Items You’ll Need to Play Charades
Thanksgiving charades requires almost nothing to set up. Most households already have everything needed.
| Item | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Printed charades cards | Provides prompts for players to act out | Print and cut the 271 ideas included in this guide |
| Timer or smartphone | Keeps track of each turn | Set it for 60-90 seconds per round |
| Bowl or container | Holds the folded charades cards | Any container works, even a cooking pot |
| Paper and pen | Tracks team scores throughout the game | Optional but helpful for competitive groups |
| Space to perform | Gives players room to act out clues | Clear a spot in the living room or kitchen |
Thanksgiving Charades Word Game
Charades creates lasting memories with family and friends gathered together.
The game requires no special equipment. Just print words, divide into teams, and start playing and creating memories.
Food
From the main course to the tiniest side dish, Thanksgiving food deserves its own spotlight.
Get ready to act out your favorite feast items, but remember, no words allowed, just gestures and creativity.
1. Turkey
2. Stuffing
3. Mashed potatoes
4. Cranberry sauce
5. Pumpkin pie
6. Apple pie
7. Pecan pie
8. Roasted vegetables
9. Mac and cheese
10. Corn on the cob
11. Roasted turkey leg
12. Stuffed mushrooms
13. Potato casserole
14. Homemade bread
15. Apple crisp
16. Cheese platter
17. Turkey gravy boat
18. Pumpkin spice latte
19. Sweet corn pudding
20. Turkey stuffing balls
21. Garlic mashed potatoes
22. Pecan bars
23. Pumpkin cheesecake
24. Roasted chestnuts
25. Apple slices with caramel
26. Sweet potato fries
27. Turkey soup
28. Deviled eggs
29. Turkey bacon
Traditions
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without the traditions we all look forward to.
These actions and activities capture the true holiday spirit. See if your family can guess them all!
30. Saying grace
31. Breaking the wishbone
32. Playing football
33. Decorating the house
34. Carving the turkey
35. Shopping for Black Friday
36. Doing dishes
37. Lighting candles
38. Watching old family videos
39. Setting up holiday lights
40. Hosting guests overnight
41. Making place cards
42. Wearing matching pajamas
43. Having a food coma
44. Collecting autumn leaves
445. Taking a long walk
46. Playing charades
Movies
Cozy up after dinner and act out these popular Thanksgiving-themed movies.
From animated classics to family comedies, this list is full of recognizable titles everyone can enjoy guessing.
47. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
48. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
49. Free Birds
50. Home for the Holidays
51. Dutch
52. The Blind Side
53. Miracle on 34th Street
54. Grumpy Old Men
55. Garfield’s Thanksgiving
56. Tower Heist
57. The Ice Storm
58. Addams Family Values
59. Pieces of April
60. The Big Chill
61. Funny People
62. Scent of a Woman
63. Knives Out
64. Rocky
65. You’ve Got Mail
66. The New World
67. Hannah and Her Sisters
68. Sweet November
69. The Oath
70. Holiday Rush
71. Friendsgiving
72. The Turkey Bowl
73. Paul Blart: Mall Cop
74. Spider-Man
75. Fantastic Mr. Fox
76. Stepmom
77. Son-in-Law
78. The Humans
79. Instant Family
80. Eat Pray Love
81. Jack and Jill
82. The War at Home
83. Avalon
84. Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade
85. Holiday Engagement
86. The Santa Clause
Songs
Music adds entertainment to the Thanksgiving mood.
From holiday anthems to autumn-inspired tunes, these charade ideas are perfect for anyone ready to sing or mime their way to victory.
