Thanksgiving Games and Activities for Kids: Fun Ideas for Home and Classroom

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to slow down, spend time together, and enjoy a little less screen time. And you don’t need complicated crafts or expensive supplies to keep kids entertained.

From silly Thanksgiving games and classroom activities to gratitude activities and printable games, there are plenty of simple ways to make Thanksgiving fun for kids.

Whether you’re planning a Thanksgiving classroom party, looking for activities for kids at home, or need something to keep children busy while dinner is being prepared, this list has plenty of ideas to try.

Thanksgiving Games for Kids

1. Turkey Says

Give the classic “Simon Says” game a Thanksgiving twist.

One person becomes the turkey and gives instructions such as:

• Turkey says flap your wings.
• Turkey says gobble three times.
• Turkey says hop like a turkey.
• Touch your toes.
• Spin around.

Kids should only follow an instruction when it starts with “Turkey says.”

This is an easy game for a classroom, Thanksgiving party, or family gathering.

2. Thanksgiving Charades

Write Thanksgiving-related words or actions on small pieces of paper and place them in a bowl.

Kids take turns choosing one and acting it out without speaking.

Try words such as:

• Turkey
• Pumpkin pie
• Corn
• Pilgrim
• Cooking
• Eating
• Baking
• Giving thanks
• Setting the table
• Watching a parade

For younger children, you can let them choose from pictures instead of written words.

3. Thanksgiving I Spy

Give kids a list of things they might see around the house, classroom, or Thanksgiving table.

They can look for:

• Something orange
• Something shaped like a leaf
• A pumpkin
• A turkey decoration
• Something brown
• A candle
• A pie
• Something with fall colors

For a classroom version, turn it into a timed scavenger hunt.

4. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt

Hide Thanksgiving-themed objects around the room and give children clues to find them.

You could hide:

• A paper turkey
• A leaf
• A pumpkin
• A spoon
• A paper corn cob
• A Thanksgiving card
• A small toy

For older kids, make the clues into simple riddles.

5. Turkey Freeze Dance

Put on some fun music and let kids dance.

When the music stops, everyone has to freeze like a turkey!

You can make it even sillier by calling out a turkey pose:

• One-legged turkey
• Sleeping turkey
• Dancing turkey
• Tiny turkey
• Giant turkey

This works especially well for a Thanksgiving classroom party.

6. Thanksgiving Would You Rather?

Ask kids silly Thanksgiving-themed questions and let them choose their answers.

Try:

• Would you rather eat pumpkin pie or apple pie?
• Would you rather be a turkey or a pumpkin?
• Would you rather eat mashed potatoes or corn?
• Would you rather watch a parade or play games?
• Would you rather have Thanksgiving dinner at home or outside?
• Would you rather eat one giant cookie or ten tiny cookies?

For a classroom, have children move to different sides of the room to show their choices.

7. Thanksgiving Word Guessing Game

Choose a Thanksgiving word and give children clues until someone guesses it.

For example:

Word: Turkey

Clues:

• I am an animal.
• People often eat me on Thanksgiving.
• I can gobble.
• I have feathers.

You can make the game easier or harder depending on the children’s ages.

8. Don’t Say “Turkey”!

Choose one common Thanksgiving word, such as turkey.

During the game, kids have to talk about Thanksgiving without saying that word.

Ask questions such as:

“What food do you usually eat on Thanksgiving?”

“What animal do you see in Thanksgiving decorations?”

Anyone who accidentally says “turkey” is out for that round.

This can be surprisingly difficult — and funny — for older children.

Thanksgiving Activities for Kids at Home

Not every Thanksgiving activity needs to be a game. Simple activities can give kids something fun to do while adults are cooking or getting ready for guests.

9. Gratitude Jar

Place a jar and some small pieces of paper on a table.

Ask everyone to write or draw something they are thankful for.

Younger children can draw pictures instead of writing sentences.

At dinner, take turns choosing a few notes and reading them aloud.

10. Gratitude Circle

Sit together and take turns answering:

“What is one thing you are thankful for?”

You can make the activity more interesting by adding categories:

• Someone you are thankful for
• A place you love
• Something you enjoy doing
• A food you love
• Something that made you smile this year

There are no wrong answers.

11. Make a Thanksgiving Gratitude Tree

Draw a simple tree on paper or use a branch from outside.

Cut out paper leaves and ask kids to write one thing they are thankful for on each leaf.

