Thanksgiving School Games

Pumpkin Bowling

• Paint 10 2-liter soda bottles with orange, brown and yellow acrylic paint. Fill each bottle about 1/3 full with water to keep them sturdy. Place the bottles in a triangle shape like bowling pins. Mark a standing line about 15 feet from the "pins." Adjust the standing line further or closer depending on the ages of the children. Have the children roll medium size pumpkins at the "pins." The child who knocks down the most pins wins the game. Another variation is to award a prize to each child who knocks down all the pins in two tries.

Pin the Hat on the Pilgrim

• Draw a picture of a pilgrim on a large poster board, and hang it on the wall. Print or draw a pilgrim hat for each player, and write his name on it. Place double-sided tape on the back of each hat. Blindfold each player, and spin her four times. Tell her to try to pin the hat on the pilgrim. The player who pins the hat closest to the correct spot on the pilgrim wins the game.

Miniature Pumpkin Pass

• Divide the players into two teams. If you have several children, divide them into teams of around 10 players. Have the children stand in a single file line, and give the first player in each team line a miniature pumpkin. When you say, "Go," the first player in line must put the pumpkin under his chin and pass it to the next player in line. Players cannot use their hands to pass the pumpkin, only their neck and chin. If a player drops the pumpkin, it must go back to the first player in line. The first team to pass the miniature pumpkin all the way down their team line wins the game.

Turkey Waddle Relay Race

• Purchase inflatable turkeys from your local retail store or online. Divide the players into equal teams and give each team an inflatable turkey. Mark a starting line and finish line about 40 feet apart. When you say "race," the first person in each line must put the inflatable turkey between her legs and race to the finish line. If the turkey falls out of her legs, she must go back to the starting line and start over. When a player reaches the finish line, he can run back to the starting line to give the next player in line the turkey and he must do the same thing. The first team to complete the race wins the game.