One great game to get seniors active and in the Thanksgiving spirit is the Stuff The Turkey game. You can make everything you need for the game yourself or have seniors help craft the items. The most important parts are the turkey and pieces to throw into it. You can find specific instructions on how to make the turkey here or here, but the basic structure is a large paper bag for the body and two smaller ones for the legs.

Once you have the turkey created, you need items to toss into it/stuff it with, and from there, you’re ready to play. That is where some variation comes in.

Here are some options for ways to play the Stuff The Turkey game:

1. Different Sized Stuffing

With this method, you can use regular paper or tissue paper to create different sizes of stuffing, crumbled up into balls to throw into the ‘turkey’. White, yellow, or tan colors would look the best for stuffing, but you can even use newspaper to save on supplies.

Make a range of sizes—small, medium, and large—trying to keep the stuffing in different groups consistent in size, but be sure they can fit through the opening in the turkey.

You can then assign points to each size. The larger pieces of stuffing could be worth the most points since they may be harder to get into the turkey.  

2. Different Colors of Stuffing

If you have a variety of colored paper you don’t mind crumpling into balls for the Stuff The Turkey game, you can color-code the points that each piece of stuffing is worth. This site recommends green (to represent celery), white (to represent onions), and brown (to represent bread), but you can be creative with the colors you have.

~ from kidfriendlythingstodo.com

From there, you can create different rules or challenges based on the colors. Try having residents get a certain number of each color into the turkey to make the game more interesting.

3. Timed Race

You can use this rule in any combination with the ideas listed above. Have residents split up into teams, giving each member of the team one piece of stuffing to throw at a time. Give them a new piece once their turn is over so they have a new one for their next turn. Players can stand in line, with members moving to the back of the line once they’ve thrown. However, if some people have difficulty with mobility, they can sit or stand all next to each other while you move down the line with the turkey. You can also have individuals compete against each other instead of using teams.

Whether you have teams or individuals competing against each other, give them a time limit and see who can get the most points. This will make the game more exciting and competitive, and if you use teams, it will encourage group activity.

Remember that you can help or guide residents who have difficulty throwing or move the turkey closer. You can also construct larger turkeys so that the target turkey is larger and a little easier to aim for while still using the variety of rules mentioned above.

No matter what methods you use to play the Stuff The Turkey game, it’s sure to get people moving and in the Thanksgiving spirit.

Also for Thanksgiving, check out these Scarecrow Crafts.