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Safety first: Always supervise little ones, and skip small parts for kids who still put things in their mouths. Please read our play safety notes before you start.
Key takeaways
- 18 crafts sorted by age: toddlers, preschoolers and big kids, plus table crafts.
- Most use paper plates, toilet paper tubes, paint, paper and fall leaves.
- Four crafts double as Thanksgiving table decor kids can be proud of.
- For under 3s, skip googly eyes, pom poms, beads and seeds.
In this post26 sections
- What You Need for Most of These Crafts
- Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for Toddlers (Ages 2 to 3)
- 1. Handprint turkey
- 2. Corn cob painting
- 3. Paper plate turkey
- 4. Sticky leaf turkey
- 5. Fork-painted turkey
- Thanksgiving Crafts for Preschoolers (Ages 3 to 5)
- 6. Toilet paper roll turkey
- 7. Coffee filter turkey
- 8. Paper bag turkey puppet
- 9. Pinecone turkey
- 10. Gratitude tree
- Gratitude Crafts for Big Kids (Ages 5 to 8)
- 11. Thankful turkey
- 12. Gratitude paper chain
- 13. Pumpkin seed mosaic
- 14. Salt dough leaf ornaments
- Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids That Decorate the Table
- 15. Paper weaving placemat
- 16. Thanksgiving place cards
- 17. Painted mini pumpkins
- 18. Toilet tube napkin rings
- Thanksgiving Crafts by Age at a Glance
- More Holiday Ideas for Kids
- FAQ
What You Need for Most of These Crafts
You don't need a craft store haul. Nearly every craft here pulls from the same short list, and most of it is already in your recycling bin or junk drawer.
Thanksgiving craft supply list
Use washable, non-toxic supplies, supervise scissors and glue, and keep hot glue a grown-up job. For under 3s, draw details on with a marker instead of using googly eyes, pom poms or beads. Our play safety notes explain why.
Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for Toddlers (Ages 2 to 3)
Toddler crafts are about the doing, not matching a sample. Expect paint on wrists and a turkey that looks a lot like a blob. That is the fun part.
2Corn cob painting
Roll a cooked, cooled corn cob in orange and yellow paint and let toddlers roll it across big paper. The bumpy prints look like a harvest field. Ages: 2 to 4. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: high. Supplies: corn cob, washable paint, tray, paper.
- Check for loose kernels before and after. They are a choking hazard for toddlers.
3Paper plate turkey
Glue torn strips of construction paper around the rim of a paper plate, then add a brown paper circle body and a beak. Tearing paper is great hand work for kids who can't use scissors yet. Ages: 2 to 5. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: paper plate, construction paper, glue stick.
4Sticky leaf turkey
Tape clear contact paper to the wall, sticky side out, with a paper turkey body in the middle. Toddlers press real leaves around it as feathers. Ages: 2 to 4. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: none. Supplies: contact paper, painter's tape, big leaves.
- Use only big leaves, and skip acorns and small sticks for kids under 3.
5Fork-painted turkey
Dip a plastic fork in paint and press it onto paper in a fan for feathers, then add a thumbprint body. Ages: 2 to 5. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: plastic fork, washable paint, paper.
Thanksgiving Crafts for Preschoolers (Ages 3 to 5)
Preschoolers are ready for simple cutting, gluing and two- or three-step directions. These crafts practice those skills and still feel like play.
6Toilet paper roll turkey
Paint a toilet paper tube brown or wrap it in brown paper. Glue a fan of paper feathers to the back and a small orange beak to the front. Ages: 3 to 6. Prep: 10 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: toilet paper tube, paint or paper, glue.
- Draw eyes with a marker instead of googly eyes if younger siblings are nearby.
7Coffee filter turkey
Kids color a coffee filter with washable markers, then mist it with water and watch the colors bleed together. Once it dries, glue a brown paper turkey body in the middle. Ages: 3 to 7. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: coffee filters, washable markers, spray bottle, paper.
- Dry filters on a baking sheet so the colors don't stain the table.
8Paper bag turkey puppet
A brown paper lunch bag becomes the body, and the bottom flap becomes the head. Glue on paper feathers, a beak and a red wattle, then put on a puppet show. Ages: 3 to 6. Prep: 10 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: paper bag, construction paper, glue stick.
9Pinecone turkey
Tuck or glue paper feathers into the back of a pinecone and add a small paper or felt head to the front. Each one comes out a little different. Ages: 4 to 8. Prep: 10 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: pinecone, construction paper, felt scrap, white glue.
- White glue works if the turkey dries flat overnight. Hot glue is a grown-up step.
10Gratitude tree
Stand a few bare twigs in a jar and hang paper leaves from them. Each day in November, kids add a leaf showing something they are thankful for. Ages: 3 to 8. Prep: 10 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: twigs, jar, paper leaves, string, crayons.
- Younger kids can draw their answer while you write the word underneath.
Gratitude Crafts for Big Kids (Ages 5 to 8)
Older kids can cut, write and stick with a craft a little longer. These projects add a thankful thought to the making.
11Thankful turkey
Cut a brown turkey body and five big paper feathers. Kids write one thing they are thankful for on each feather before gluing it on. Ages: 5 to 8. Prep: 10 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: construction paper, child-safety scissors, glue stick, pencil.
