Every Thanksgiving has the same stretch: the food is nearly ready, the grown-ups are in the kitchen, and the kids are bouncing off the walls. Here are five printable games that fill that hour, all free and all made in a few minutes.
1. The secret menu
Put tonight's menu on the table in code. The kids have to crack it to find out what's for dessert. The number code is easy enough for a six year old.
2. An indoor scavenger hunt
A list of things to find around the house, for three ages. Mixed teams of cousins work well: the older one reads, the younger one spots. The how-to is in Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids.
3. A treasure map to the pie
Hide the pie, or a small bag of treats, somewhere in the house and give them a map. Name the stops after the rooms they'll walk through on the way.
4. A family escape room
Pick a short password everybody knows, like the dog's name or a word the family always says, and a whole escape room spells it out. Puzzles for different skills mean the grandparents can join in too.
5. A fall scavenger hunt outside
If the weather's good, send them outside with a fall list: leaves, seeds, and a twig shaped like a Y. The list is in Fall Scavenger Hunt for Kids.