Attach the leaves to the tree.

By Thanksgiving, you’ll have a colorful gratitude tree filled with everyone’s answers.

12. Thanksgiving Drawing Challenge

Give kids a piece of paper and choose a Thanksgiving drawing prompt.

Try:

• Draw a funny turkey.
• Draw your Thanksgiving dinner.
• Draw a turkey wearing clothes.
• Draw your dream Thanksgiving table.
• Draw a turkey hiding from Thanksgiving dinner.
• Draw yourself celebrating Thanksgiving.

You can even turn it into a family drawing competition.

13. Design a Thanksgiving Placemat

Give each child a blank sheet of paper and let them create a Thanksgiving placemat.

They can include:

• Their name
• Thanksgiving drawings
• A gratitude list
• Fall leaves
• Turkeys
• Pumpkins
• A Thanksgiving message

Laminate the finished placemats if you want to use them again.

14. Thanksgiving Story Starter

Give children a silly story beginning and let them finish it.

Try:

“On Thanksgiving morning, I woke up and discovered that all the turkeys in town had…”

Other ideas:

“The turkey knocked on our front door and said…”

“When Grandma opened the oven, she discovered…”

“The Thanksgiving parade suddenly…”

Younger kids can tell their stories aloud while an adult writes them down.

Thanksgiving Classroom Activities

Thanksgiving can also be a great opportunity to combine fun with reading, writing, vocabulary, and speaking activities.

15. Thanksgiving Word Wall

Create a Thanksgiving vocabulary wall with words such as:

• Thanksgiving
• Turkey
• Gratitude
• Family
• Feast
• Harvest
• Pumpkin
• Corn
• Autumn
• Parade
• Pie
• Celebrate

Ask students to use some of the words in sentences.

For younger students, add pictures alongside the words.

16. Thanksgiving Vocabulary Challenge

Give students a few Thanksgiving-related words and challenge them to:

• Define each word
• Draw a picture
• Use it in a sentence
• Find a synonym
• Find a rhyming word

This can easily become a short morning activity.

17. Thanksgiving Writing Prompts

Give students a choice of Thanksgiving writing prompts.

Some ideas include:

• What are three things you are thankful for?
• Describe your perfect Thanksgiving.
• What would happen if a turkey could talk?
• What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?
• Imagine you are a turkey on Thanksgiving morning.
• Describe a Thanksgiving celebration with your family.
• What is one kind thing someone has done for you?

You can let students choose one prompt rather than assigning the same topic to everyone.

18. Thanksgiving Acrostic Poem

Write THANKFUL vertically down the page.

Students write a word, phrase, or sentence beginning with each letter.

For example:

T – Together
H – Happy
A – Apples
N – Nice family
K – Kindness

This works well as a quick Thanksgiving literacy activity.

19. Thanksgiving Alphabet Challenge

Ask students to come up with Thanksgiving, fall, or food-related words for as many letters of the alphabet as possible.

For example:

A – Apple
B – Bread
C – Corn
D – Dinner

Older students can try to complete the entire alphabet.

20. Thanksgiving Categories Game

Choose a category and give students one minute to write as many related words as possible.

Categories could include:

• Thanksgiving foods
• Fall activities
• Things you are thankful for
• Thanksgiving decorations
• Things found at a Thanksgiving dinner
• Words that describe autumn

Compare answers when the timer ends.

Thanksgiving Games for a Class Party

If you’re planning a Thanksgiving classroom party, short games that are easy to explain and don’t require complicated supplies can work especially well.

21. Pass the Pumpkin

Use a small pumpkin or soft ball.

Students sit in a circle and pass it while music plays.

When the music stops, the student holding the pumpkin answers a Thanksgiving question.

For example:

• What’s your favorite fall food?
• What are you thankful for?
• What’s your favorite thing to do in autumn?
• If you could invite anyone to Thanksgiving dinner, who would it be?

22. Turkey Relay

Divide children into small teams.

Give each team a simple challenge, such as carrying a small ball between their knees while walking like a turkey.

Kids complete the course and return to tag the next player.

Keep the course simple and safe, especially with younger children.

23. Turkey Toss

Make a simple turkey target from paper or cardboard.

Children take turns tossing soft balls or beanbags toward the target.

You can assign different points to different areas.

This can be adapted for both classrooms and family gatherings.

24. Thanksgiving Bingo

Create bingo cards using Thanksgiving pictures or words.

