We are big fans of Minute to Win it games at our house. Another holiday or party means we have another excuse to play! So we came up with some awesome Minute to Win It Thanksgiving games to help us celebrate and create family memories.
Some of these games are hilarious. My kids thought the Pumpkin Pie Game was pretty awesome because they got their fill of whipping cream and candy.
The games can be played a couple of different ways. You can create teams and have a member from each team go head to head against each other or you can play as individuals in a “beat the clock” type of fashion.
These fun family games for kids and adults are such a great way to celebrate the holidays. Kids of all ages and grown ups from parents to grandparents can participate. If you’re inviting friends to your Thanksgiving get together, these challenges also make great ice breakers. If you’re looking for more ideas, you can also adapt some of our Minute to Win It Christmas game ideas to give them a Thanksgiving theme.
Minute to Win It Thanksgiving Games:
To create your own Minute to Win It Thanksgiving themed challenge, you can pick and choose from the games below or do all of them. I’ve listed the full list of supplies as well as listing the supplies needed for each game so that it makes it easier for you to plan your own party.
You’ll notice that the materials needed are inexpensive or things that you already have around the house. I was able to get all of the supplies for ours at the dollar store.
Supplies needed:
- pie plates
- candy pumpkins
- whipped cream
- pumpkin seeds
- straws
- paper plates
- turkey baster
- balloons
- feathers
- spoons
- optional: candy corn
Pumpkin Pie
Supplies needed:
- pie plates
- candy pumpkins
- whipping cream
The object of this game is to retrieve all the pumpkins out of your pie. To set up, place candy pumpkins on the bottom of each pie plate. Cover with whipping cream. Each player sits with their hands behind their backs and has to find the pumpkins and move them out of the pie using only their mouth.
Turkeys of a Feather
Supplies needed:
- feathers*
In this game, players need to attempt to keep their feather in the air for a full minute by blowing it up. It’s harder than it sounds. If a player’s feather touches the ground or a surface, they are out of the game.
This is a good one to play in a large group because you can have many people playing at one time.
*We tried to play this game with Thanksgiving coloured craft feathers, but they were too heavy for it to work properly, so I suggest using the lighter wispy feathers.
Pumpkin Seed Suck It Up
Supplies needed:
- pumpkin seeds
- straws
- paper plates
To set this game up, pour some pumpkin seeds onto a paper plate for each player. Set that down next to an empty plate. To play, each person puts a straw in their mouth and attempts to transfer all the pumpkin seeds to the empty plate in less than one minute. If you’re playing head to head, then then the person who transfers all of their pumpkin seeds the fastest is the winner.
Pumpkin (or Candy Corn) Relay
Supplies needed:
- spoons (one for each person participating)
- candy pumpkins or candy corn
Place one candy pumpkin (or candy corn) on a spoon. Have players race holding onto their spoon with one hand (you can allow younger kids to use both hands). If their candy drops off, they are eliminated or have to start back at the beginning.
The rest of our candy pumpkins got eaten by one of our kids before this race (just being real!), so we used glittered pine cones which were the most Thanksgiving themed item I could think of on the spot!
To make this game more challenging for adults, you can create a bit of an obstacle course. Or you can race in teams, handing off the spoon and candy to the next person in line. This is my favourite version of the game. It creates a fun atmosphere with team members cheering each other on.
Turkey Basting
Supplies needed:
- turkey basters
- balloons
Give each person a turkey baster and balloon. The goal of this Minute to Win It challenge is to get the balloon across the table lengthwise using only the air from the turkey baster. You are not allowed to touch the balloon with the turkey baster. This can be played to beat the one minute timer or played head to head with the winner earning one point for their team.
If you don’t have a long table, you can mark a start and finish line on the floor using masking tape and try to get the balloon across the finishing line along the floor.
Looking for more ideas for family fun or resources to help you connect with your child? Join our free 5 Days to Better Family Connection email series.
You may also want to check out some of our other Minute to Win It Games:
Minute to Win It Christmas Edition





Just like in some of the other emotions learning activities I’ve created to help kids such as our 
The game requires kids to predict what a certain circumstance or action would cause a spider to feel, so it’s best used to reinforce the concepts in children who already have an
These spiders are adorable. This is a cute activity for Hallowe’en at home or in a classroom. It’s a nice one to have set out in a quiet corner for kids who need a calm down area or for students who have completed their other work.



This is easy to set up, inexpensive, and yet covers several important concepts for preschoolers. It’s fun and engaging, so they don’t even realize that they’re learning as they play. Using some of the same supplies, you can also create the Rainbow Playdough Fine Motor Activity.












While at first glance, this activity may seem very simple, it has layers of learning within it. This play allows children the opportunity to learn or reenforce their knowledge of the order of the colours in the rainbow while practising their fine motor skills.
Expand the learning about rainbows. You can create an entire unit study on rainbows in your preschool or homeschool.



The object of this game is to stack 3 golf balls on top of each other. The balls must remain stacked for 3 seconds to win. You can either play head to head or individually. If playing head to head, the first one to complete their stack and have it stay in place for 3 seconds is the winner.
To set up this game, slice a watermelon in half and prop it up on a picnic table or other flat surface. Have each player stand at a distance from the watermelon and throw cards one at a time in an attempt to get a card in the watermelon. The object of the game is to get one of the cards to stick in the watermelon in under a minute.
Set the cans up in a pyramid on a flat surface such as a folding table or picnic table. Give each player elastics. The object of this game is to knock over all 6 cans using elastics in under a minute. Again, you can determine how far away players must stand depending on age.
Give each player a set of chopsticks, 2 graham crackers, a marshmallow, and 1 or 2 pieces of chocolate. The object of this game is to assemble a s’more using only the chopsticks in less than a minute.
Blow up the balloons. You’ll need 3 if doing this individually or 6 if you’ll have people competing head to head. The goal of this one is to keep all 3 balloons in the air for 60 seconds without having any of them touch the ground.

This activity also provides good sensory input. As your child squeezes and shapes the playdough, they are using their proprioceptive and tactile sensory systems. Reading the words and looking at the pictures uses their visual sensory system. If you use