Thanksgiving host pack

Page 1 · Organizer only

Host guide and memory key

Before starting, ask the person finishing the meal how much uninterrupted time is available. Say the finish condition aloud, not just “let's play a game.” Pair a child or nonreader with a willing reader and let them choose drawing or guessing; that arrangement may help, but no activity here is guaranteed to suit every age or access need.

The host's universal pause rule

Say “pause,” stop the timer and turn unfinished player papers face down. Record the next round number. Resume with the same remaining time and prompts only if the group agrees; otherwise end with the score from completed rounds. A partially finished scored round is discarded for every team. Unscored activities simply end.

Ready choices

Word chain: 3–12 players, five minutes, no supplies. Begin with leaf. Each guest says an associated word or passes; end after two turns each. Unscored.

Sketch-and-guess: teams of 2–4, one pad/pencil per team, three prompts. Draw for 45 seconds; one final team guess. One point per correct answer, maximum three. Share ties. Estimated ten minutes.

Memory

Show mug, spoon, napkin, pencil, leaf, book, scarf, sock for 30 seconds. Cover them and give two minutes to recall up to eight distinct objects. One point per correct object; synonyms count consistently and duplicates count once. Share ties. Offer a partner to write.

Page 2 · Player copy

Reusable player sheet

Optional nickname/team: __________________

Memory: eight different objects

1. Object 1
2. Object 2
3. Object 3
4. Object 4
5. Object 5
6. Object 6
7. Object 7
8. Object 8

Score after reveal: ____ / 8. Duplicates count once; share ties.

Drawing: one final guess per round

1. Round 1
2. Round 2
3. Round 3

Score after reveal: ____ / 3. Discard an interrupted round for every team.

You may dictate, remain seated, observe or pass.

Page 3 · Cut cards only if needed

Eight word-and-picture prompts

The host uses one prompt for a charades turn or the same drawing prompt for every team. Personal disclosures are optional. The trivia questions are on page 8 and their answers on page 5.

Page 4 · Player copy

Observation sheet and optional note

Unscored observation activity, identical copies, no caller or competitive bingo winner. Mark any three things you notice from your seat. Stop whenever dinner is ready.

Optional note

A small comfort I enjoy… / Something outdoors I notice… / A kind thing an imaginary character could do… / My own prompt or drawing.

May share ☐ · Keep private ☐ · You may keep the card or pass.

Page 5 · Organizer only

Turkey bingo caller list and trivia answer key

Caller list: 30 words

Cut the words into slips or tick each one as you read it twice. Check a winning line against the ticked words. Cards 1–8 each hold 24 of these words, so two cards never match.

Trivia answer key

1. 1621
2. Three
3. About 90
4. Five deer
5. Four
6. Wild turkeys
7. Mourt's Relation
8. George Washington
9. Abraham Lincoln
10. Sarah Josepha Hale
11. Franklin D. Roosevelt
12. The fourth Thursday

Family round: five questions you write; each correct answer scores 2 points. Accept close answers the same way for every team; share ties.

Page 6 · Player copies

Turkey bingo cards 1–4

Cover or cross out each word the caller reads. Five in a row, across, down or diagonally, wins. Use paper markers or a pencil, not candy, with children under 4.

Page 7 · Player copies

Turkey bingo cards 5–8

For more than eight players, draw a 5×5 grid and fill it with any 24 words from the caller list, with a star in the center.

Page 8 · One per team

Thanksgiving trivia question sheet

Team name (optional): __________________

Family round: the host reads five questions

1. Family 1
2. Family 2
3. Family 3
4. Family 4
5. Family 5

Score after marking: ____ / 12 history + ____ × 2 family. You may dictate, remain seated, observe or pass.