Thanksgiving is just around the corner and that usually means a smorgasbord of tasty treats shared with family and friends around the table! Cook up a bit of extra holiday fun with this delicious Thanksgiving-themed word scramble activity! Ready to dig in?

Preparing Your “Thanksgiving Scramble” Activity

1. Download the Thanksgiving Scramble Reading and Spelling Activity.
2. Select the Word Scramble you would like to complete and print one sheet for each player. Both color and black and white are available.
3. Print the color or black and white letter squares.
4. Cut out the letter squares that correspond with the Word Scrambles you plan to complete.
5. Print the Word List Answer Key on page 14 and set aside. Don’t peek unless you get stuck and need some extra help!

Playing “Thanksgiving Scramble”

Here we go…it’s time for a Thanksgiving word feast! Have each player place the letter squares face up on the table.

Now have each player scramble his letter squares, trying to form as many words as possible.

For example, from the letter squares for the word Thanksgiving, a player might discover the words gang, ask, or skin.

Have the players write each newly discovered word in a space on the word sheet.

Keep scrambling letters until each player has found as many words as he can. The player with the most words wins.

Four More Ways to Play

Encourage teamwork. Playing with a wide variety of ages? Instead of each player playing independently, work as teams. Pair up an adult or older child with a younger child. Work together to unscramble letters and discover as many words as possible.

Make it a race. Depending on the reading level of the players, set a timer for 3-5 minutes and have individual children or teams see who can discover the most words in the allotted time. Older children and adults may have fun playing for longer periods of time.

Encourage vocabulary-building. Have children use the word they discover in a sentence before adding the word to their sheet.

Create a crossword puzzle. Scramble the letter squares for all four Thanksgiving Scrambles and place them face up on the table. Work as a group to create a crossword that uses as many of the letters as possible. All words should intersect with at least one other word in the crossword!

Looking for more downloadable activities for family fun? Just click here … we’ve got you covered! Have a great Thanksgiving!

Photos by: Kristin Oleksinski