Thanksgiving Minute to Win It Games
Thanksgiving is one of those fun holidays where family get together, food is flowing, and the house smells like heaven. But after the turkey coma hits and everyone’s just lounging around… it’s the perfect time to bring on some silly fun with Minute to Win It games!
These quick, goofy challenges are perfect for kids, teens and parents. Here are some Thanksgiving-themed Minute to Win It game ideas that your whole crew will love.
What Are Minute to Win It Games?
They’re super simple, super fast games where each challenge only takes one minute to complete. Yep, just 60 seconds of chaos, giggles, and cheering.
The idea came from a game show where contestants had to complete silly tasks using everyday household items, usually in under a minute. The best part? These games are low-prep and high-fun, and they’re awesome for all ages. You can play one-on-one, in teams, or just take turns. Whether you’re ultra competitive or just in it for the laughs, there’s something for everyone.
How to Play Minute to Win It Games
Don’t worry, no need to print anything fancy or buy expensive supplies. You probably already have everything at home!
Here’s a basic setup:
What You Need:
- A timer or stopwatch (your phone works perfectly)
- Basic supplies like cups, spoons, straws, mini marshmallows, paper plates, etc.
- Scoreboard (optional but fun!)
- Prizes (think dollar store goodies, candy, or bragging rights!)
How to Play:
- Choose a challenge and explain the rules.
- Set your timer for 60 seconds.
- One person (or team) tries to complete the challenge before the time runs out.
- Keep track of points, 1 point for completing it in time.
- Most points at the end wins!
You can keep it super casual or get competitive. We like to mix it up, with prizes for silliest attempt, best teamwork, or even “most dramatic fail.”
Fun Thanksgiving Minute to Win It Games
Okay, here comes the fun part! These games are all themed for Thanksgiving, and I promise they’ll have your family cracking up between pie and leftovers.
1. Stuff the Turkey
What you need:
Brown paper lunch bags (aka “turkeys”) and small balloons (“stuffing”)
How to play:
Give each player a turkey bag and a pile of balloons. The goal is to “stuff the turkey” by blowing up and stuffing as many balloons into the bag as they can in one minute. It’s harder than it sounds, especially when the turkey starts puffing up!
2. Pumpkin Pie Face
What you need:
Whipped cream, pie tins, gummy pumpkins (or candy corn)
How to play:
Put several candy pumpkins in a pie tin, cover it with whipped cream, and have the player put their hands behind their back. They’ve got 60 seconds to fish out the candies using only their mouth. It’s a whipped cream mess, and it’s hilarious.
3. Turkey Feather Float
What you need:
Feathers (or tissue paper pieces)
How to play:
Players must keep a feather floating in the air using only their breath for 60 seconds. If it touches the ground, they’re out! Pro tip: get everyone to play at once, it’s fun chaos watching the feathers fly.
4. Corn to the Cup
What you need:
Dried corn kernels (or popcorn or candy corn), a spoon, and a cup
How to play:
Players have to transfer as many kernels as they can from one bowl to another, using only a spoon in their mouth. Hands stay behind their back. Get ready for some serious giggles as the kernels fly everywhere!
5. Roll the Sweet Potato
What you need:
A sweet potato and a spoon
How to play:
Lay out a finish line across the floor (use tape or a rug). Players must roll a sweet potato across the floor using only a spoon. No hands allowed! First one across the line, or furthest in 60 seconds, wins.
6. Gravy Boat Balance
What you need:
Plastic cups filled halfway with water (“gravy boats”) and spoons
How to play:
Players balance the “gravy boat” on their head and walk across the room. If they spill it, they have to start over. The goal is to make it back and forth as many times as they can in one minute. Slippery and silly!
7. Cranberry Stack
What you need:
Fresh cranberries and popsicle sticks
How to play:
Balance the popsicle stick in your mouth and try to stack cranberries on the end, one at a time. Whoever stacks the most cranberries in 60 seconds wins. Warning: they roll. A lot.
8. Turkey Waddle
What you need:
A balloon
How to play:
Place the balloon between your knees and waddle across the room like a turkey without dropping it. Bonus points if they make gobbling sounds while waddling!
