5 Games To Pass The Time While Thanksgiving Dinner Cooks

Thanksgiving is definitely one of the biggest family gatherings of the year. It's a time when you get to see your loved ones, catch up, and spend quality time together. However, Thanksgiving can also include a lot of idle time, especially if something happens to be timed incorrectly. If your family isn't the naturally engaging sort, children can get bored — fast — and that could mean cries of boredom and possible tantrums, which nobody wants. And one of the easiest ways to pass the time at any family gathering is to play a few games.

While the house starts to fill with the irresistible smell of a roasting turkey, you won't even mind waiting for it to be done because you'll be having such a blast. So, to avoid lags in conversation and keep the party going, try out playing a few games this holiday. Start out with these five easy ideas:

Board Games

The easiest way to pass the time while the turkey is roasting in the oven is to tap into the board game stash and play an old favorite. Whether you go for a classic like Monopoly or LIFE, or decide to try something new like 5-Second Rule!, this is an easy way to get everyone involved — just try not to get too competitive.

Card Games

Every household has an old deck of cards, so break one out for some easy, all-ages entertainment. Stick to simple games everyone knows and loves, such as Uno, Go Fish, War, and Crazy Eights.

Parade Bingo

Before the holiday, use a bingo card generator to make cards for every family member. Use tropes of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (obvious lip-syncing, Santa Claus, famous floats) to fill in the spaces. Pass around the cards and pens, and have the family play along while they watch.

Pie Plate Scrabble

Hide five Scrabble tiles that spell out Thanksgiving-themed words (thank, feast, plate, forks) in disposable pie tins and fill the tin with whipped cream. Have your family members dig in face first, fish out the letters, and spell out their word. Just be careful that this game only includes family members old enough not to swallow the tiles and make sure to monitor the activity!

Turkey Hunt

Print out various pictures of turkey and hide them around the house and yard. Turn this game into a "turkey hunt," where kids have to find all of the hidden gobblers around the property. Whichever kid finds the most turkeys gets a prize (like being first in line for the buffet).