Finding Thanksgiving games for kids and adults that actually keep everyone engaged while cooking is a struggle. I put this list together because most holiday activities online are either too complicated for toddlers or completely ignore the older relatives.
If you need something to bridge that generation gap, these simple DIY craft projects double as entertaining group activities. As you scroll, keep an eye out for easy setups using basic household supplies to get the whole crowd laughing.
1. Turkey Leg Ring Toss
Keeping a crowd occupied before dinner requires something physical but safe for indoor play. Building oversized food props instantly grabs attention and creates a fun visual for the living room.
Crafting supplies
- Brown butcher paper
- Empty cardboard tubes (paper towel rolls work well)
- Masking tape
- Glow necklaces or plastic tossing rings
How to put it together
Crush and shape the butcher paper into a large ball, then tape it securely to the top of a cardboard tube. Wrap a final layer of smooth brown paper around the top to make it look like a roasted drumstick.
How to play
Set three or four legs upright on the floor in a triangle formation. Assign point values to each leg, and have players toss their rings from a designated line to score.
2. Turkey Feather Baster Relay
When energy levels spike mid-afternoon, racing across the house provides a great outlet. These are exactly the kind of thanksgiving games for adults and kids to play together without needing expensive gear.
What you’ll need
- Kitchen turkey basters
- Assorted colorful craft feathers
- Painter’s tape
Setting the track
Use the painter’s tape to mark a clear starting line and finish line on a long dining table or smooth hardwood floor.
Game rules
Players must squeeze the bulb of the turkey baster to blow a single craft feather down the track. The first person to push their feather across the finish line without touching it wins the round.
3. Feed the Turkey Box Game
Cardboard boxes usually pile up around the holidays, making them a practical base for a target challenge. Turning recycling into a character gives the younger cousins something visually exciting to interact with.
Materials required
- One large empty cardboard box
- Construction paper (red, yellow, orange, brown)
- Glue sticks and scissors
- Beanbags or small faux acorns
Building the target
Cover the front of the box with brown paper and cut a large circular hole near the top for the mouth. Attach folded paper feathers around the back edges and add two big paper eyes above the opening.
Playing the game
Give each participant five beanbags to throw into the hungry mouth from five feet away, tallying up successful shots.
4. Turkey Sliders Point Game
Tabletop competitions work incredibly well for relatives who prefer to stay seated while joining the fun. Sliding cups across a smooth surface mimics shuffleboard but with a much lighter, festive twist.
Gathering the items
- Red or orange plastic party cups
- Googly eyes and colored paper
- Paper plates
- Heavy duty tape
Assembly steps
Flip the plastic cups upside down and glue a small paper beak, snood, and googly eyes to the front of each. Tape several paper plates in a row at the far end of the table, writing point values like 10, 20, and 50 on them.
Scoring guide
Slide the decorated cups across the table, aiming to land them squarely on the high-value plates without falling off the edge.
5. Shake Your Tail Feather
If you want an excuse to act completely silly, tying a tissue box to your waist gets the job done. This energetic challenge guarantees immediate laughter from the sidelines.
Things to grab
- Empty rectangular tissue boxes
- A large handful of loose craft feathers
- Old pantyhose or a wide ribbon
Prepping the gear
Cut two small slits on the bottom of the empty tissue box and thread the ribbon or pantyhose through them to create a belt. Fill the inside of the box with about twenty craft feathers.
The objective
Tie the box around a player’s lower back with the opening facing out. They must jump, wiggle, and shake until every single feather falls out of the box while someone times them.
6. Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe Grid
Sometimes classic board games just need a seasonal upgrade to feel fresh again. Swapping out standard plastic pieces for actual gourds adds a great tactile element to the table.
Supply list
- Decorative patterned duct tape
- Five mini white pumpkins
- Five mini orange pumpkins
Creating the board
Find a clear space on a coffee table or a large piece of sturdy cardboard. Lay down four strips of the patterned tape to create a large three-by-three grid.
How to play
Opponents choose their pumpkin color and take turns placing them in the squares, aiming to get three in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
7. Turkey Call Popsicle Stick Game
Getting everyone talking and sharing memories often takes a little nudge. Creating a conversation jar disguised as a holiday centerpiece breaks the ice naturally before the meal starts.
Project materials
- Jumbo wooden craft sticks
- Fine-tip markers
- A small mason jar or cup
- Felt scraps
Making the prompts
Decorate the outside of the cup with felt to look like a bird’s body. On each wooden stick, write a specific prompt like “Name your favorite side dish” or “Share a funny family memory.”
Starting the conversation
Place the sticks face-down in the cup. Pass the cup around the room, letting each person draw a stick and answer the prompt aloud.
8. Pumpkin Bowling Set
Long hallways or empty kitchen floors practically beg for a makeshift bowling alley. Repainting old bottles gives them a second life while providing a surprisingly sturdy set of pins.
What you need
- Six empty plastic water bottles
- Orange acrylic paint
- Green construction paper
- One small, round, heavy gourd
Pin construction
Pour a little orange paint inside each bottle, cap it, and shake until the inside is fully coated, then let dry. Cut out small green paper leaves and glue them near the bottle caps to mimic pumpkin stems.
Setting the lane
Arrange the painted bottles in a triangle shape at the end of the hall. Roll the round gourd toward the pins to see who can get a strike.
9. Alphabet Turkey Match Board
Younger cousins often need something visually stimulating that still feels like a true challenge. Matching games reinforce basic skills while fitting right into the holiday theme.
