Updated 10/18/19 | Originally Published 11/24/15
This creative mad lib is a fun Thanksgiving activity to do while the family is sitting around the table. It’s an easy activity for all ages. Print the free download and bring it along to your Thanksgiving dinner!
You’re invited to join my free “4 Ways In 4 Days To Get Organized For The Holidays” Challenge. It’s a great way to dive deeper and get some free printables to help you get organized for the holidays.
If you are hosting or planning a Thanksgiving gathering this year, have you given any thought to activities to keep guests entertained while they wait for dinner to be served?
I like to bring games along to family gatherings so we have something fun to do together. And that’s where this fun Thanksgiving mad lib comes in!
This Thanksgiving activity is a crowd-pleaser that everyone can do while sitting around the table or while their turkey coma sets in after dinner. It’s truly a game that’s entertaining for a wide range of ages!
Pssst….don’t miss out on my free Thanksgiving printables! They’ll help you get organized for the holiday.
Thanksgiving Mad Lib Game
What Is a mad lib, exactly?
Not sure what a mad lib is? Basically, a mad lib is an activity where you create a list of random words based on prompts and then insert those words into blank spots of a story before you read it. The results are comical and nonsensical stories that make for a fun party game.
One side of the card has a list of words you need to think of and fill in the blanks. So for a noun, you might write down “PIE” and for an exclamation, you might write down “HOORAY”.
After filling in all the blanks, you flip over the card and transfer the words you thought of into the corresponding blanks in the story (each word and blank are numbered so this part is easy!).
Get the laughter started by going around the room and asking everyone to read their completed mad lib stories out loud. It’s always funny to hear how the stories turn out!
How To Play
1 | Download & Print The Mad Lib Cards
I’m sharing the printable PDF so you can download it for free and print it on your home printer as many times as you want.
>> Click here to download the free Thanksgiving Mad Lib printable <<
The cards are double-sided, so you want to print the first page and then put it back in your printer to print the second page on the backside. There are two mad lib cards per page, simply cut them in half after printing.
I like to print these out on white cardstock to make them into a more durable card. But regular copy paper would work as well!
2 | Give Each Person A Card
To play, give a card and a writing utensil to each person. I think it’s nice to have them sitting out so people can work on filling in their cards while they’re waiting on dinner–you could even incorporate them into your table setting!
3 | Fill In The Word List
Ask everyone to fill the side of the card with the list of 15 words. They can be absolutely any word that fits that description.
4 | Transfer The Words Over To The Story
Ask your guests to transfer their words over to the other side of their cards. Each word is numbered and corresponds with the numbers under the blanks within the story.
5 | Read The Stories Out Loud
Now for the fun part! Go around the room and ask everyone to read their completed stories aloud. Alternatively, you could designate two people to read everyone’s stories.
This is where you’ll have some great laughs as you hear the bizarre stories your guests created! This Thanksgiving activity really is a ton of fun and is guaranteed to add some laughter to your family gathering.
I know you have a lot on your mind with all the cleaning and cooking to do before your guests arrive, but take a couple of minutes to print this free Thanksgiving mad lib game for your guests to enjoy. It’s so much fun!
Don’t miss out on my free Thanksgiving printables! They’ll help you get organized for the holiday.
You’re invited to join my free “4 Ways In 4 Days To Get Organized For The Holidays” Challenge. It’s a great way to dive deeper and get some free printables to help you get organized for the holidays.
Looking for more Thanksgiving ideas? Check these out:
- Free Thanksgiving Planning Printables
- A Neutral DIY Fall Ribbon Wreath
- DIY “Grateful” Shirt (Cricut/Silhouette Project)
- Easy Fall DIY Bath Salts Gift Idea ~ Pumpkin Spice & Apple Pie
- Easy Metallic Patterned Painted Pumpkins
I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends!
These photos are from an older version of this post:
Download this FREE Thanksgiving Planner
Want to get organized for Thanksgiving dinner? Download this free Thanksgiving planner printable pack to track your guest list, organize your menu, create your shopping list and plan your cooking schedule. Subscribe for instant access!