9. Pumpkin Stack Attack
What you need:
Mini pumpkins (or use plastic ones from the dollar store)
How to play:
Stack as many pumpkins as you can on top of each other without it falling over. The person with the tallest stack after 60 seconds wins. It’s a balancing act and totally addictive!
10. Thanksgiving Word Scramble
What you need:
Pre-made scrambled Thanksgiving words on cards
How to play:
Set out scrambled words like “GGRYVA” (gravy), “NUGTIKPMP” (pumpkin). Each player gets a stack and has 60 seconds to unscramble as many as they can. Great for the older kids and adults!
11. Mash Potato Madness
What you need:
Bowls of cold mashed potatoes and plastic spoons
How to play:
Set two bowls in front of each player, one full of mashed potatoes, the other empty. Using just a spoon held in their mouth, they have to scoop and transfer as much mash as possible into the empty bowl in 60 seconds. Messy? Yes. Hilarious? Also Yes!
12. Turkey Leg Wrap
What you need:
Brown streamers (or toilet paper!)
How to play:
In teams of two, one person wraps the other’s legs (from knees to ankles) to turn them into “turkey legs.” Fastest full wrap in 60 seconds wins!
13. Candy Corn Chopstick Challenge
What you need:
Chopsticks, bowls, and candy corn
How to play:
Players use chopsticks to move as many candy corn pieces from one bowl to another in one minute. No hands allowed—just those chopstick skills. This one’s sneakily competitive!
14. Gobble Gobble Guess
What you need:
Blindfolds and Thanksgiving-themed items (plastic corn, mini pumpkins, felt leaves, etc.)
How to play:
Players are blindfolded and handed one item at a time. They have to guess what it is by touch alone, no peeking! Before giving their guess, they must say ‘Gobble Gobble” Keep score for correct guesses in 60 seconds. It’s a sensory giggle-fest!
15. Rollin’ with the Rolls
What you need:
Dinner rolls and a flat surface
How to play:
Line up a row of players at the edge of a table. Each has 60 seconds to roll as many dinner rolls across the table and into a basket (or onto a plate) as they can, without them falling off the sides! It’s like Thanksgiving skee-ball.
16. Pumpkin Pie Puzzle
What you need:
Printed images of pumpkin pie, cut into puzzle pieces
How to play:
Give each player a small pie image that’s been cut into 6–10 pieces. They must put it back together as fast as they can in 60 seconds. Bonus points if you laminate them to use year after year!
17. Turkey Talk Charades
What you need:
A bowl with Thanksgiving-themed words (turkey, stuffing, parade, pie, football, etc.)
How to play:
Players draw words and act them out without speaking, gobble sounds only! The rest of the group guesses. Count how many they get right in 60 seconds. The gobble-only rule makes it ten times more fun!
Fun Prize Ideas
You don’t need to spend much! The point is just to keep the energy light and fun. Here are a few crowd-pleasers:
- Mini pumpkins or Thanksgiving plushies
- Candy bars or treat bags
- Silly Thanksgiving stickers
- “Turkey Champion” paper crowns
- Coupons for “first pick of dessert” or “skip dish duty”
Why I Love These Games (And You Will Too)
I love these minute to win it games because:
- They get everyone off the couch
- Kids and grown-ups can play together
- They’re easy to set up and clean up
- They make hilarious memories (and even better videos!)
I’ve found that our Thanksgiving feels even more special when we include a little extra fun. It’s not just about the food, it’s about laughing with your cousin until your sides hurt, or watching Grandpa try to balance a feather on his nose. These are the moments our kids remember.
Final Tips
- Play music in the background to keep the energy up!
- Have your phone ready for photos or videos, you’ll want to remember these!
- Don’t stress about keeping score perfectly, it’s all about fun.
- Get the kids involved in setting up the games. They’ll love being in charge!
So this Thanksgiving, after the dishes are done and everyone’s feeling a little too full, bring out the games and fill your home with some extra fun. These silly, one-minute challenges are such a great way to connect, laugh, and make memories that outlast even the leftovers.
From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!
