Every Thanksgiving has the same lull: the food is gone, the football game hasn't started, and nobody wants to do dishes yet. A couple of printed games turn that hour into the part of the day people remember. Here are 12 that work with mixed ages, from grandkids to great-grandparents.
Games to play at the table
1. The Thanksgiving left right game
Everyone holds a small wrapped prize. One person reads a silly Thanksgiving story aloud, and every time the story says "left" or "right," the prizes move that way. Whatever you're holding at the end is yours. It takes ten minutes and works for any age.
2. Who's Most Likely To (Thanksgiving edition)
Read a card: "Who's most likely to fall asleep before the pie?" On three, everyone points at someone. The person with the most fingers on them reads the next card.
3. Thanksgiving Would You Rather
"Would you rather eat only stuffing or only pie for a year?" Pass the stack around the table; each person reads one and answers. No "both."
4. Gratitude conversation cards
Instead of going around the table asking "what are you thankful for?" (which usually gets "family" and "food"), draw a card with a specific prompt: "Who taught you something this year?" The answers are better, and the kids get into it.
5. Thanksgiving trivia
Split into teams by table. Mix questions about history, food, football and the parade so grandparents and teens each have an edge.
Games for after dinner
6. Thanksgiving bingo
Picture or word bingo works for small kids and grandparents. Run it from a laptop on the TV with a free bingo caller, and use candy corn as markers.
7. Charades and drawing game
Act out or draw "carving the turkey," "the parade," "a pilgrim hat." Teams race the timer.
8. Find the Guest bingo
Each square says something like "has hosted Thanksgiving" or "has eaten turkey somewhere other than home." Guests mingle to find matches. It's perfect when in-laws or new partners are meeting the family.
9. Thanksgiving scavenger hunt
Hide paper turkeys or small items around the house and give the kids a checklist. It buys the adults twenty quiet minutes.
Quiet games for the kids' table
10. Word scramble
Unscramble Thanksgiving words before anyone else. Hand it out while the food is still coming.
11. Thanksgiving word search
Easy grids for little kids, harder ones for teens, large-print for grandparents.
12. Coloring pages
Harvest and turkey coloring pages keep the youngest guests busy at the table.
Which game should you pick?
| Group | Best games |
|---|---|
| Mostly adults | Who's Most Likely To, Would You Rather, trivia |
| Lots of young kids | Scavenger hunt, bingo, coloring, word scramble |
| Grandparents at the table | Gratitude cards, bingo, large-print word search, left right game |
| People who don't know each other | Find the Guest bingo, left right game |
| Big group (20+) | Bingo, trivia by table, left right game |
Planning tip: Thanksgiving 2026 is Thursday, November 26. Print your games the weekend before, put each in an envelope labeled with when to play it, and hand the envelope to an enthusiastic cousin to run.
Thanksgiving Game Night Bundle: 4 Printable Family Games (Left Right, Most Likely To, Gratitude Cards & Charades)
Thanksgiving Left Right Game: 3 Pass-the-Prize Stories for the Family Table (Printable)
Who's Most Likely To: Thanksgiving Edition, 40 Printable Family Game Cards
Thanksgiving Would You Rather Game: 40 Printable Question Cards
Thanksgiving Gratitude Conversation Cards: 36 Table Talk Cards, Thankful Cards & Gratitude Tree (Printable)
Thanksgiving Trivia: 100 Questions for Grown-Ups, Kids & Seniors
Thanksgiving Bingo: 40 Printable Cards (Regular + Large Print)
Thanksgiving Charades & Drawing Game Cards: 72 Printable Act It / Draw It Game Cards
Thanksgiving Find the Guest Bingo: Printable Icebreaker Game (2 Card Versions)
Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt: Printable Indoor Hunt for Kids & Families
Thanksgiving Word Scramble Game: 20 Printable Word Puzzles with Answer Key
