If you are hosting this year, you know the struggle of keeping restless little ones out of the kitchen while the food cooks. Outdoor Thanksgiving games for kids solve that exact issue, but most options I found online required way too much setup or expensive supplies.
I put this list together for parents who need quick, hands-on activities that double as fun backyard crafts. When you need a breather, these thanksgiving games for kids outside will keep the whole crew laughing, engaged, and completely occupied.
1. Turkey Bowling
If you have a recycling bin full of empty bottles, this quick project gives them a second life before trash day. It keeps toddlers entertained while doubling as a fun target practice challenge.
What you need
- Six empty plastic water bottles
- Construction paper and craft feathers
- One mini round pumpkin
- Nontoxic glue or tape
How to make and play
Start by helping the kids glue colorful craft feathers to the back of each plastic bottle. Cut out small paper beaks and eyes, taping them to the front to create little turkey pins. Set the six decorated bottles up in a triangle formation on a flat patch of grass. Kids take turns rolling the mini pumpkin to see how many turkeys they can knock down in one go.
2. Turkey Tail Feather Tag
For energetic cousins who need to burn off that pre-dinner sugar rush, a fast-paced running game is always a lifesaver. This simple craft turns a basic game of tag into a hilarious holiday tradition.
Supplies to gather
- Wooden clothespins
- Brightly colored faux feathers
- Hot glue (for adult use) or strong craft tape
Crafting and playing steps
Attach one or two bright faux feathers to the top of each clothespin using strong tape or glue. Once dry, clip three to four feather pins onto the back of every child’s shirt, near the hem. The goal is for players to run around the yard and safely pluck the feathers off other players’ backs. The last child with a turkey tail feather remaining wins the round.
3. Turkey Leg Ring Toss
When you want the yard to look festive without spending money on store-bought yard games, leftover cardboard is your best friend. This setup feels like a mini autumn carnival right in your backyard.
Materials required
- Sturdy cardboard paper towel tubes
- Brown packing paper and masking tape
- Thick craft yarn and cardboard rings
Building the game
Wrap the paper towel tubes in crumpled brown packing paper, shaping the tops to look like chunky roasted turkey legs. Secure the shapes tightly with masking tape, then push the bottom of the tubes gently into the soft lawn. Cut thick rings out of spare cardboard and have the kids wrap them tightly in colorful autumn yarn. Players stand behind a line and toss the yarn rings to loop them over the turkey legs.
4. Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe
Sometimes the best activities are the ones that require almost zero active supervision from adults. A giant outdoor board game lets siblings play quietly while you manage the oven.
What to collect
- Five mini white pumpkins
- Five mini orange pumpkins
- Decorative fall-themed washi tape or painter’s tape
Setting up the board
Find a flat outdoor surface like a wooden deck, patio, or smooth driveway. Use your decorative tape to create a large three-by-three tic-tac-toe grid directly on the ground. Give one child the white pumpkins and the other the orange pumpkins to act as their playing pieces. They can play multiple rounds, moving the pumpkins around the grid until someone gets three in a row.
5. Stuff the Turkey Toss
Cardboard boxes are magnets for kids, and turning one into a hungry bird guarantees at least an hour of focused fun. It is incredibly cheap to put together and hilarious to watch.
Items needed
- One large cardboard box
- Markers and brown paint
- Yarn in assorted colors (for pom-poms)
Crafting the target
Help the kids paint the large cardboard box brown and draw a funny turkey face on the front. Cut a large, wide-open mouth out of the center of the box where the turkey’s beak should be. Spend some time making fluffy yarn pom-poms together by wrapping yarn around your fingers and tying the center. Set the box across the patio and challenge the kids to toss their pom-pom “stuffing” into the turkey’s mouth.
6. DIY Harvest Cornhole
Traditional cornhole boards are heavy and hard for younger kids to use safely. Making a lightweight version out of leftover shipping boxes is a brilliant, kid-friendly alternative.
Crafting supplies
- Two medium shallow cardboard boxes
- Paint and markers
- Small fabric pouches or old baby socks
- Dried corn kernels
Assembly instructions
Cut a large circular hole near the top of both shallow cardboard boxes. Let the kids paint cornucopias, pumpkins, or leaves all over the boxes to give them a festive harvest theme. Fill the small fabric pouches or clean socks with dried corn kernels, tying or sewing them shut tightly. Angle the boxes slightly on the grass so the kids can practice tossing the homemade corn bags into the holes.
7. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt Box
Kids naturally love collecting rocks, sticks, and leaves whenever they step outside. Giving them a structured container turns their random foraging into a focused outdoor adventure.
Collection materials
- Empty cardboard egg cartons
- Crayons or markers
- A printed list of nature items
Getting ready for the hunt
Give each child an empty egg carton and let them color the outside in autumn shades of orange, yellow, and red. Write or tape a tiny label inside the lid for each cup, asking for things like “a red leaf,” “a round acorn,” or “a smooth stone.” Send them out into the backyard to search for every specific item on their list. They will love showing off their fully stocked treasure boxes once they finish.
8. Turkey Baster Feather Relay
If you have a long stretch of grass and kids who love a competitive race, this game takes thirty seconds to prepare. It is surprisingly challenging and guarantees a lot of silly giggles.
Racing tools
- Clean kitchen turkey basters
- Lightweight craft feathers
- String or chalk for the finish line
Running the relay
Mark a clear starting line and a finish line on the lawn using string or driveway chalk. Hand each racer a large craft feather and a standard squeeze-bulb turkey baster. Players must place their feather on the grass and use only the bursts of air from the baster to blow it forward. The first person to successfully blow their feather across the finish line wins the heat.
