28 Creative and Fun Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to engage kids with fun, creative activities that celebrate the holiday.

Crafting allows children to explore their creativity, keep busy, and contribute to the festivities.

From colorful turkeys to meaningful gratitude projects, these DIY crafts are simple, fun, and sure to brighten up your Thanksgiving celebration.

Here are 28 Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids that will keep them entertained and excited for the holiday.

Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids

1. Paper Bag Turkey Puppet

Transform a simple brown paper bag into a whimsical turkey puppet perfect for sparking imaginative play during Thanksgiving. Craft vibrant handprint feathers using colorful construction paper, and affix them to the back of the bag.

Add googly eyes, a cute paper beak, and a red wattle to complete this delightful character. Encourage kids to explore their creativity by choosing different hues for the hand feathers. This puppet becomes a fun project and an engaging prop for a Thanksgiving-themed play.

2. Pinecone Turkey Place Card Holder

Create a charming Thanksgiving table decoration with a pinecone turkey that doubles as a place card holder. Use a pinecone as the turkey’s body, adorning it with colorful pipe cleaner feathers.

Add googly eyes and a tiny felt beak to bring your turkey to life. Finish by attaching a name card on top, making each setting personal and delightful. This easy-to-assemble craft ensures a smile as guests find their names on these adorable turkeys.

3. Handprint Turkey Mask

Let kids craft their own turkey mask using cut-out handprints for an engaging Thanksgiving project. Begin with a large, circular piece of construction paper for the turkey’s face, gluing hand-shaped feathers to the back to form a vibrant tail.

Add large googly eyes, a paper beak, and a wattle to animate the mask. This mask can be held for fun photos or worn for a festive disguise, making it a creative, hands-on activity that combines artistic expression with holiday preparation.

4. Toilet Paper Roll Painted Turkey

Repurpose a recycled toilet paper roll into a delightful turkey craft that’s both simple and eco-friendly. Kids enjoy painting the roll and adorning it with handmade feathers, a beak, and eyes using markers or cut-out shapes.

Tail feathers crafted from painted strips of paper are glued to the back, giving this turkey its colorful plumage. The finished product stands proudly on its own, making it a vibrant Thanksgiving decoration and an excellent opportunity for kids to practice their painting and crafting skills.

5. Mosaic Turkey Puzzle

Transform a simple turkey drawing into a captivating mosaic puzzle. Start by creating the turkey’s body and feathers on cardboard or construction paper, then cut it into various geometric shapes.

Color each piece with vibrant autumn shades like orange, yellow, and red. The challenge lies in reassembling the turkey by fitting these pieces together, offering a creative and educational activity. This craft encourages problem-solving and fine motor skills, celebrating Thanksgiving with a personalized turkey puzzle.

6. Colorful Paper Wheat Stalks

Craft whimsical wheat stalks using colored paper for a unique Thanksgiving decor. Cut long strips of paper, folding and trimming the tops to mimic wheat grains.

Select a spectrum of colors from traditional autumn hues to bright pastels for a visually striking effect. Arrange the crafted stalks in a vase or as part of a centerpiece, bringing a harvest-inspired decoration to your Thanksgiving celebration. This simple craft adds a touch of seasonal charm to any setting.

7. Turkey Counting Game

Combine creativity and learning with this fun Thanksgiving-themed counting game. Kids color and cut out small turkeys with numbers on their bodies and attach corresponding colored feathers to match the numbers.

This interactive game enhances counting skills while producing adorable turkeys adorned with vibrant feathers. These turkeys double as festive decorations or as an engaging activity during Thanksgiving, keeping young minds entertained and active.

8. Turkey Headband Craft

Create a wearable turkey headband perfect for Thanksgiving festivities. Use a paper plate cut in half to form the turkey’s face, embellishing it with googly eyes, a beak, and a wattle.

Attach colorful feathers at the back to build the turkey’s “tail.” Secure the headband with a simple elastic or ribbon, transforming the turkey face into a festive accessory. Kids will love wearing this fun and creative headband, adding a playful touch to the holiday celebration.

