Celebrate the day beyond the dinner table.
Get Outdoors
Take a Post-Meal Walk
The simplest of activities might be our favorite.
Bundle up and enjoy the Christmas lights that a few neighbors couldn’t wait any longer to put up!
Credit: Skynesher / Getty Images
Turkey Bowling
Arrange pins and set up an outdoor bowling game.
Run in a Turkey Trot
Turkey Trots are short races.
Usually, these races are one to five miles and take place on Thanksgiving morning.
These races are designed for families and are generally not too competitive.
Bring the family to the race or compete to work up an appetite for your dinner later that evening.
Flag Football
For many, Thanksgiving is practically synonymous with football.
Split into small groups for a round-robin style tournament, or use the entire family for one giant game.
Potato Sack Race
Grab a few burlap sacks or old pillow cases and hit the trackor backyard.
Here isan exampleto get you started.
Find what organizations need help, and construct the day around your volunteer schedule.
Play a Board Game
The day is about family.
Rather than get lost in your phones or the latest Netflix series, huddle up for good old-fashioned fun.
Plus, you’ll make some lasting memories, too.
Have all participating members arrange their pies on a table and have the family vote for their favorite.
Plus, this way, you are sure to have plenty of desserts.
Build a Puzzle
Make a tradition out of building a puzzle every Thanksgiving.
Puzzles are an excellent activity for idle hands when there may be too many cooks in the kitchen.
Elect one person as the “host” to write the responses and enjoy seeing how everyone answers.
Have the kids decorate the different feathers to occupy them during the busiest preparation time.
Play Parade Bingo
TheMacy’s Thanksgiving Paradeis a Thanksgiving morning tradition.
Cuddle up with coffee, hot chocolate, and these printableBingocards.
Pro tip: This is a great way to entertain kids while adults work in the kitchen.
Play Thanksgiving Trivia
Did you know the first Thanksgiving lasted three days?
Use this unique setup to create a guessing game where teams act out the word.
Find Christmas Cookie Recipes
After Thanksgiving, the Christmas season begins.
Make a list and determine who will bring each cookie to your next big holiday gathering.
Best Dressed Pet
Don’t forget about your furry friends this holiday.
Invite family members to bring their dogs or cats in their best holiday outfits.
Turkey Baster Relay
Test out this uniqueThanksgiving-inspired relay raceduring your next holiday.
You might want to purchase an inexpensive baster for this game.
But adult coloring books are very much a thing.
Print some holiday-themed coloring pages in advance and set up a little coloring station.
This activity is another great way to bring everyone together in a screen-free environment.
It might be a good idea to have a head chef selected beforehand.
Then, once you’re done, enjoy your sweet creations.
Host a Thanksgiving day movie marathon featuring some of your favorites.
Plus, you could still sneak in some Christmas films if you want.
Schedule a time for a video chat and check up on how everyone is celebrating this holiday.
Choose a favorite Christmas movie, fromWhite ChristmastoElf, that brings folks together to unwind from the festivities.