87. Over the River and Through the Woods
88. Thankful by Kelly Clarkson
89. Home by Phillip Phillips
90. Perfect by Ed Sheeran
91. Harvest Moon by Neil Young
92. What a Wonderful World
93. Count on Me by Bruno Mars
94. Thank You by Dido
95. My Wish by Rascal Flatts
96. Gratitude by Earth, Wind & Fire
97. We Are Family by Sister Sledge
98. Give Thanks by Don Moen
99. Family Table by Zac Brown Band
100. Count Your Blessings
101. Home for the Holidays
102. Thank You Next by Ariana Grande
103. All You Need Is Love (The Beatles)
104. I Got You by Jack Johnson
105. Bless the Broken Road (Rascal Flatts)
106. Autumn Leaves
107. Wind Beneath My Wings
108. Thank God I’m a Country Boy
109. Lean on Me (Bill Withers)
110. Forever Young
111. Hallelujah
112. Happy by Pharrell Williams
113. Celebration by Kool & the Gang
114. You Raise Me Up
115. Thank You for Being a Friend
116. Everything by Michael Bublé
117. Feels Like Home
118. Blessings by Laura Story
119. You Are the Best Thing
120. Grateful by Rita Ora
121. Sweet Caroline
122. Homegrown by Zac Brown Band
123. What a Beautiful Name
124. Good Life by OneRepublic
125. Life is a Highway
126. Smile by Nat King Cole
127. Happy Together
128. Forever Now
129. My Girl
130. Brown Eyed Girl
131. Seasons of Love
132. Keep the Faith
133. Harvest Song
134. Family Reunion
135. Take Me Home, Country Roads
136. Simple Gifts
137. We Belong Together
138. Amazing Grace
139. Shine On
140. Feeling Good
141. True Colors
Click here to download a free printable of Thanksgiving charades..
How to Play Charades Game
The rules for charades stay simple. Anyone can jump in and start playing within minutes.
These seven steps will get the game rolling at any gathering.
1. Divide Into Teams
Split everyone into two groups with equal numbers of players. Mix ages and abilities to keep things fair and fun.
If someone arrives late, they can join the smaller team. Teams should sit on opposite sides of the room for better organization and clearer visibility during performances.
2. Prepare the Charades Cards
Print the list of Thanksgiving charades prompts provided in this guide. Cut each prompt into individual strips and fold them in half.
Drop all the folded cards into a bowl or container. Shake the container to mix them up well, so nobody knows what’s coming next during gameplay.
3. Decide Who Goes First
Have each team pick one player to start the first round of acting. Flip a coin or play rock-paper-scissors to determine which team performs first.
The losing team will guess while the winning team sends up their actor. This rotation continues throughout the game, alternating between teams each turn.
4. Set the Timer
Choose a time limit for each turn before starting the game. Most groups use 60 to 90 seconds per round. Set the timer on a smartphone or kitchen timer.
The timekeeper should be someone not currently playing, like a younger kid who wants to help out without performing themselves.
5. Act Out the Prompt and Guess the Answer
The player draws a card from the bowl without showing teammates. They read it silently, then act out the Thanksgiving-related word or phrase using only gestures and body movements.
No talking, humming, or pointing at objects in the room is allowed. Sound effects and mouthing words also break the rules.
6. Teammates Guess the Answer
Team members shout out guesses while watching their teammate perform. The actor can nod yes or shake their head no to guide guesses in the right direction.
If the team guesses correctly before time runs out, they earn one point. Keep acting until someone gets it right or the timer buzzes loudly.
7. Keep Score and Switch Teams
Write down each team’s points after every successful round. The other team then sends up their next player to draw a card and perform.
Continue alternating between teams until everyone has acted at least once or until all cards are used up.
The team with the most points at the end wins the game.
To Wrap Up
These charades ideas give hosts exactly what they need for stress-free entertainment.
Print the cards, cut them up, and toss them in a bowl. That’s it.
The simple moments matter more than perfect decorations or fancy recipes. The laughter brings everyone closer.
If you like our printable Thanksgiving charades word game, do let us know in the comments.
And if you have any suggestions for printables on any festivals, events, etc, drop your idea in the comments.