Craft components
- Thick poster board
- Colorful markers
- 26 plastic bottle caps
- Small alphabet stickers
Board design
Draw a large turkey body in the center of the poster board, surrounded by 26 distinct, brightly colored tail feathers. Write a lowercase letter on each feather, and place an uppercase sticker on the top of each bottle cap.
Game rules
Scatter the caps next to the board and time the kids as they try to match the correct uppercase cap to the corresponding lowercase feather.
10. Pin the Beak on the Turkey
Blindfold challenges never fail to create funny moments, especially when the target keeps moving in your mind. This is a nostalgic party staple that takes barely any time to draw and hang up.
Necessary supplies
- One large sheet of kraft paper
- Crayons or markers
- Yellow stiff felt
- Double-sided tape and a blindfold
Setup instructions
Sketch a large, comical turkey face on the kraft paper, intentionally leaving off the beak, and tape the paper securely to a blank wall. Cut out a triangular beak from the yellow felt and put double-sided tape on the back.
Taking turns
Spin the blindfolded player around three times, hand them the felt beak, and guide them to face the wall to make their best guess.
11. Gratitude Tree Spinner
Slowing down to appreciate the holiday doesn’t have to mean sitting through a quiet lecture. Turning the concept of thankfulness into a spinning board makes it feel much more interactive.
Gathering materials
- A flat cardboard circle
- A brass fastener (brad) and a paper arrow
- Small tree branches in a vase
- Paper leaves with string loops
Constructing the spinner
Divide the cardboard circle into colorful pie slices labeled with categories like “A person,”“A place,” or “A skill.” Attach the paper arrow to the center using the brass fastener so it spins freely.
Sharing thanks
Players spin the arrow, grab a blank paper leaf, write down something they are grateful for based on the landed category, and hang it on the branches.
12. Turkey Tag Clothesclips
Burning off that extra slice of pie requires a bit of running around the backyard. Turning a standard game of tag into a clip-stealing contest makes it instantly more competitive.
What to gather
- Wooden spring clothespins
- Small googly eyes
- Tiny craft feathers
- Hot glue gun
Making the clips
Carefully hot glue a small feather to the back of each clothespin, and attach two googly eyes near the pinching end to create miniature birds.
Rules of the yard
Clip three decorated pins onto the back of each player’s shirt. When the timer starts, everyone runs around trying to snatch clips off others while protecting their own. The person with the most stolen clips wins.
13. Cranberry Catapult Targets
Building tiny wooden machines brings out the competitive engineer in almost anyone. Launching small items across the room is oddly satisfying and easy to control with the right tension.
Builder’s list
- Popsicle sticks
- Thick rubber bands
- A plastic spoon
- Fresh, raw cranberries
Assembling the launcher
Stack five popsicle sticks and wrap rubber bands tightly around both ends. Slide one stick perpendicular under the top band, attach the plastic spoon to it, and bind the bottom to create a lever.
Target practice
Set up a few empty cups across the table. Place a raw cranberry in the spoon, pull back gently, and release to send it flying into the targets.
14. Turkey Mask Charades
Acting out ridiculous prompts is funny enough, but wearing a paper plate on your face takes it higher. Combining a quick craft session with a classic performance game keeps hands and minds busy.
Crafting items
- White paper plates
- Elastic string
- Markers and scissors
- Pre-written charade cards
Designing the masks
Cut the paper plates in half and cut out two eye holes. Let guests color their half-plates with bright feathers and a beak before attaching the elastic string around the back.
Show time
While wearing their custom creations, players pull a card and silently act out holiday-themed scenarios like “stuffing the bird” or “falling asleep on the couch.”
15. Traffic Yam Yam-Spoon Balance
Balancing an awkwardly shaped root vegetable on a spoon is much harder than it looks. This obstacle course challenge forces everyone to slow down and focus on their footwork.
Course materials
- Raw, bumpy yams or sweet potatoes
- Large wooden cooking spoons
- Fall decor items (pumpkins, baskets, lanterns)
Laying out the path
Arrange the pumpkins, baskets, and lanterns on the floor to create a winding, zigzag obstacle course through the living room or hallway.
Navigating the traffic
Players must place their yam on the wooden spoon and walk the entire obstacle course without dropping it. If the yam hits the floor, they have to start over from the beginning.
FAQs
What age group are these DIY activities best suited for?
Most of these projects are highly adaptable. Simple setups like the matching board work well for toddlers, while the catapults and ring toss games easily hold the attention of teenagers and adult relatives.
How much prep time is required for these crafts?
The majority of these games use items you probably already have lying around the house and can be fully assembled in under fifteen minutes.
Can I prepare these activities a few days before the holiday?
Absolutely. Putting together the boxes, painting the bottles, and cutting out the poster board shapes ahead of time makes the actual holiday much more relaxed.
Space Requirements for Indoor Play
| Game Type | Ideal Location | Minimum Space Needed |
| Tabletop (Sliders, Catapults) | Dining table or kitchen island | 4–6 feet of flat surface |
| Target (Ring Toss, Feed Box) | Living room or open floor | 6–8 feet of clearing |
| Active (Bowling, Relays) | Hallways or large open rooms | 10+ feet of length |
Putting together a few handmade activities changes the entire dynamic of the holiday gathering. Instead of everyone retreating to different corners of the house after eating, these setups give your family a reason to stick around, laugh, and interact with each other for a few extra hours.
I hope these projects give you a head start on planning a memorable afternoon for your guests. If you want to keep these ideas handy for the big day, make sure to save this post to your Pinterest account so you can easily find the instructions later!