12Gratitude paper chain
Cut strips of fall-colored paper. Kids write one thankful thought per strip, then loop and glue them into a chain, one link a day. Ages: 5 to 8. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: construction paper, glue stick, pencil.
13Pumpkin seed mosaic
Draw a simple pumpkin or leaf outline and fill it with clean, dry pumpkin seeds glued in rows. Paint them first for extra color. Ages: 5 to 8. Prep: 10 minutes plus drying. Mess: medium. Supplies: pumpkin seeds, white glue, cardstock.
- Seeds are a choking hazard, so keep this one away from toddlers.
14Salt dough leaf ornaments
Press leaf shapes into salt dough with a cookie cutter or a real leaf, let an adult bake them hard, and then kids paint them in fall colors. Ages: 4 to 8. Prep: 20 minutes plus baking. Mess: medium. Supplies: salt dough, leaf cutter, paint.
- Salt dough uses raw flour and lots of salt, so it is for crafting, not eating.
Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids That Decorate the Table
These crafts give kids a real job on the big day. Set up a craft spot while the food cooks, and the kids' work ends up on the table.
15Paper weaving placemat
Fold construction paper in half and cut slits from the fold, stopping an inch from the edge. Kids weave paper strips over and under. Ages: 5 to 8, or 4 with help. Prep: 10 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: construction paper, scissors, glue stick.
16Thanksgiving place cards
Fold cardstock into small tents and let kids decorate them with leaf stamps, stickers or drawings. Older kids write the names, and younger ones decorate. Ages: 3 to 8. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: cardstock, crayons, stickers.
17Painted mini pumpkins
Kids paint small pumpkins with washable tempera paint, dots, stripes or anything goes. Line them down the middle of the table. Ages: 2 to 8. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: mini pumpkins, tempera paint, brushes.
18Toilet tube napkin rings
Cut toilet paper tubes into short rings. Kids paint or wrap them in paper and glue a paper leaf on top. Ages: 4 to 8. Prep: 10 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: toilet paper tubes, paint or paper, glue.
Thanksgiving Crafts by Age at a Glance
Use this table to pick fast, or to plan a craft station with one project per age group when cousins of different ages come over.
| Craft | Ages | Prep | Mess |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handprint turkey | 2 to 5 | 5 min | High |
| Corn cob painting | 2 to 4 | 5 min | High |
| Paper plate turkey | 2 to 5 | 5 min | Low |
| Sticky leaf turkey | 2 to 4 | 5 min | None |
| Fork-painted turkey | 2 to 5 | 5 min | Medium |
| Toilet paper roll turkey | 3 to 6 | 10 min | Medium |
| Coffee filter turkey | 3 to 7 | 5 min | Low |
| Paper bag puppet | 3 to 6 | 10 min | Low |
| Pinecone turkey | 4 to 8 | 10 min | Low |
| Gratitude tree | 3 to 8 | 10 min | Low |
| Thankful turkey | 5 to 8 | 10 min | Low |
| Gratitude paper chain | 5 to 8 | 5 min | Low |
| Pumpkin seed mosaic | 5 to 8 | 10 min | Medium |
| Salt dough leaves | 4 to 8 | 20 min | Medium |
| Paper weaving placemat | 4 to 8 | 10 min | Low |
| Place cards | 3 to 8 | 5 min | Low |
| Painted mini pumpkins | 2 to 8 | 5 min | Medium |
| Napkin rings | 4 to 8 | 10 min | Low |
Craft supplies worth keeping on hand
-
Washable kids paint
About $8 to $20 per set
Handprints and fork painting wash off skin and most clothes.
Check price on Amazon for Washable kids paint -
Child-safety scissors
About $4 to $10
Blunt tips for preschoolers learning to cut.
Check price on Amazon for Child-safety scissors -
Construction paper
About $5 to $15 per pack
Feathers, beaks, placemats and paper chains.
Check price on Amazon for Construction paper -
Glue sticks
About $4 to $12 per pack
Less mess than liquid glue for little hands.
Check price on Amazon for Glue sticks -
Coffee filters
About $3 to $8 per pack
For tie-dye turkeys. Round basket filters work best.
Check price on Amazon for Coffee filters
More Holiday Ideas for Kids
Once the turkey is gone, the elf arrives in a lot of homes. Our easy elf on the shelf ideas have 35 setups that take 5 minutes or less. Find more in holiday crafts, kids crafts and preschool activities.
Frequently asked questions
What are easy Thanksgiving crafts for preschoolers?
Toilet paper roll turkeys, coffee filter turkeys, paper bag turkey puppets and a gratitude tree all work well for ages 3 to 5. Each needs only paper, glue and a few household items.
What Thanksgiving crafts can toddlers do?
Try a handprint turkey, corn cob painting, a torn-paper plate turkey or a sticky leaf turkey on contact paper. Skip googly eyes, pom poms, beads and seeds for kids under 3.
How do you make a handprint turkey?
Paint the palm brown and each finger a different fall color with washable paint, then press the hand flat onto paper. When it dries, draw legs, a beak and eyes with a marker.
What crafts can kids make for the Thanksgiving table?
Place cards, paper weaving placemats, painted mini pumpkins and toilet tube napkin rings are all easy. They give kids a job on the day and look sweet on the table.
How do I keep kids busy on Thanksgiving Day?
Set up a craft station with pre-cut paper feathers, glue sticks and crayons, plus one project per age group. Table crafts like place cards keep kids busy while the food cooks.
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