9. Coffee Filter Turkey Craft

Create adorable turkey feathers using coffee filters and vibrant autumn hues. Children color the filters with markers, then spritz them with water to achieve a stunning tie-dye effect.

Once dry, fold and attach these filters to a clothespin, which serves as the turkey’s body. Add googly eyes, a small paper beak, and a wattle to complete your turkey. This craft is simple and ideal for young kids, offering a fun, colorful way to celebrate Thanksgiving.

10. Gratitude Turkey Craft

Teach kids about gratitude with this thoughtful Gratitude Turkey craft. Use paper feathers to represent things each child is thankful for, adding a personal touch to the turkey.

Decorate the turkey’s body and watch as each feather adds color and meaning. This activity encourages children to reflect on the positives in their lives while practicing writing. Display it as a Thanksgiving decoration to remind everyone of the spirit of gratitude.

11. Turkey Footprint Craft

Capture a special moment with the Turkey Footprint Craft. Use a child’s painted footprint as the turkey’s body, then glue colorful feathers to form the tail.

Add googly eyes, a beak, and a hat for extra charm. This craft is cherished by parents as a keepsake of their child’s tiny footprint. Easy and vibrant, it’s perfect for younger kids during Thanksgiving.

12. Tie-Dye Turkey Clothespin Craft

Create a vibrant turkey using a coffee filter tie-dye technique. Kids color the filter with markers, spray with water, and watch the colors blend beautifully.

Once dry, fold the filter into turkey feathers and attach to a clothespin as the body. Add googly eyes and a paper beak to finish. This craft is an enjoyable way to make colorful decorations while teaching kids about color mixing.

13. Handprint Turkey Keepsake Frame

Capture memories with the Handprint Turkey Keepsake Frame. Kids paint their hands in bright colors, pressing them onto paper to create the turkey’s tail feathers, while their footprint forms the body.

Once dry, frame the artwork with colorful popsicle sticks, adding the child’s name and year.This activity is not only fun, but it also produces a cherished Thanksgiving decoration for parents to treasure for years.

14. Turkey Headband Cups

Design festive headwear with Turkey Headband Cups using plastic cups and colorful construction paper. Kids cut strips from the cups to mimic turkey feathers and add googly eyes and a beak for the face.

The headband attaches beneath the cup, creating a wearable piece of art for Thanksgiving, combining creativity with celebration.

15. Popsicle Stick Turkey with Paper Feathers

Craft a charming turkey using popsicle sticks and colorful construction paper. Kids form a triangle with the sticks, decorating it with googly eyes, a beak, and a wattle.

Brightly colored paper feathers are attached to the back, offering a simple and fun project that enhances fine motor skills. This cute turkey can be proudly displayed as part of Thanksgiving decor.

16. Paper Plate Scarecrow Faces

Create whimsical scarecrow faces using paper plates and construction paper. Decorate the plate with a smiling face, complete with button eyes and a triangle nose.

Use straw or raffia for the hair and top each face with a colorful paper hat. This project sparks creativity and results in charming decorations for doors or walls during Thanksgiving.

17. Pom-Pom Matching Turkey Game

Engage children with the Pom-Pom Matching Turkey Game, blending crafting and learning. Kids create a turkey using construction paper, adding feathers with various colored holes. The aim is to match pom-poms with the corresponding holes.

This game enhances color recognition and hand-eye coordination, making it both educational and fun. It doubles as a Thanksgiving decoration, offering a playful twist on traditional turkey crafts that families will enjoy.

18. Beaded Indian Corn Craft

Celebrate the harvest season with the Beaded Indian Corn Craft. Use pipe cleaners and colorful pony beads to create miniature Indian corn. Kids string beads onto the pipe cleaners, alternating fall colors like yellow, red, and orange.

Twist the ends to form the corn’s top, creating an easy and beautiful Thanksgiving decoration. This hands-on craft is simple yet creatively embraces the festive spirit.

