20 Fun Things To Do On Thanksgiving Day This Year (2025)
These fun things to do on Thanksgiving promise to make this holiday your best yet.
What are you looking forward to MOST this Thanksgiving? Whether it’s football, the parade, or a mountain of mashed potatoes, these activities will please even your crazy aunt!
Keep reading for additional tips for the best Thanksgiving.
This post contains affiliate links. Check out my disclaimer for more info.
Would you like to save this idea?
Enter your email and I'll send the link straight to you.
Fun Things To Do On Thanksgiving Day
Make sweet memories with your family using these 20 incredible (and cheap or free) activities.
1. PLAY BINGO WITH THE MACY’S DAY PARADE
*Unique game for the morning!
This FREE Thanksgiving Parade Bingo game turns parade-watching into an interactive, laugh-out-loud tradition. Whether you’ve got kids bouncing off the walls, a crowd of adults sipping coffee (or a mix of both), bingo makes the parade even more memorable.
2. DELIGHT WITH FREE JOKES & RIDDLES
*There’s never too many giggles!
Amp up the fun with some silly Thanksgiving jokes and riddles!
Jokes are perfect for the dinner table or long car rides. And they’re guaranteed to make everyone smile (even the grumpy turkey).
Related: What Am I Riddles
3. THANKSGIVING MINUTE TO WIN IT GAMES
*Gets them moving and grooving!
There are so many simple and fun games to play on Thanksgiving. Grab a few items and play!
See these hilarious Thanksgiving Minute to Win It Games. From turkey challenges to yam races, kids and adults will stay entertained and in the Thanksgiving spirit.
4. GRATITUDE SCAVENGER HUNT
*Great for teens
Get everyone moving with this easy Thanksgiving photo scavenger hunt for kids! This unique hunt emphasizes gratitude while taking photos. Kids and teens LOVE it because they get to use technology for the game.
5. THANKSGIVING CONVERSATION STARTERS
*Unique way to get people talking!
Keep the conversation at dinner lively with these fun Thanksgiving question starters. You can use the full list on the fly, or cut out the free cards and put them in a jar to pull out.
Print out these Thanksgiving Would You Rather Questions for more fun dinner discussions.
6. A THANKSGIVING GRATITUDE GAME
*Discover hidden blessings!
This fun free gratitude game uses Skittles, but you can use anything colorful, like craft sticks or straws. It helps kids (and adults!) notice their blessings and share what they’re thankful for in a fun, lighthearted way.
*Find more fun kids gratitude activities HERE!>>
7. WATCH A FAMILY-FRIENDLY THANKSGIVING MOVIE
*Great for when you need a little downtime!
Whether it’s before or after the turkey, there’s nothing better than pressing play on a feel-good fall film.
So, if you’re looking for laughter, heartwarming family moments, or festive vibes with pie, these Thanksgiving movies are perfect. They’ll keep the holiday spirit alive long after dinner.
8. THANKSGIVING COLORING PLACEMAT
*My youngest daughter’s favorite!
Color this fun free placemat with the kids in your family while you wait for dinner to be ready! It’s filled with fun activities, coloring, and games that will entertain them.
9. WHO’S THE BIGGEST TURKEY?
*Absolutely hilarious!
Who is the Biggest Turkey is a lighthearted way to break the ice or entertain a crowd between the feast and football. This free game is full of silly, seasonal fun. All you need is the printable, a pen, and a willingness to act like a turkey now and then!
Players answer Thanksgiving-related questions, rack up points, and see who earns the grand title of… the BIGGEST TURKEY.
10. THANKSGIVING TRIVIA
*Great for competitive folks or learning new things!
How many cranberries does it take to make one can of cranberry sauce?
Discover the answer and more with these Thanksgiving trivia quiz questions!
Love trivia? You’ll also love this fall trivia.
11. THE BOWL GAME
This game looks like the PERFECT family Thanksgiving game!
First, every person writes down something others don’t know about them. Then, players try to guess who wrote it. Points are given to those who guess correctly. The trick is to write random and silly things not even your spouse would know!
12. THANKSGIVING DAY MAD LIBS
*Everyone will be giggling!
Add a side of laughter to your holiday! These Thanksgiving Mad Libs are an easy, hilarious way to keep everyone entertained before (or after) the big feast. You’ll love making “the best pumpkin pie!”
13. PLAY THANKSGIVING CHARADES
*Gets the wiggles out in a funny way!
Work off that turkey with a friendly game of charades for Thanksgiving. Use the printable cards, act it out, and see how your team does!
Love games? Don’t miss:
14. I SPY THANKSGIVING
Have kids color and find all the fun Thanksgiving-themed objects!
