Each year the Thanksgiving holiday provides a perfect opportunity for your family to create a new and long lasting tradition. Of course there is the standard turkey dinner, football game and possibly a nap to enjoy.
But what about shaking things up this year by including a family game or two to your festivities? We've provided a list of easy to learn, Thanksgiving games and instructions that kids and adults can enjoy!
These games are also well suited for Scout meetings and classroom Thanksgiving celebrations.
Popcorn Relay Race
This game can be a bit messy, but it's well worth it to see relatives young and old playing together! Set bowls filled with popcorn at one side of a room and then empty bowls at the opposite side. Teams must transport
the popcorn from the full bowl, to the empty, using a measuring cup.
The first team to empty their popcorn bowl, wins the the game!
Note: popcorn is a choking hazard for children under three!
"Thankerchief"
Arrange the children/players in a circle. Pass a "thankerchief" (handkerchief) around the circle, as everyone recites this poem:
Thankerchief, thankerchief, around you go --
Where you'll stop, nobody knows.
But when you do, someone must say,
What they are thankful for this day.
The player holding the "thankerchief" when the poem ends, must
say aloud, one thing for which they are thankful. This continues until
everyone has had their turn.
A traditional Native American game that can be enjoyed by
kids and adults alike.
You'll Need:
A 12" wooden dowel or stick for each player.
Yarn, string or twine, ~ 18" per stick.
Tie the yarn to the end of the stick. Make a "hoop" at the other end. The object of the game is to catch the "hoop" with the end of your stick using only one hand! It's not as easy as it sounds.
More Tips:
1. Wrap the hoop in masking tape for younger children; the firmer hoop
will give them a boost.
2. Decorate your sticks with Native American symbols and beads.
3. Divide into teams. Use a kitchen timer--
The team with the most "hoops" within the time limit wins!
Turkey Hunt !
Hunt quietly, you don't want to scare the turkeys...
Prepare for the game by drawing or pasting turkey pictures on a dozen
or so index cards - stickers will work as well.
To play, everyone leaves the room except the leader. The leader hides
the cards around the room. Hunters return and begin the hunt.
As each turkey is found, it is brought back to the leader who corrals
them in a separate pile for each hunter. When all the turkeys have been found, the hunter with the most turkeys is the winner and becomes the leader for the next round.
Tip:
Let your children make the cards before the Holiday. They'll find lots of magazine pictures and can color some as well!
Mayflower Activity
Your family and your guests will be reminded to count their blessings with this Mayflower craft and activity...read how >>
Where is Mr. Turkey?
Instead of saying "warmer...cooler" you gobble?
One player is the farmer and the others are helpers. The farmer leaves
the room. The helpers hide a small toy turkey. The farmer returns with a mission to find the turkey. Helpers give clues by "gobbling" like turkeys.
If the farmer is far away from the turkey, the helpers gobble very quietly. As the hunter gets closer to the turkey, the helpers gobble will increase in volume until Mr. Turkey is found! Don't forget the video camera!
Cornucopia Confusion
all of the players will sit on chairs forming a circle. There should be one more player than there are chairs. The player without a chair is the leader. The leader points to each of the players naming them as she points with cornucopia names such as "Cranberry, Corn, Apple, Turkey," anything related to Thanksgiving.
After names are chosen, the leader calls out two names, for instance...
"Turkey and potato!".
When she calls the names , those two players must quickly switch places.
The leader keeps calling at a quick pace, until suddenly she says
"The cornucopia has tipped over!" Everyone, including the leader, then scrambles for a new place. The player with out a seat, becomes the new leader. The leader may give the same name to more than one person.
This game can be confusing at first, but it is also very fun!
Pumpkin Race
A Traditional county fair game that can be played in a yard,
garage or even inside!
This is a simple race but since pumpkins are not nice smooth balls and refuse to roll in nice straight lines, you will need plenty of room!
You need two large pumpkins and two sturdy sticks. The racers, line up on the starting line with the pumpkins turned on their sides. On the signal, the racers use their sticks to roll the pumpkins to the finish line. Younger players may want to use their hands instead of the stick. If you want to play this as teams, make it a relay race.
An old outdoor game, using a light-weight three-legged stool, a soccer ball, and a strong stick.
Place the stool in the middle of the yard. One player is "the stoolie" and must defend their stool with the stick. The other players stand behind a line about 10 to 15 feet away. Each player takes a turn at trying to knock over the stool by throwing the ball at it. The stoolie uses the stick to bat the ball away. The player who successful at knocking over the stool is then deemed the new "stoolie.
We found many variations to this game, our favorites were to protect the stool with your body (No hands) or using two balls players stand in a circle around the stoolie and stool with both balls trying to knock down the stool at the same time.
Bird, Beast, or Fish
You have to think fast for this game.
Everyone sits facing the leader. The leader points to one of the players and says either "BIRD," "BEAST," or "FISH." The chosen player must come up with the name of an animal that fits the category before the leader counts to ten. No repeating! If the player does not respond in time,
she is out. The game continues until only one player remains.
As you can guess, after a few rounds it can be hard to think of
an animal that has not already been mentioned!
Traditional game
Choose someone or something related to Thanksgiving.
One player says "I am thinking of a person, place or thing"
The other players try to guess what it is by asking no more than twenty questions which can be answered "yes," "no," or "I don't know." Related Links
Thanksgiving Crafts
Easy Games to Play During Holiday Gatherings
Thanksgiving Home
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