19. Marshmallow and Apple Turkey Snack

Make snack time fun with the Marshmallow and Apple Turkey Snack. Using an apple as the body, skewer marshmallows and colorful cereal pieces on toothpicks for feathers. A large marshmallow becomes the face with drawn-on eyes and a beak.

This activity not only hones fine motor skills but also provides a tasty treat. It’s a playful, delicious way to engage kids during Thanksgiving.

20. Colorful Turkey Fan Craft

Let creativity soar with the Colorful Turkey Fan Craft. Use a paper fan for the turkey’s vibrant tail feathers, painting it in bold colors. Cut the body from construction paper and glue it on, adding googly eyes and a paper beak.

This craft allows children to express creativity, resulting in a unique decoration for Thanksgiving festivities. It’s a colorful celebration of the holiday’s joy.

21. Sprinkle Turkey Craft

Add a burst of color with the Sprinkle Turkey Craft. Kids draw a turkey outline on cardboard or cardstock, spreading glue over the tail feathers. They sprinkle colorful sprinkles over the glue for a vibrant, textured look.

This sensory activity lets children explore texture while crafting a Thanksgiving-themed project. The finished turkey can serve as a unique decoration or a festive place card holder for the dinner table.

22. Paper Plate Pumpkin Pie Craft

Create a delicious-looking pie with the Paper Plate Pumpkin Pie Craft. Kids cut a paper plate into pie slices, color them orange, and add small pieces of brown paper for the crust.

A cotton ball in the center mimics whipped cream. This easy, no-mess project is perfect for young kids, adding a sweet Thanksgiving touch to any home without baking.

23. Cork Turkey Craft

Craft an eco-friendly turkey with the Cork Turkey Craft. Wine corks form the body, decorated with googly eyes, a paper beak, and a wattle. Colorful pipe cleaners or ribbons create the tail feathers.

This fun project is perfect for kids who enjoy working with different materials. The finished cork turkeys make charming table decorations or placeholders for Thanksgiving dinner.

24. Nature-Inspired Leaf Turkey Craft

Inspire creativity with the Nature-Inspired Leaf Turkey Craft. Kids collect leaves to form the turkey’s tail, using wood slices for the body, adorned with googly eyes and twig legs.

This nature-based activity encourages outdoor exploration and creative use of natural findings. It’s an ideal craft for teaching about fall and Thanksgiving while creating a lovely home decoration.

25. Build-A-Turkey Puzzle Craft

Invite kids to craft their own turkeys with the Build-A-Turkey Puzzle Craft. Using pre-cut shapes from colorful paper, children assemble the pieces on a flat surface or paper plate. This task enhances fine motor skills and encourages creativity as they fit the pieces together.

Once assembled, kids can add personal touches with markers, stickers, or embellishments. It’s a delightful and engaging activity perfect for the Thanksgiving table or classroom.

26. Clay Play-Dough Turkey

Engage little hands with the Clay Play-Dough Turkey craft. Kids shape the turkey’s body using brown playdough and decorate it with vibrant feathers, googly eyes, and a small paper beak. Pipe cleaners are used to form the legs, adding to the creativity.

This craft is ideal for young children who enjoy working with clay, allowing them to practice shaping and design. It’s a fun and easy activity that provides a creative outlet during the holiday.

27. Gratitude Leaf Wreath

Create a meaningful decoration with the Gratitude Leaf Wreath. Kids use real or faux leaves to form a wreath, writing what they are thankful for on each leaf. They attach the leaves to a circular base, creating a beautiful wall decoration.

This project encourages reflection on gratitude while practicing writing. The wreath’s natural look makes it a thoughtful addition to Thanksgiving decor.

28. Cute Bow-Tie Turkey Craft

Make Thanksgiving charming with the Cute Bow-Tie Turkey Craft. Using construction paper, kids cut out the turkey, layering different colors for the body, feathers, and feet. A big pink bow and large eyes complete the adorable look.

Children can personalize their turkeys with various bow colors or extra decorations, turning this simple paper turkey into a delightful decoration. It’s a quick, fun project that adds smiles to the holiday ambiance.