How do I prepare and use Thanksgiving joke fortune tellers?
Quick answer: Print the 28-joke list, cut and fold your own paper squares, write turkey, pie, parade and wishbone on the outside pockets with a different color on each, number the eight inner flaps 1 to 8 and copy one joke under each flap. Make one teller for each pair of players plus a spare. To play, one person works the teller and reads while the other chooses a word or color, then a number, and guesses the punchline. The print button prints only the jokes. It does not print fortune-teller squares, so you make those yourself.
28 Thanksgiving jokes to print
Copy one eight-joke set onto a teller. Keep the four bonus jokes for another round. The print button prints the joke list, not a square template.
How to play
- Cut a paper square and fold it following the five folding steps.
- Write turkey, pie, parade and wishbone on the outside pockets, number the eight inner triangles and copy one joke pair beneath each numbered flap.
- Pick an outside word. The reader spells it while opening the teller once per letter, alternating directions.
- Pick a visible number. The reader opens the teller that many times, then the player picks a final visible number.
- Lift that numbered flap, read the setup and allow up to three guesses before reading the punchline. Repeat the joke if the player wants to hear it again.
- Swap readers after four turns and stop when food is ready.
Draw one when the room is ready
What did the gravy boat say when it reached the kids' table? - All aboard.
Set 1 — dinner-table jokes
Eight jokes about the food and the seats. Copy one pair beneath each numbered flap.
- What did the gravy boat say when it reached the kids' table? - All aboard.
- Why did the dinner roll go to the doctor? - It was feeling crumby.
- Why did the cranberry sauce blush at dinner? - It saw the turkey dressing.
- What do you call a sad cranberry? - A blueberry.
- Why did the napkin win an award? - It always came clean.
- What did the candle say when dinner started? - This meal is lit.
- Why does everyone thank their chair on Thanksgiving? - For all the support.
- Why did the corn lose cards to the green beans? - It got creamed.
Set 2 — turkey jokes
Eight turkey jokes for a second teller or a fresh round.
- Why did the turkey cross the road twice? - To prove it was no chicken.
- What did the turkey bring to the parade band? - Its own drumsticks.
- What is a turkey's favorite dessert? - Peach gobbler.
- Which side of the turkey has the most feathers? - The outside.
- Why do turkeys lose at hide-and-seek? - The gobble gives them away.
- What do you call a sprinting turkey? - Fast food.
- Which dance wins every turkey talent show? - The turkey trot.
- How do turkeys answer the phone? - Wing, wing?
Set 3 — pie jokes
Eight jokes to bring out before dessert.
- Why did the pumpkin pie visit the dentist? - It needed a filling.
- What did the apple pie say to the pecan pie? - You're nuts.
- What do you get when you drop a pumpkin? - Squash.
- Why does the family thank the pie crust? - It held everything together.
- Why does whipped cream collect all the compliments? - It lands on top every time.
- What did one pie slice say to the other? - Stick with me and we go a la mode.
- Why did the pie win the talent show? - It had all the right fillings.
- How does pie say goodbye at the end of dinner? - Piece out.
Bonus set — harvest and parade
Four extra jokes. Replace four jokes on a teller and keep four favorites for the rematch.
- Why did the scarecrow take a bow at the parade? - It was outstanding in its field.
- What did the acorn say when it grew up? - Gee, I'm a tree.
- What did the November leaf say to the tree? - I'm falling for you.
- What did the parade balloon say to the turkey float? - You're so down to earth.
What the joke pack includes and what you need to make
The printable has 28 Thanksgiving jokes, each with a setup and a punchline. They come in four sets: dinner-table, turkey and pie sets of eight jokes each, plus a bonus set of four. That is 8 + 8 + 8 + 4 = 28 jokes, so there are enough for three tellers with eight jokes each and four extras.
The print button prints only the joke list. There is no template for the fortune-teller squares and no download of folding pictures, so you cut your own squares and copy the jokes onto the flaps by hand. Keep the printed list as your answer key while people play.
Check the printed joke list before you start copying flaps, and keep it as the host's copy, separate from players' tellers. Preparing printable party games works the same way: one host copy holds the rules and answers.