Check it out HERE from Paper Trail Design
15. WHAT’S YOUR TURKEY NAME?
*A quick activity that’s perfect for kids and teens
Try this Thanksgiving Table Turkey Name Game to get everyone laughing. You’ll also love this popular Turkey Dice Roll Game. Bonus points if you use your new turkey name while you play!
16. FILL A GRATITUDE JAR or THANKFUL TURKEY
Instead of sharing what you are grateful for aloud, write it down! Use the free printable Thankful Turkey or collect them in a jar and read them aloud. Guess who wrote each one. Save the slips to read next year or pass them out to each family.
17. DESIGN A THANKFULNESS TABLECLOTH
Keep your kids busy before your meal! Lay out butcher paper on your table and have kids color, write, and express words of thanks on it. Use this are your tablecloth for your meal.
Grab a disposable tablecloth to color that includes activities on it!
18. READ THANKSGIVING BOOKS
Read a few fall and Thanksgiving books to help teach those valuable Thanksgiving lessons!
Bear Says Thanks
*Best Thanksgiving book or preschoolers!
We love the way this book rhymes and mama loves how it emphasizes togetherness and gratitude.
Thankful
This short little board book for kids discusses being thankful for all of the little things. Children and adults can always use a reminder of this!
*Watch the read aloud of this book!
Thanks for Thanksgiving
Another amazing book to guide you in a thankful discussion!
The Magic Treehouse: Thanksgiving on Thursday
This is perfect for older kids! My son LOVES the Magic Treehouse series. It’s a great way to discuss Thanksgiving traditions and history.
19. DRAW NAMES FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS
Use your time together to plan out your holiday gift exchange. Choose one person to buy a gift for instead of shopping for everyone. Or try one of these entertaining Christmas gift exchange games when you meet for your holiday gathering.
Pro Tip: You may be able to score a Black Friday deal by planning ahead. (BUDGET WIN!)
20. TURKEY TAG
Now, this is the cutest idea! Have kids make these simple clothespin turkeys, then attach them to their shirts. It becomes a game of tag to get the clothespins off. Don’t just let the kids do this one. It’s a playful game for everyone!
Check it out HERE at Let’s Get Together
21. THANKSGIVING PICTIONARY
Create a Thanksgiving-themed drawing game by writing fall and Thanksgiving words on paper. Teams take turns drawing and guessing for fast-paced fun!
22. START A NEW TRADITION
Mix things up by starting a new Thanksgiving tradition.
- Deliver Blessing Mix to friends and neighbors
- Bake a new dessert
- Watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
- Make a Christmas tree ornament
- Play a game of football
- Assemble care packages
- Write thank you notes
Related: Christmas Traditions that Encourage Giving
Tip #1: Define Your Perfect Holiday
The holiday season often brings overzealous expectations and overwhelming stress to make things perfect.
Therefore, take a moment to remember that people have flaws and this is real life. Your kids may WILL PROBABLY melt down. It’s possible you’ll burn something. And there are any number of things that will not be “just right.”- But in the grand scheme of things, those things don’t matter.
So, distinguish what the MOST important things are to you this Thanksgiving. Strive to make those happen, and let go of the rest (especially things outside of your control).
Your attitude towards the day makes a HUGE difference in how much you enjoy the holiday.
Tip #2: Decrease the Work
You know what I hate?
Cooking for Thanksgiving while my family lays on the couch watching the parade. Darn it, I want to be with them!
So, I prefer to make breakfast ahead and make side dishes AROUND the parade and our other traditions.
Here are some flavorful make-ahead breakfast ideas:
- egg casserole (my personal favorite)
- fruit muffins
- cinnamon rolls or french toast
- baked oatmeal
- breakfast cookies
- yogurt protein bites
Click HERE for Healthy holiday breakfast ideas that also make PERFECT Thanksgiving options!
Furthermore, spread out the work when it comes to preparing food! If you host the holiday, have others bring plenty of sides.
And as the kids get older, it’s a great opportunity to teach them how to make their favorite dishes. We’ll be pulling jobs out of a hat this year to get the kids more involved!
Check out these posts for other great ways to plan ahead:
- 14 Things To Do In November To Banish Holiday Stress
- 21 Healthy Fall Recipes
- Try the Free Thanksgiving Menu Planner Template
Looking for more ways to be playful with your kids?
Check out: Easy Ways To Become A Playful Mom or Free Printables for Your Amazing Fall Bucket List
What’s Next?
Disconnect from phones and shopping madness. Make Thanksgiving about connecting with loved ones. Use these fun things to do on Thanksgiving to enhance the celebration.
Cheers to your perfect holiday, whatever that may be!
Next, check out 55 Friendsgiving Games For Kids & Adults and consider hosting a Friendsgiving this year!