Thanksgiving isn’t just for the kids, adults deserve some fun too! Whether you’re hosting a Friendsgiving bash, a cozy dinner party, or a family get-together, these Thanksgiving games for adults are guaranteed to keep everyone laughing and engaged.
From wine-themed trivia and dinner table challenges to hilarious icebreakers and gratitude-inspired activities, this list of Thanksgiving party games brings the perfect mix of friendly competition and festive spirit. Pair these with your favorite appetizers or after-dinner drinks, and you’ll have a celebration to remember.
So gather your friends, clear some space, and let the laughter flow, because these adult Thanksgiving games prove that the fun doesn’t stop after dessert!
Gratitude Charades
While traditional charades is always a blast, this gratitude-themed version adds a heartwarming Thanksgiving twist that’ll bring your family and friends even closer together.
To play, write down things you’re thankful for on small slips of paper – from “Mom’s apple pie” to “cozy fall sweaters.”
You’ll need to act these out without speaking, just like regular charades. Break into teams, and take turns picking a slip from the gratitude bowl. When it’s your turn, you’ve got one minute to get your team to guess what you’re thankful for.
You might find yourself pretending to be a warm fireplace or mimicking your grandmother’s famous turkey dance! Keep score if you’d like, but remember, the real win is sharing your appreciation with loved ones.
Thanksgiving Word Scramble
You can divide players into teams or compete individually, setting a timer for added excitement.
Award points for each correctly unscrambled word, and consider offering small prizes to the winners.
Don’t forget to include challenging words like “CORNUCOPIA” and “CRANBERRY” to keep the game interesting.
For an extra twist, ask players to use their solved words in creative Thanksgiving sentences.
It’s a perfect way to keep minds sharp while digesting that delicious feast!
Turkey Trivia Challenge
Ready to test everyone’s knowledge about America’s favorite holiday bird? You’ll love this entertaining trivia challenge that’ll get your guests thinking and laughing.
Set up teams or play individually while enjoying those delicious Thanksgiving appetizers.
- Ask players which U.S. president first pardoned a turkey (hint: it was JFK in 1963)
- Challenge guests to name three of the six major turkey-producing states in America
- Test their knowledge about wild turkeys’ flight speed (up to 55 mph!)
- Quiz them on the average weight of store-bought Thanksgiving turkeys
- See who knows how many feathers are on an adult turkey (about 5,500!)
Keep score on a whiteboard and award the winner a fun turkey-themed prize.
Don’t forget to share interesting facts after each answer to keep the game educational and engaging.
Cornucopia Scavenger Hunt
A classic cornucopia scavenger hunt brings out everyone’s competitive spirit while celebrating the season’s abundance.
You’ll want to create a list of autumn-themed items for guests to find, like pinecones, colorful leaves, acorns, and mini pumpkins. Give each team a basket and a timer set for 20 minutes.
To add excitement, assign point values to different items – perhaps 5 points for common finds and 15 points for rare treasures. You can even include fun challenges, like taking a group selfie with a turkey decoration or finding something that starts with each letter in “THANKS.”
Make sure to set clear boundaries for the search area and remind everyone to respect the neighbors’ yards! When time’s up, gather to count points and share stories about your hunt adventures.
Pilgrim’s Journey Memory Game
From outdoor scavenging to indoor memory challenges, this next game will test everyone’s recall abilities while teaching fun historical facts.
You’ll create cards featuring different aspects of the Pilgrims’ journey to America, turning them face-down on the table. Players take turns flipping two cards, trying to find matching pairs while learning about historical events.
- Create 20 pairs of cards with facts about the Mayflower voyage
- Include images of Pilgrim life, Native American encounters, and early settlements
- Take turns flipping cards while sharing interesting details about each discovery
- Award bonus points for players who can elaborate on the historical facts
- Keep track of matches with traditional corn kernels for an authentic touch
Winner gets to wear the honorary Pilgrim hat for the rest of the evening!
Fall Harvest Bingo
Traditional bingo gets a festive upgrade with this delightful autumn-themed variation that’ll have everyone searching for pumpkins, cornucopias, and golden leaves. Instead of numbers, you’ll create cards featuring classic fall and Thanksgiving imagery, from turkeys to hay bales.
To set up your game, download and print autumn-themed bingo cards, or make your own by drawing a 5×5 grid and filling it with harvest symbols. You’ll need small markers like candy corn or acorns for players to cover their squares.
As the caller, you can mix things up by describing each item dramatically instead of just naming it – “That orange gourd with a crooked stem” is more fun than simply saying “pumpkin.”
When someone gets five in a row, they’ll shout “Happy Harvest!” instead of “Bingo!”
Thanksgiving Movie Quote Match
Moving from harvest imagery to silver-screen fun, this entertaining movie-themed game will test everyone’s knowledge of beloved Thanksgiving films.
You’ll need to create cards with famous quotes from Thanksgiving-themed movies and have players match them to the correct film titles. It’s a perfect way to combine movie trivia with holiday entertainment.
- Write quotes on index cards and corresponding movie titles on separate cards
- Split your group into teams of 2-3 players each
- Set a timer for 2 minutes per round
- Award one point for each correct match
- Mix up quotes from classics like “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Home for the Holidays,” and “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”
For extra fun, have players act out the quotes as they match them. You’ll be surprised at how many memorable lines your guests can recognize!
Pass the Pie Relay Race
When you’re ready to get everyone up and moving, this hilarious relay race will have your guests racing across the room while carefully balancing a (fake) pie plate.
Divide your group into two teams and set up a start and finish line on opposite sides of the room.