Before you start, gather paper, scissors, a pencil and colored pencils or markers. 90 gsm paper is suggested for folding. Fold one practice teller before making the rest. It shows you how big the pockets are and how much writing fits under each flap.
Does the print button produce fortune-teller squares?
Quick answer: No. It prints the 28 jokes. You prepare your own paper squares and copy the jokes onto the folded flaps. There is no square-template download.
For a 5.9-inch square, draw one square on an 8.5-by-11-inch sheet and cut it out. Two squares that size will not fit on one letter sheet, because together they need 11.8 inches and the sheet is only 11 inches long. If you want two squares per sheet, make them smaller so they fit inside your printer's margins, and test one before you make the whole batch. Borderless printing does not make the paper any bigger.
How to fold the fortune teller
Start with a blank square. If one side of your paper is printed, lay it printed side down.
- Make two diagonal creases: fold one corner to the opposite corner, press the fold and open it out, then do the same with the other two corners. The creases cross in the center.
- Fold all four corners into the center and press them flat. This shape is called a blintz base.
- Turn the square over and fold the four new corners into the center.
- Fold the square in half and open it, then fold it in half the other way and open it again.
- Slide your thumbs and index fingers under the four outside pockets, push your fingers together and gently open the teller. Practice opening it one way, then the other.
How do you fold a Thanksgiving joke fortune teller?
Quick answer: Make two diagonal creases, fold the four corners into the center, turn the paper over and fold the new corners into the center. Fold it in half both ways, then open the four finger pockets.
Keep your first teller as a model. If children are folding their own, show them one step at a time. You can photograph each of the five stages as you fold your model and set the pictures out as a strip beside the workspace. You take these photos yourself, because no folding pictures come with the pack.
When children fold their own, set out a clear workspace and decide who will help at each step. Organizing a craft station for children also means keeping food on a separate surface from the folding paper.
How to label the pockets and flaps and write the jokes
Open the teller to find the eight inner triangles and number them 1 to 8. Lift each numbered flap and copy one whole joke underneath, setup first and punchline below it, so the reader can pause before saying the answer.
For example, one flap could read: Setup: Why did the turkey cross the road twice? Punchline: To prove it was no chicken.
If writing is easier on flat paper, unfold the teller, write, then refold it along the creases. Check that the words and numbers show during play and that each flap lifts without tearing. If both lines of a joke won't fit clearly, use a bigger square or keep the punchlines on a separate numbered key.
What goes on the outside pockets?
Quick answer: Write turkey, pie, parade and wishbone, one word on each pocket. Add a different color to each pocket so children who are not reading yet can point to a color.
The words are what the reader spells out when opening the teller, and the colors let a non-reader join in without reading. Use colors that are easy to tell apart, so the player and the reader agree on which pocket was picked.
If a player has trouble telling colors apart, add a distinct symbol or number to each pocket as well. Color-blind-friendly party games also suggest agreeing beforehand on the words helpers use to describe each pocket.
How many tellers to make for your group
Make one teller for each pair of players and at least one spare. Count every child who will play, including your own children and any siblings. A grown-up who wants to join a turn doesn't need a teller of their own. For a bigger group, you could add another spare for every six children.
Adults can simply join a pair's turn. If grown-ups want a game everyone plays at once, Thanksgiving games for the family offer whole-table rounds; tell players when each will end and pause when food is served.
Each teller holds one eight-joke set. Since the pack has three eight-joke sets, a fourth or fifth teller will repeat one of them. You can also swap four jokes on a teller for the four bonus jokes, then save the four you took off for another round.
Once repeated jokes lose their surprise, Thanksgiving word games are a separate switch rather than more teller content. They use their own worksheets and a letter deck, so print and prepare them beforehand.
| Players (illustrative) | Pairs | Tellers to make |
|---|---|---|
| 4 children | 2 | 3 (2 + 1 spare) |
| 6 children | 3 | 4 (3 + 1 spare) |
| 8 children | 4 | 5 (4 + 1 spare) |
How many tellers do I need for eight children?
Quick answer: Make five: four for the pairs and one spare. If you want children to hear new punchlines when pairs swap tellers, give different pairs different joke sets.
