Thanksgiving and football—a match made the heaven.  After all, football is the most beloved sport in America right now (even though the Kansas City Chiefs are having a less than stellar season). A fun Thanksgiving tradition we can’t help but love here at Hitch Fit is a Turkey Bowl—a pickup game of football with friends and family. I love this idea.  Anytime you can be active with family and friends is time well spent.

But the traditional Turkey Bowl got me thinking. What if, for some strange reason, someone doesn’t like football, or they’d like a break from the norm?  What would be some fun, different activities families or friends could do to instead of football on Thanksgiving day?

We’ve put together a list of 5 fun alternatives to the standard Turkey bowl so that you’ll stay totally active this Thanksgiving!

1.      Ultimate Frisbee

This favorite of college campuses is a fun, easy game that almost anyone can play. If you can throw a Frisbee, you can play ultimate. Very similar to football, just minus the pigskin and add the plastic disc.

2.      Obstacle Course

This may require a little more room, but creating an obstacle course in itself is a great activity. Have one person think of their own obstacle to add to the course.  Either each person runs it individually or as a team relay. Best of all, you can add a prize (for instance, the losing team has to do dishes!).

3.      Capture the Flag

One thing I know about capture the flag is that the more room you have, the more fun it is. Capture the Flag is also a great way to explore a neighborhood or park and see the beautiful fall leaves.

4.      Ice Skating

Even though Kansas City doesn’t have a hockey team, we do have plenty of ice rinks! Ice skating is a surprisingly great workout and isn’t as hard as it seems. With a little focus and good balance, you’ll be doing figure 8’s in no time.

5.      Family 5K

This one’s for all you runners out there!! Thanksgiving Day 5k’s and races are a simple and easy way to gather people together and help out a cause. So lace your sneakers up and prepare to burn off your Thanksgiving meal!

No matter what you activity you choose on Thanksgiving, what matters most is that you are active during the day of gluttony! By being active with you friends and family, you’re giving everyone a chance to become closer together through the spirit of competition. Do you have a Thanksgiving Day tradition your family does every year?