How Do You Make a Thanksgiving Picture-Matching Game?

Make two cards for each Thanksgiving picture, give every card the same size and back, and play by uncovering two at a time to find pairs. Simple drawings of a pumpkin, a leaf, a pie, and a turkey are enough to begin. You can make a small set before the holiday or invite willing guests to help draw it.

The most useful preparation is checking that every picture has exactly one partner. A beautiful deck with a missing match is frustrating; a plain deck with clear pictures can be ready for a pleasant game in minutes.

Start with a manageable number of pairs

For a first game, try four pairs, or eight cards. If the group enjoys that, add two more pairs for a twelve-card set. These are starting suggestions rather than age rules. PBS KIDS’ matching-card activity similarly suggests starting with three or four pairs and adding more as players become comfortable.

Choose pictures that look different from one another. For a six-pair Thanksgiving set, try a pumpkin, a maple leaf, a pie slice, a turkey, a serving spoon, and a house. This is an original suggested selection, not a required holiday vocabulary list. Use objects your group recognizes.

Keep each pair consistent. Two pumpkins should have the same general shape and details. If one is a jack-o’-lantern and the other is a plain pumpkin, agree whether they count as a pair before play begins.

Make cards with matching backs

Use sturdy, opaque cardstock, a ruler, a pencil, crayons or colored pencils, and suitable scissors. An adult can cut the cards to a consistent size. A square about three inches across is a practical example; choose a size that is comfortable for your players to see and turn.

Draw each picture twice, or make two copies of the same original drawing. For homemade hand-drawn pairs, small differences are fine if the pair is obvious. Keep both copies similar in color, size, and orientation. Ask the artist before copying someone else’s drawing.

Aunt Annie’s match-card craft emphasizes consistent card backs and offers cardstock as a material. Plain backs are easiest. Do not put the answer, a pair number, or a distinctive decoration on the reverse. Hold a sample against the playing surface to check that the drawing does not show through.

Avoid stickers or decorations that make one back feel different from the others. If a card gets a recognizable crease or stain, replace both cards in that pair or set that pair aside. You want players to remember the pictures, not a mark on the back.

Check the deck before turning it over

Lay all cards face up and sort them into pairs. Count eight cards for four pairs or twelve cards for six pairs. Make sure each picture appears twice, not once or three times.

Let players look at the drawings and agree on what they represent. A homemade turkey may look like a fan to someone else; that is a reason to clarify the drawing, not to make the game harder. Then shuffle and arrange the cards face down with a little space between them. Twelve cards fit a three-by-four grid.

Use a clear set of rules

Here is a common matching-pairs format, also used in Ravensburger’s published rules:

1. Choose who starts. That player turns over two cards while leaving them in their positions.
2. If the pictures match, the player keeps the pair and takes another turn.
3. If they do not match, everyone gets a chance to see them before they are turned face down in the same places. The next player takes a turn.
4. Continue until all pairs are found. The player with the most pairs wins; equal totals can be a shared win.

Leave gaps where pairs were removed rather than sliding the remaining cards around. Their locations are part of what players are remembering.

Adjust the game to the gathering

For a gentler version, leave every card face up and look for partners together. Ravensburger also describes a face-up matching variation. You can simply collect all pairs as a team without keeping individual scores.

Another house rule is to rotate turns after every attempt, including a successful match. Explain that change before starting so nobody expects an extra turn. Offer help if requested, allow a pass, and stop when interest fades rather than insisting on another round.

Store the finished cards together in an envelope marked with the number of pairs. A quick count before the next game will tell you whether the set is complete. The homemade pictures can be part of the fun long after the Thanksgiving table is cleared.