Here is a worked example. Eight children make four pairs. Add one spare and you need five tellers. Give the dinner-table, turkey and pie sets to three of the tellers. For the fourth, mix the four bonus jokes with four jokes from one of the other sets. The spare can copy any set. Before you start, decide which two pairs share overlapping jokes, so they don't trade tellers with each other.
How to play with a reading buddy
One person holds the teller and reads, and the other chooses and guesses. Show everyone one complete turn before you hand the tellers out.
If someone likes choosing and answering but not holding the teller, funny this-or-that questions give a short spoken round instead. It's a separate game, not extra teller jokes, and anyone can answer or pass.
- The player picks an outside word or its color. The reader spells the word, opening the teller once for each letter and switching direction each time.
- The player picks a number they can see. The reader counts out loud and opens the teller that many times, again switching direction each time.
- The player picks one last visible number. The reader lifts that flap and reads the setup, keeping the punchline covered.
- The player gets up to three guesses, then the reader reads the punchline. If the player wants to hear the joke again, read it again before the next turn.
- After four turns, the pair swaps roles.
Can a four-year-old play?
Quick answer: Yes, with a reading buddy who works the teller, spells the chosen word and reads the joke. The younger player can choose a color or point to a number and guess the punchline out loud.
For a child who prefers pictures, Thanksgiving matching cards played face up are another choice. You make the cards yourself and add simple drawings, so plan that preparation separately from the tellers.
When pairs swap roles, a younger child can keep choosing while their buddy carries on spelling and reading. Some flaps will come up more than once. If you want everyone to hear all eight jokes, tick off each number on your key as it's read and ask the player to pick an unread number when a repeat comes up.
A younger child doesn't need to read to take a real part. Ideas for children of different ages playing together suggest deciding who chooses, who reads and who guesses, and when those jobs swap.
Example: a six-minute round at the dinner table
This short round is an example. Play it between courses or while the turkey rests before carving, if that works with your meal. The times below add up to six minutes. Speed up, slow down or stop early if the food is ready.
If guests would rather have their own sheet than play in pairs, Thanksgiving activity placemats are a different option that mixes jokes with coloring and puzzles. They need their own drawing preparation before the day.
| Time (illustrative) | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0:00 to 0:01 | Give each pair a teller, name the first reader and show the word and number choices. |
| 0:01 to 0:03 | Play the first turns. Read the setups and allow up to three guesses. Swap readers after four turns if you get that far. |
| 0:03 to 0:05 | Keep playing with the other reader at the children's pace. A grown-up can take a wishbone turn and try to answer with a straight face. |
| 0:05 to 0:06 | Finish the joke you're on, then put the tellers and the key back in the basket. |
When should we play the six-minute round?
Quick answer: Try it between courses or while the turkey rests before carving, if that fits your meal. Six minutes is an example length, not a promise that every joke will get read. Stop when serving starts and save any unread jokes for later.
If a short break turns into an unexpected wait, games for when food is delayed suggest telling guests about the delay and saying the game will stop for food. Serve when it's ready rather than waiting for a game to finish.
Keep the basket beside the place cards so the tellers are easy to find. If plates leave little room on the table, players can work the tellers in their laps. Keep the key clearly labeled so it doesn't get mixed up with the answers for another game.
If plates leave no room and laps aren't comfortable either, switch to a spoken game. Among the party games for the dinner table, Word Chain Relay, Story Chain Builder and Would You Rather Countdown need no supplies, so nobody has to handle anything near the plates. Stop when the next course arrives.
Checklist for getting the tellers ready
You can spread these jobs over the week or do them all together before guests arrive.
If you're setting up a pre-dinner area, keep the finished tellers with the other supplies. The guide to Thanksgiving games while the turkey cooks suggests gathering craft supplies, game choices and table jobs together before guests arrive.
- Print the joke list and cut the paper squares.
- Fold one practice teller and check the pocket size and the space for writing.
- Write the outside words and colors, then number the inner flaps 1 to 8.
- Copy one eight-joke set under each teller's flaps and check that every setup is with its own punchline.
- Make one teller per pair, plus a spare, and keep the printed list as your key.
- Put the tellers, the key and a pencil in a basket near the table.
- Decide who will read with children who need a buddy.
- Bring the basket out during a break in serving and put it away when the next course arrives.