9. Pilgrim Hat Tin Can Toss
Empty soup cans usually go straight into the recycling, but they make perfect targets for a classic carnival-style throwing game. It is a great way to reuse metal cans while keeping the kids occupied.
Materials to grab
- Six to ten clean, empty tin cans (edges smoothed)
- Black construction paper and yellow felt
- Tennis balls or rolled-up socks
Building the pyramid
Wrap each clean tin can tightly in black construction paper, securing it with tape. Cut small squares of yellow felt to look like buckles and glue them to the front of each can to mimic a pilgrim hat. Stack the decorated cans in a pyramid formation on an outdoor picnic table or flat patio. Hand the kids a few tennis balls and let them try to knock the entire hat pyramid down.
10. Traffic Yam Sweet Potato Roll
Rolling oddly shaped vegetables down the driveway is much harder than it looks, which makes it incredibly entertaining. This is perfect for toddlers and older kids who want a silly physical challenge.
What you need to play
- A few raw, bumpy sweet potatoes or yams
- Wooden spoons for pushing
- Sidewalk chalk
How to map the track
Head to the driveway or a paved outdoor surface and use sidewalk chalk to draw a wide, winding track with loops and curves. Give each child a bumpy sweet potato and a long-handled wooden spoon. They must use the spoon to gently push and roll their potato along the chalk track without going outside the lines. Since sweet potatoes are not perfectly round, they wobble in funny directions, making the race unpredictable.
11. Feather Matching Balance Game
Combining color matching with physical balance makes this a fantastic developmental game for preschool-aged kids. It requires them to focus quietly, which brings a nice moment of calm to a busy holiday yard.
Crafting the cups
- Paper drinking cups
- Markers
- Assorted colored craft feathers
Setting up the challenge
Decorate the outside of the paper cups to look like little turkeys, using markers to draw eyes and a beak. Scatter these cups around the grassy yard, spacing them a few feet apart. Hand the kids a handful of colored craft feathers and tell them to match the feather color to a specific cup. The catch is they have to balance the feather on top of their head as they walk to the cup before dropping it in.
12. Balloon Turkey Waddle Race
When the weather is slightly chilly but the kids still want to play, an active race warms them up quickly. This simple balloon craft turns a basic relay into a hilarious waddling contest.
Required materials
- Round balloons (brown or orange)
- Paper cutouts for wings and beaks
- Double-sided tape
Preparing the race
Blow up a few balloons and use double-sided tape to attach small paper wings and a beak to each one. Have the kids line up on the grass and place their balloon “turkey” carefully between their knees. On the count of three, they have to race to the finish line by waddling awkwardly without dropping or popping their bird. If the balloon falls, they have to waddle back to the start and try again.
13. Felt Leaf Obstacle Course
Setting up a backyard agility course keeps active kids engaged for a long time as they try to beat their previous records. Adding handmade seasonal beanbags gives the course a charming harvest twist.
Sewing the leaves
- Felt sheets in autumn colors
- Dried beans or rice
- Needle and thread (or strong fabric glue)
- Cones, jump ropes, and lawn chairs
Running the course
Cut two identical leaf shapes out of the felt sheets, place them together, and glue or sew the edges, leaving a small hole. Fill the leaf with dried beans, seal it up, and you have a custom autumn beanbag. Set up a simple obstacle course in the yard using jump ropes to balance on and cones to weave through. The kids must complete the entire obstacle course while balancing the felt leaf beanbag on their heads.
14. Pinecone Turkey Hunt
Scavenger hunts never get old, especially when the kids get to hide the items for each other. This is a great two-part activity: crafting inside, then hunting outside.
Scavenger supplies
- Large natural pinecones
- Googly eyes and small felt scraps
- Craft glue
Hiding and seeking
Spend a few minutes assembling the pinecones by gluing on googly eyes and felt beaks to make them look like rustic woodland turkeys. Once the glue dries, have one adult or older sibling hide the pinecone turkeys all over the backyard among bushes and trees. Give the younger kids a small basket and send them out to find every hidden bird. You can repeat the hiding process all afternoon.
15. Candy Corn Cup Catch
Partner games are excellent for siblings who need a cooperative activity rather than a competitive one. This soft tossing game is safe, simple, and satisfying to play in the crisp fall air.
Creating the catchers
- Large plastic party cups
- Ribbon or string
- Thick felt or soft foam
Playing the game
Cut small triangles out of white, orange, and yellow felt, gluing them together to make soft, safe candy corn throwing pieces. Take the plastic party cups, decorate them to look like turkeys, and tie a string through the bottom to secure them around a child’s waist. Partners stand a few feet apart on the grass and try to toss the soft candy corn pieces perfectly into the cup on the other person’s waist.
FAQs
What age group are these backyard games best for?
Most of these activities are designed for toddlers through early elementary school kids. However, older cousins or siblings often love helping the younger ones build the crafts and run the relay races.
Do I need to buy expensive supplies for these crafts?
Not at all. The majority of these projects utilize items you likely already have in your recycling bin, like cardboard boxes, tin cans, and plastic bottles, combined with basic craft supplies like tape and paper.
How long does the setup usually take?
| Game Type | Average Setup Time | Ideal Location |
| Recycled Craft Targets | 10–15 minutes | Patio or Deck |
| Running/Relay Races | 2–5 minutes | Open Grass |
| Scavenger Hunts | 15–20 minutes | Whole Backyard |
Having a solid plan for outdoor activities is the best way to keep your holiday gathering peaceful and fun for everyone. These thanksgiving games for kids outdoor provide the perfect balance of hands-on crafting and physical play to wear them out before dinner.
If you loved these simple ideas, save this post to your favorite Pinterest board so you have it ready when the holiday chaos begins! Do not forget to pin the images so you can easily recreate these crafts with your little ones.