games. Elementary-aged kids can handle riddles, categories, memory games, and Five-Second Thanksgiving. Older kids and adults can make games like Two Truths and a Turkey, Fortunately Unfortunately, trivia, and Most Likely To surprisingly competitive.
You can also let kids choose the next game. Giving them a little control usually makes them much more excited to participate.
If you need more structured activities for your celebration, browse our 50 Thanksgiving Family Activities to Make the Holiday Extra Special. There are ideas for indoors, outdoors, and ways to give back to your community, so you can easily find something that fits your family’s Thanksgiving.
More Easy Ways to Entertain Kids on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving with kids doesn’t need to involve an hour-by-hour itinerary. Pick two or three things and leave plenty of room for everyone to simply hang out.
Read a few of our favorite Thanksgiving Books for Toddlers, Preschoolers and Little Kids in the morning. Play one of these games while dinner cooks. Head outside for a family walk. Make an easy craft. Then pile onto the couch for one of the Best Thanksgiving Movies for Families to Stream after dessert.
For younger children, I also have a whole collection of Thanksgiving Movies for Kids Rated G if you’d rather know everything on your movie-night list is geared toward little viewers. And if you want to make the entire month special instead of saving everything for Thanksgiving Day, our November Bucket List for Families has 30 easy activities, outdoor adventures, cozy ideas, and Thanksgiving traditions to try throughout November.
The Best Thanksgiving Games Are Usually the Simplest
I love a cute Thanksgiving printable and a good craft as much as the next mom, but you truly don’t need another thing to make Thanksgiving fun. Sometimes the game everyone remembers is the one you made up at the table because dinner was taking forever.
Also: not every Thanksgiving activity has to be purely entertainment. If your kids are starting to ask questions about why we celebrate Thanksgiving, our Story of Thanksgiving for Kids introduces young children to the Pilgrims, the Wampanoag people, and the first Thanksgiving in an age-appropriate way.
You can also use the holiday to talk about gratitude and helping others. Our family tries to make giving back part of the season, and a food drive is an especially tangible way for children to participate. I’ve put together a list of 65 Non Perishable Foods for a Thanksgiving Food Drive if your family, classroom, neighborhood, or organization is collecting donations.
These don’t have to become giant lessons. A conversation, a story, or letting your child help choose a few foods to donate can be enough.
These Thanksgiving games for families don’t require printing anything, buying anything, or preparing anything ahead of time. You can pull one out when the kids are restless, use a few as Thanksgiving dinner games, or play your way through the whole list.
And if everyone is laughing together instead of moaning about how much longer dinner is going to take? I’d call that a pretty successful Thanksgiving.
