30 Days of Gratitude: Daily Gratitude Activities for Staff
A gratitude activity for staff with 30 daily questions you can place in your staff lounge.
2-5 min per staff member
Feather Frenzy: A School Team Building Game
A Thanksgiving staff activity where colleagues steal paper feathers from each other.
Alissa Christensen
What is Feather Frenzy?
Feather Frenzy is a Thanksgiving staff activity that invites engagement and a little sneakiness. Every staff member is given a paper turkey and feathers to display wherever they choose. Colleagues spend one week trying to steal feathers from everyone else’s turkeys without getting caught, and whoever has the most feathers on the last day before break is declared the winner.
Why try it
A Thanksgiving staff activity before break gets people moving
A holiday-themed game is the perfect way to energize your staff in those hard days before a break. It gives staff a playful reason to stop by each other’s doors and workspaces all week, so every walk down the hallway turns into a chance to grab a feather.
Run it the week before Thanksgiving break, or any week you want some friendly competition across your building.
What's included
Browse the printables included with this resource.
Things you'll need
Turkey and feather templates
Tape or sticky tack
Small prize for the winner
Instructions
1
Hand out 1 turkey and 1 feather to every staff member
Print and cut out the included turkey and feather templates. Give each staff member, including office, custodial, and cafeteria staff, one turkey and one feather. Have them write their name on the turkey and display it on their door or at their workspace.
2
Share the Feather Frenzy rules for stealing
Share the rules in a staff email or at a staff meeting: steal one feather at a time from a colleague's turkey, add it to your own, and return it if you get caught in the act. Define what counts as "getting caught" (for example, the turkey's owner sees you take it) so everyone plays by the same rules.
3
Crown your Thanksgiving staff activity winner
On the last day before break, have staff count the feathers on their turkeys and announce who collected the most.
Activity variations
Adapt to fit your school's vibe, budget, and setting.
Team feathers
Group staff by grade level, department, or hallway, and have each team pool their feathers. The team with the most feathers wins.
Feather compliments
Every time staff steal a feather, they leave a sticky note with a quick compliment on that colleague's turkey.
Seasonal swap
Trade turkeys and feathers for a different shape and season, like snowflakes in December or shamrocks in March, and run the game again.
Go deeper
Additional tips for running this resource.
Leader Tip #1
Set off-limits zones
Name times or places that are off-limits, like stealing during class time or from the front office desk, so the game stays in hallways and shared spaces.
Leader Tip #2
Send a midweek reminder
Partway through the week, send a quick email or morning announcement with a rules reminder and a hint about who's in the lead.
Leader Tip #3
Print spare feathers
Print extra feathers so you can replace any that tear or go missing.
Built by Educators, for School Leaders
This resource was created in collaboration with passionate educators and school leaders who believe in the power of intentional connection.
Alissa Christensen
Head of Customer Success
Shoutouts
A teacher recognition program that runs itself.
Give teachers an opportunity to recognize their colleagues and collect them in your dashboard automatically. Easily print and share these encouraging words with your team.
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