Give each team an empty aluminum pie tin and demonstrate how to balance it on an outstretched palm. Players must walk quickly – no running! – to the finish line and back without dropping their “pie.”
If the tin falls, they’ll need to return to the starting point. The next person can’t start until the previous player hands off their pie plate.
The first team to get all their players through the relay wins. You’ll love watching your friends try to keep those wobbly tins steady!
Autumn Leaf Drawing Contest
This creative drawing game lets your guests show off their artistic talents while celebrating the beauty of fall foliage. Gather your friends around a table and provide each person with paper, colored pencils, and real autumn leaves as inspiration. Set a timer for 10 minutes and watch as everyone creates their own interpretations of nature’s seasonal artwork.
- Give prizes for categories like “Most Realistic,” “Most Creative,” and “Most Colorful”
- Display everyone’s drawings on a wall to create an instant fall art gallery
- Let guests vote anonymously for their favorites using sticky notes
- Take photos of the real leaves alongside the drawings for a fun comparison
- Consider making it an annual tradition and saving the best artwork for next year’s decoration
Historical Fact or Fiction
Since history buffs love a good challenge, this entertaining trivia game will test everyone’s knowledge of Thanksgiving and colonial American history.
You’ll need to prepare index cards with historical statements – some true, others false – about early American settlers, Native Americans, and Thanksgiving traditions.
Take turns reading statements aloud while players vote “fact” or “fiction” by raising their hands. You can make it more competitive by dividing into teams and keeping score.
Don’t forget to include some amusing misconceptions, like “Pilgrims always wore black and white” or “Turkey was definitely served at the first Thanksgiving.”
For extra fun, have players explain why they think a statement is true or false before revealing the correct answer.
Recipe Card Swap Challenge
Because family recipes hold cherished memories and treasured traditions, a recipe card swap challenge adds a delightful twist to your Thanksgiving gathering.
You’ll want to ask guests to bring copies of their favorite family recipes to share, creating an exciting exchange of culinary wisdom that spans generations.
- Set up a cozy corner with blank recipe cards, pens, and a festive box for collecting shared recipes
- Ask participants to write a brief story about their recipe’s origin or a funny cooking mishap
- Create recipe categories like “Grandma’s Secret Weapons” or “Happy Kitchen Accidents”
- Have everyone vote on the most intriguing recipe they’d like to try
- Send guests home with a bundle of new recipes, complete with handwritten notes and family stories
Turkey Feather Ring Toss
After sharing cherished recipes, it’s time to get everyone up and moving with a playful twist on a classic party game.
Set up three turkey-shaped cutouts and attach them to chairs or walls at different heights. You’ll need lightweight foam rings decorated with craft feathers to make them look festive and fun.
Players take turns tossing the feathered rings, aiming to land them around the turkeys’ necks. Each height offers different point values – the highest turkey is worth the most points!
Make it more challenging by having players stand further back with each successful toss. You can even create teams and watch as your usually dignified aunt Helen shows off her surprising ring-toss skills.
Keep track of scores on a decorative autumn-themed scoreboard for some friendly competition.
Family Photo Time Capsule Game
Memories shared through photographs create the perfect foundation for this heartwarming Thanksgiving activity. Ask each family member to bring their favorite photos from past gatherings, then watch as stories and laughter fill the room while you create a time capsule together.
- Select a decorative box or container that’ll hold your family’s cherished memories.
- Have everyone write a short note about their chosen photo and why it’s special.
- Take turns sharing stories behind each picture, including funny moments you’d forgotten.
- Create a timeline by arranging photos chronologically, marking significant family milestones.
- Seal your time capsule with a “to be opened” date for next Thanksgiving, making it an annual tradition that grows more precious each year.
Don’t forget to snap a new group photo to add to next year’s collection!
Thanksgiving Mad Libs
This classic word game gets a festive twist when you gather around the table to create hilarious Thanksgiving stories.
You’ll need to print out holiday-themed Mad Libs templates or create your own by writing short stories about turkey dinners, family traditions, or autumn celebrations – just remember to leave blanks for different parts of speech.
Take turns asking each player to provide words without revealing the story’s context. You’ll need nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs to fill in the blanks.
Once you’ve collected all the words, watch everyone laugh as you read the completed story aloud. For extra fun, try writing Mad Libs about your actual family’s Thanksgiving memories or create stories about the first Thanksgiving – they’re sure to turn out silly and memorable.
Dinner Table Story Chain
Creating stories together is one of the most entertaining ways to liven up your Thanksgiving dinner table (this is a great Thanksgiving game for the family, not just adults).
You’ll start by having one person share a single sentence to begin a story, then each person around the table adds their own sentence to continue the tale. It’s amazing to see how the story unfolds with everyone’s creative contributions.
- Start with a seasonal prompt like “On a chilly Thanksgiving morning…”
- Keep sentences short and clear to help the story flow smoothly
- Encourage participants to build on previous plot points
- Set a three-round limit to keep the story from dragging
- Allow silly or unexpected twists to make it more fun
This activity brings out everyone’s creativity while keeping the conversation flowing, and you’ll be surprised at how imaginative your family members can be.
Final Thoughts on Thanksgiving Games for Adults
Adding a few playful moments to your Thanksgiving celebration keeps the mood light and laughter flowing long after the meal ends. These Thanksgiving games for adults are a great way to connect, unwind, and make the day even more memorable.
If you’ll be celebrating with little ones too, mix in a few Thanksgiving games for kids for a family-friendly twist that everyone will enjoy. After all, the best Thanksgiving memories are made when every generation joins in on the fun.
