Archive for the ‘Thanksgiving crafts’ Category

Coffee filter turkey craft

Saturday, November 19th, 2011

turkey craft

Coffee filter turkey

This Thanksgiving turkey is easy to make with a coffee filter and some construction paper. I was going to spray on the food coloring, but we couldn’t find my spray bottle and just dripped some on instead. You could also moisten the coffee filter and draw on it with water-based markers such as those by Crayola.

What You Need: 1 coffee filter; food coloring (or markers, etc.); brown, red, and orange construction paper; two googly eyes; scissors; glue.

How to Make It: Drip or spray food coloring onto wet coffee filter. Or, use markers. Set aside to dry on a paper towel. Cut turkey shape (kind of like a peanut) from brown construction paper. Cut out and add orange beak and red wattle. Glue on googly eyes. Once coffee filter feathers are dry, glue turkey body to it.

Toilet paper roll handprint turkey

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

tp roll turkey

TP roll turkey craft

Here’s a fun turkey craft that involves the whole family. I’ve seen several variations recently on Pinterest. We traced Dad’s hand, Mom’s hand, and our son’s hand to make the feathers. A perfect craft for Thanksgiving!

What You Need: 1 toilet paper roll; yellow, orange, and red construction paper; pencil (for tracing); scrap of red paper (for wattle); scrap of orange paper (for beak); 2 googly eyes; glue; scissors.

How to Make It: Trace each family member’s handprint and cut out. Glue, staggered, on top of each other as shown. Glue set to back of toilet paper roll. Cut out wattle and beak (folded or just a triangle) and glue toward top of roll. Glue on eyes.

Thankful turkey craft

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

Thankful turkey craft

Thankful turkey craft

Children can share what they’re thankful for with this easy craft, which is great for preschool or day care, or as a kids’ table activity on Thanksgiving Day with the family.

What You Need: Large brown construction paper circle; small purple construction paper circle; small purple construction paper rectangle; four or five colorful feather shapes. (You can precut all of these or trace them and have the kids do it.); scrap of orange construction paper; 2 googly eyes; black pipe cleaners; scissors; glue.

How to Make It: Ask child to dictate several things he or she is thankful for. Write them on the pointy oval “feathers.” Child can then assemble the turkey as shown. Bending lengths of pipe cleaner outward makes the feet.

Footprint turkey

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

Footprint turkey craft

Footprint turkey craft

You’ve heard of tracing a kid’s hand to make a Thanksgiving turkey, but how about a footprint? This craft is a great activity for preschoolers as well as a keepsake for parents.

What You Need: White butcher paper or construction paper; nontoxic brown paint; 2 googly eyes; scrap of orange construction paper; 6 colorful feathers; glue; tape; paintbrush; scissors.

How to Make It: Brush paint onto child’s foot (this generally works a little better than having them step in the paint, but that’s fine, too.) Have child step on white paper without wiggling, and then pull off in one motion. Let dry. Cut out foot shape. Glue on googly eyes and orange triangle beak to heel. Attach feathers to back with glue or tape.

Styrofoam turkey or placecard craft

Tuesday, November 13th, 2007

These cute turkeys can double as Thanksgiving place cards!
Styrofoam turkey
What You Need: Styrofoam ball; brown tempera paint; feathers (with stiff quills; they’re a little more expensive); wooden “spoon” (sold in the craft aisle, or with your ice cream); 2 googly eyes; red cardstock; office brad; paint brush; scissors; glue.
How You Make It: Paint turkey brown. (Note: It takes awhile to dry. Try setting it on a cup and rotating it from time to time.) Glue googly eyes to top of spoon. Cut wattle from red cardstock (we used a heart-shaped punch) and glue below eyes. Poke spoon “head” into ball about one-third of the way. Poke feathers into styrofoam for plume. You can use an office brad to attach the Styrofoam ball to a piece of cardstock; then write a guest’s name on the cardstock. If you’d rather, an adult can cut off the bottom of the ball so the turkey can sit on its own.