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While we were growing up in good ol’ Katy, Texas, we had one of those backyards that was destined to be a neighborhood kid gathering place.
 
It was huge.
 
So huge that when Kellie and Trisha were fighting, mom would send them out back to run laps. I can’t really tell you what that was like. I was just never one of those kids that irritated or provoked siblings…. (Complete falsehood. “Go take 5 laps,” was a regular catchphrase of my childhood.)
 
One of our favorite backyard games back in those days was Jungle Rumba-which is a pre-packaged version of flag tag. (Kellie always won. I think it’s because she had so much practice running laps, wink wink.)
 
For your Thanksgiving fun, we’ve come up with a way to merge Jungle Rumba, Thanksgiving backyard football,  and these nifty little DIY turkeys for the kiddos who maybe aren’t quite big enough to play in your annual neighborhood Turkey Bowl. 
 

 
Let’s start with how to make the clothespin turkeys. Have no fear. They are super simple. You can trust me with this, because, I, Natalie, am not a crafter. 
 
You’ll need:
-clothespins
-paint (a different color for each participant)
-googly eyes
-orange and red foam sheets (self-adhesive foam sheets make it even easier!)
-glue (we used a hot glue gun)
 
You’ll need 3 clothespins for each person and a different color of paint for each person. (Each person gets a set of 3 clothespin in their particular color.) Paint the clothespins, just one side will do. But feel free to go nuts and paint the whole thing if that kind of thing gets you excited. 
 
While the clothespins are drying, cut out an orange beak and a red gobble for each turkey clothespin. 
 
Once the paint is dry apply the beaks first, just a little off-center so the gobble has plenty of surface area actually sticking to the pin. Lay down a thin line of glue right above the beak and stick those creepy little googly eyes on. 
 
And that’s it.
 

 
For the game, the goal is to be the last person standing with at least one turkey pin still on. To start, each player can stick their 3 clothespins anywhere on their clothing that they want. Once everyone is ready, you can have them spread out and pick beginning positions for the tag game that is about to ensue. 
 
Each player tries to remove the other players’ turkey pins without losing their own. Once a player has grabbed a turkey pin off of someone else, they can just drop it in the grass. If it’s the last (third) pin of that particularly player to be removed, they are out. 
 

 
It’s a great alternative to a full-fledged Turkey Bowl if you have littles ones. Or if you have people like me over for Thanksgiving-as in people who don’t really understand the rules and basics of football. 
 
Whatever you do, get out and get active that morning! It makes your afternoon post-turkey (round #1) nap even better. 
 
 

Natalie

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