Possible squares include:

• Turkey
• Pumpkin
• Pie
• Corn
• Leaf
• Family
• Parade
• Apple
• Gratitude
• Pilgrim

For younger children, picture bingo can be easier than word bingo.

Free Thanksgiving Bingo Printable — coming soon!

Thanksgiving Printable Activities for Kids

Printable activities are especially useful when you need something quick and low-prep for a classroom, Thanksgiving party, road trip, or quiet afternoon at home.

I’m adding a collection of free Thanksgiving printables to this page, including activities such as:

• Thanksgiving coloring pages
• Thanksgiving word search
• Thanksgiving crossword
• Thanksgiving scavenger hunt
• Thanksgiving writing prompts
• Thanksgiving activity pages
• Thanksgiving bingo
• Thanksgiving vocabulary activities

Check back for the free printable activities!

Thanksgiving Coloring Activities

Coloring is an easy quiet-time activity for younger children.

Give kids Thanksgiving-themed coloring pages featuring:

• Turkeys
• Pumpkins
• Fall leaves
• Thanksgiving dinner
• Corn
• Pie
• Cute woodland animals

You can also encourage children to create their own Thanksgiving picture after they finish coloring.

Thanksgiving Activity for Siblings

If you have children of different ages, try an activity where everyone can participate at their own level.

For example, older children can write a list of things they are thankful for while younger children draw pictures.

Older siblings can also read Thanksgiving riddles or story prompts to younger children.

This turns one activity into something the whole family can enjoy together.

Thanksgiving Quiet-Time Activities

Sometimes kids need something calm to do while adults are cooking, talking, or preparing for dinner.

Try:

• Thanksgiving coloring
• Word searches
• Drawing
• Gratitude writing
• Thanksgiving puzzles
• Reading Thanksgiving books
• Writing a Thanksgiving card
• Creating a gratitude list
• Completing a Thanksgiving maze

A small Thanksgiving activity basket can make this even easier.

Put pencils, crayons, paper, coloring pages, puzzles, and books in one basket so children can choose an activity independently.

Thanksgiving Activities for Different Ages

Preschool and Kindergarten

Younger children often enjoy activities involving movement, pictures, and simple instructions.

Try:

• Turkey Says
• Turkey Freeze Dance
• Coloring
• Turkey drawing
• Gratitude drawings
• Picture scavenger hunts
• Thanksgiving bingo
• Simple matching games

Grades 1–2

Children in early elementary school can handle a mixture of games and simple literacy activities.

Try:

• Thanksgiving word searches
• Scavenger hunts
• Charades
• Writing prompts
• Alphabet challenges
• Gratitude lists
• Thanksgiving bingo
• Drawing challenges

Grades 3–5

Older elementary students can enjoy activities that involve more writing, vocabulary, problem-solving, and creativity.

Try:

• Thanksgiving charades
• Word games
• Thanksgiving writing prompts
• Acrostic poems
• Vocabulary challenges
• Thanksgiving riddles
• Category games
• Creative writing

Simple Thanksgiving Activity Ideas When You Have No Supplies

Need something right now?

Try these activities using almost nothing:

1. Turkey Says
2. Thanksgiving Charades
3. Thanksgiving Would You Rather
4. Gratitude Circle
5. Thanksgiving Storytelling
6. Thanksgiving Alphabet Challenge
7. Thanksgiving Word Guessing
8. Thanksgiving Categories
9. Turkey Freeze Dance
10. Thanksgiving Memory Game

These are especially useful for teachers and parents who need a quick activity without a trip to the store.

Make Thanksgiving About More Than Food

Thanksgiving naturally involves food, family, and celebrations, but it can also be a nice opportunity to encourage children to think about gratitude, kindness, generosity, and time together.

You don’t need a complicated lesson.

A simple question such as “What is something that made you happy this year?” can lead to a meaningful conversation.

And sometimes the simplest activities — drawing together, playing a silly game, or sharing something you’re thankful for — become the memories kids remember.

More Thanksgiving Fun

If you’re planning activities for Thanksgiving at home or school, save this page and come back as new activities and free printables are added.

From quick Thanksgiving games to classroom activities, writing prompts, coloring pages, and printable puzzles, there’s plenty of simple Thanksgiving fun to keep kids learning, playing, and creating.

Looking for more fun ideas to enjoy with kids? Explore our Celebrations & Seasons page for holiday activities, seasonal ideas, family fun, and printable activities for different times of the year.

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