How to play Thanksgiving bingo
Thanksgiving bingo is regular bingo with holiday words in place of numbers. Every player gets a different 5x5 card with a FREE square in the center. The caller reads one Thanksgiving word at a time, and players mark it if it's on their card. The first player with five marked squares in a row, across, down or diagonally, calls "Bingo!" and wins the round.
- 1Hand each player a card and a few markers.
- 2Everyone marks the FREE square in the center.
- 3The caller draws one word, reads it out loud and puts it in a "called" pile.
- 4Players who have that word mark it on their card.
- 5The first player with five in a row calls "Bingo!" and reads the row out loud.
- 6The caller checks those words against the called pile. If they match, that player wins.
Rounds are short, so you can stop and start around the meal. Play one while the turkey rests and another while the pies cool.
What's on the cards
The cards use 60 Thanksgiving words. There is the food (Turkey, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Pecan Pie), the day itself (Parade, Football, Kids' Table, Leftovers) and fall favorites like Scarecrow, Hayride and Apple Cider.
Each card picks 24 of those words and mixes them in a random order, so no two cards in your set match. The list sticks to food, family, parades and fall, so the cards work in a classroom, at a family dinner or at an office potluck.
Add your own title, such as "Garcia Family Thanksgiving Bingo" or "Room 8 Thanksgiving Bingo", and it prints on every card. Choose 1 big card per page or 2 smaller cards per page on US Letter paper.
Call it from paper or from one phone
There are two ways to call the words. Use whichever is easier at your table.
Caller slips
Check "Add caller slips" and every word prints as a slip. Cut them apart, mix them in a bowl or an empty pie tin and draw one at a time.
Call on this phone
Tap Next and the phone shows a random word to read out. It keeps the list of words already called, so checking a "Bingo!" is quick.
Want a game with no paper at all? Our Thanksgiving games run in the browser on one phone, including Thanksgiving Would You Rather and Thanksgiving Most Likely To. Pass the phone around the table after dinner.
Tips for printing and playing
- Print on cardstock so the cards survive gravy spills and a few rounds.
- Laminate the cards, or slide them into sheet protectors, and use dry-erase markers. Wipe them clean for the next round or next year.
- Use candy corn, dried beans, mini marshmallows or buttons as markers.
- Choose 1 card per page for big, easy-to-read squares, or 2 per page to save paper.
- Set a stack of cards and markers on the coffee table so people can join a round while dinner finishes.
- Keep prizes simple: the first slice of pie, first pick of the leftovers or a night off dish duty.
Thanksgiving bingo variations
Change what counts as a win to keep later rounds fresh.
Four corners
Mark the four corner squares to win. It is fast, which makes it a good first round.
Blackout
Mark every square on the card. Save it for the last round, maybe with the best prize.
Letter T
Mark the whole top row and the whole middle column. T is for turkey.
Thankful bingo
Before claiming the prize, the winner names one thing they are thankful for this year.
Team cards
Play in pairs or small teams with one card each. It works well for big family groups.
Picture frame
Mark every square around the outside edge of the card.
Who Thanksgiving bingo is for
Thanksgiving bingo works for any group, because players only need to listen and mark a square. Teachers can play it in the days before Thanksgiving break, with up to 60 different cards for a full class. Families can play between dinner and dessert, with grandparents and cousins at the same table. It also fits a Friendsgiving or an office potluck, where people can chat between calls.
For more ideas, see our family game night guide and our party games for large groups.
Questions
Are these Thanksgiving bingo cards free?
Yes. You can make and print up to 60 cards at a time for free. There is no sign-up and nothing to download, except a PDF if you choose to save one.
Is every card different?
Yes. Each card picks 24 of the 60 words and mixes them in a random order, with a FREE square in the center. No two cards in your set are the same.
How do I call the game?
Check "Add caller slips" to print every word as a slip to cut apart and draw from a bowl. Or use Call on this phone: tap Next for a random word, and the phone keeps the list of words already called.
Are the words OK for a classroom?
Yes. The 60 words are about food, family, parades, football and fall, such as Pumpkin Pie, Turkey Trot and Scarecrow. The list leaves out costumes and caricatures and sticks to the meal and the day, so the cards suit a school party.
Can I print 2 cards on one page?
Yes. Choose 2 per page to save paper, or 1 per page for bigger squares. Both fit US Letter paper.
What can we use to mark the squares?
Candy corn, dried beans, mini marshmallows, buttons or crayons all work. If you laminate the cards, dry-erase markers let you wipe them clean and play again.
How do I save the cards as a PDF?
Press Print, then choose "Save as PDF" as the destination in the print dialog. This works from a phone or a computer.