Show notes
Holiday Games and Fun — Just in time for the Holidays! Episode 309
Fun games? Yes, please. How about holiday games? It’s that time of the year! The holidays are around the corner and it is best to think about keeping the kids occupied at busy family events. Here are some suggestions, more on this episode as well. Have fun with your family this holiday season.
Thanks to our sponsor Heirloom Audios – check out this wonderful interview here.
Holiday Games with little prep:
Would you rather game:
Materials: a sheet of paper divide it in half.
Procedure: Make a list of things to compare. Write “Would you rather” at the top of the page on the left-hand side. Divide the paper in half. This is an example: Eat a pumpkin pie or eat without a fork
Conversation Starters
You can use plain paper and tweak the suggestions below depending on the event or holiday.
Materials: Index cards or Popsicle sticks (place them in a decorated mason jar)
Procedure: Write a series of questions such as these:
- Who are your thankful for?
- What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?
- Look at the person to your right and say something helpful or thoughtful.
- What happened on the first Thanksgiving?
- What are some of the foods that the Pilgrims ate?
- What was the Indian’s contribution?
- Name one food you would not make if you were in charge of Thanksgiving dinner?
- Can you name five things that begin with the letter “T” that has to do with Thanksgiving?
- What Thanksgiving food takes the longest to make?
- Can any of the foods you eat on Thanksgiving Day be made without an oven?
- How did the Pilgrims make their meal without an oven?
- Name all the desserts you can think of that are served on Thanksgiving Day?
- Name a Scripture verse (or look up) that has to do with being thankful.
- What prayer do you say before you eat?
- Close your eyes and name all the foods you smell.
- What is a food that is frozen that is sometimes eaten at Thanksgiving?
- Name all the orange things in the room.
- Name all the orange foods that are edible.
- What sound does a turkey make?
- List all foods you want to eat today.
(You can add more ideas to this list.)
Clothes pin turkey tag.
Material: clothespins, paint, markers or crayons. Google eyes or peClothespinkers. Orange construction paper. Glue (hot glue).
Procedure: You will need 3 clothespins for each person. Color (use marker or crayons) or paint the top of a clothespin different colors. Use google eyes (or draw eyes with black or blue sharpy). Use orange construction paper and cut it into triangles. Glue the beak in front of the eyes.
To play the game:
Each person takes the clothespins and pins them on their clothes. Anywhere they want (but they can’t be in a pocket). Someone says go and each person has to grab a clothespin off of someone’s clothes without losing one of theirs. The person who has at least one clothespin left wins.
Thanksgiving/ Christmas or Anytime Holiday Party Games:
These need a bit more prep and following are suggestions on how to up the pace!
For the Kids and Family Events
Timed Games: Timing helps to speed things up and adds excitement to any party! You can practice some of these ahead of time with the children. Place the children into teams to keep the individual competition down.
Teams: Play in teams. It helps to keep the frustration down when kids lose. If you play in teams. Use a marker board or paper to keep score!
Bingo Thanksgiving Style: Use M & M’s for makers
Make cards with the following graphics. Two of each to match. You can make cards differently with a square that says thankful in the middle. Use graphics such as Pilgrim Girl, and boy, Corn, Pumpkin, Turkey, Pie, Pilgrim Hat, Mayflower, etc.
Pictionary – Thanksgiving style!
Use a mason jar with a ribbon on edge. Paint large or regular popsicle sticks. Use a sharpie to write a “Thanksgiving” type of word — such as turkey, eat, fall leaves, pie, etc. Use a pad of paper and have the children take turns drawing a picture and allowing others to guess the correct answer. The person who guesses goes next and draws a popsicle stick.
Pin the tail on the Turkey / or Christmas tree, etc. (Depending on the Holiday.)
Pin the tail on the turkey! Use construction paper to make “feathers” and have the children create their own turkey decoration. You can use sliding glass doors and tape or non-stick fasteners.
Puzzle Race:
Use Thanksgiving-related pictures (or other holiday pictures ) and cut them out like a puzzle. Place the pieces of one puzzle at a time on a tabletop, get out your cell phone stopwatch or use a stopwatch and give each child one minute to put it together. Work in teams.
Candy Color Sort Game:
Use 25 candies such as M & M’s or Skittles. Place two piles of 25 with two children facing off. Give each child a spoon. Ask them to sort the candy into piles using only a spoon. Older child variation: Place the spoon in your mouth and sort the candy. The winner is the one who sorts the candy into colors first.
Relay Races:
There are many variations of this game. Use plastic cones to mark the zone and lanes if possible. You can use a ball of the same size (you need at least two). For example, a baseball and place it between your knees. Wait until some shouts, “Go!” and race with the ball. If you drop the ball pick it up and place it between your knees and keep going.
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Resources from Media Angels: For more on this, explore Christmas Planning Printables from Media Angels.
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