Free Preschool Crafts

These stars make a nice gift, and also would be beautiful as a group project, with each child’s picture displayed.

What You Need: 6 craft sticks, blue tempera or acrylic paint, glue, silver glitter (or glitter glue pen), magnet, photo.
How You Make It: Paint craft sticks blue and let dry. Arrange 3 sticks in a triangle shape and glue together where they join. Repeat this with the other 3 craft sticks. Place 1 triangle on top of the other, rotated to form Star of David shape, and glue together. Once dry, use glue to “draw” along the star. Sprinkle with silver glitter. Once dry, use star as template to trim a photo to fit in the center of the star and glue or tape it behind the star. You can glue a magnet to the back, or hang the star.

These cute turkeys can double as Thanksgiving place cards!

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.

Here’s a twist on the classic handprint Thanksgiving turkey craft. If you’re wondering why the hand in the example is so big, it’s because 3-year-old Alec didn’t feel like getting paint on his hands so Mom used her own, which gives us a chance to remind you to, as always, “enjoy the process,” because the most important thing at craft time is that preschoolers are having fun.

What You Need: Brown washable tempera paint; glue; feathers; googly eye; scrap of red and yellow cardstock or construction paper; full sheet of light-colored construction paper.
How You Make It: Paint hand using brown paint and press onto paper. Once dry, use glue to add feathers to finger areas. Glue on googly eye. Cut out wattle shape or use a heart-shaped paper punch to make one from red paper and glue on. Cut rectangle legs from yellow construction paper and glue on.

What You Need: Paper plate; assorted feathers; scrap of red construction paper; 2 googly eyes; scissors; glue or tape.

How You Make It: Cut inward from bottom of plate in two places about 2″ apart angled inward but not connecting (adult job). Fold in half and upward to form turkey head. Glue or staple feathers to top of paper plate. Cut out wattle shape from red construction paper and glue on. Glue on googly eyes.

Preschoolers can make their own little pumpkin party favors to hold treats for a class party. Painting a jack o’ lantern face is optional!

What You Need: Egg carton cup (adult should pre-cut for little kids); 3/4″ wide strip of green construction paper; orange and black tempera paint; large and small paint brushes; hole punch and 2 office brads (or just staple handle on).
How You Make It: Paint egg carton cup orange, let dry and paint jack o’ lantern face if you’d like. Poke a hole on each side of the top of the cup and through the paper strip and use office brads to attach handle. Once dry, fill it with treats!