Thanksgiving Dice Game

This Thanksgiving dice game is a fun alternative to the go around the table and say something you’re thankful for tradition! Roll the dice and say something nice about someone else playing this unique Thanksgiving dinner game!

Two versions of a Thanksgiving dinner game printed out

If you’ve read my blog before, you know I like a good dice game. And that was before my dice gift exchange game and birthday party games with dice went completely bonkers.

There’s just something about rolling dice and the element of chance that people seem to love. Maybe it’s because you’re all on a level playing field when it’s up to the dice.

Or maybe people just like rolling dice. I mean I know kids love my roll a Jack O Lantern and Christmas tree dice games!

The entire family will enjoy this new Thanksgiving dinner game I came up with that combines rolling dice with giving compliments to others. It’s super easy to play and encourages gratitude of others!

It’s definitely one of my new favorite Thanksgiving games and perfect to play after you finish all the stuffing and mashed potatoes !

Supplies

This game is super simple and won’t need many supplies. Really all you’ll need are:

Printed out game card (download it at the bottom of this post)
Dice
Small box or something to roll the die into (if you’re playing at the dinner table.)
Laminating pouch + laminator (optional – only if you want to laminate and keep for next year!)

How to Play

The game is simple to play.

First thing, you need to choose which of the two versions of the game you want to play. Both games are played in a similar fashion, they’re just a little different in what each number on the die means.

Then have everyone sit in a circle, around a dinner table, or some other way that forms a shape of some sort. You want to make sure people have someone on their right, left, and across (generally) from them.

Roll the Dice + Say Something Nice

For the first of the two games, the idea is that you roll the die on your turn and say something nice about whoever the die tells you to.

party ideas for 50th birthdays

Here’s how it works.

Give someone the die to start the game. They roll and depending on what they roll, they have to say something nice about that person. So for example if they roll a 1, they’d say something nice (whatever they want) about the person on their left. If they roll a 2, it’d be something nice about the person two people on their left.

Once they’ve said their compliment, they pass the die to the left and it’s that person’s turn.

Printed out Thanksgiving dinner game with a dice and leaves around

Keep going around the circle until everyone has rolled the die and had a chance to play. Do another round if you feel like it or move onto one of the other Thanksgiving activities.

Dice Gratitude Game Instructions

The other option is pretty much the same idea but instead of rolling the die to see who you’re going to say something nice about, you are rolling the die to give you a compliment starter of sorts.

Before anyone rolls, determine who people will be complimenting. You can either do the person on the right, left, across, or a person of their choice (although I recommend just choosing right, left, or across so no one accidentally gets their feelings hurts by being chosen last).

Once you’ve made a decision, give someone the die. They roll and based on what they roll, tell something about the person on their left (or whatever direction you chose).

So for example, if they rolled a 1, they would tell a reason they’re thankful for the person on the left. If they rolled a 2, they would tell about a quality they admire in the person on the left.

Printed out Thanksgiving dinner game with a dice and leaves around it

That person would pass the die once they’re done and the next person would roll and play. Keep going around the circle until everyone has played once.

Then decide if you want to play another round and switch to the right (or across) so more people get fun compliments.

Combine the Games

Want to combine the two games to make it even more fun? Simply use two die – ideally two different colored die. One die controls who you compliment and one die controls what you say about them.

Families will absolutely love this fun Thanksgiving dinner game!

Game Tips

Laminate the game card and store it in a Thanksgiving box so you can pull it out again and again each year!

Create a time limit for stories if you’re worried about running out of time. Otherwise, this is a great time to let people talk about one another!

Set the tone at the beginning by making sure people know everything should be positive, including stories about and memories with people. While funny stories are okay, you don’t want people saying anything that’s totally humiliating or will make things awkward for anyone at the table.

Game FAQs

Do we have to play during Thanksgiving dinner game?

No, this game would just be a fun Thanksgiving dinner game but you can totally play anytime – Thanksgiving or not!

What if people don’t know each other?

If people don’t know each other, I recommend playing with just the roll the dice and say something nice version of the game. That way people can say anything nice (beautiful eyes, great fashion sense, etc.) even if they don’t know the person well. The other game tends to be more for family and friends who are more familiar with each other.

How do I get the downloads?

Fill out the form at the bottom of this post or you can get a copy of the games in my shop here .

back to school games for adults

How many people can play?

As many as you want, just know that the more people means the longer it’ll take to get around the circle. If you have a lot of people playing, just play one round.

More Thanksgiving Games

Need more games to play around the Thanksgiving dinner table or after your big feast? Try one of these!

Download the Printable

Enter your first name and email address in the form below to get the printable PDF. You will receive a link to download the PDF to your email within minutes.

If you do not want to fill out the form, you can get a copy in my shop here.

The Thanksgiving dice game PDF will include: