Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the past year, to celebrate the harvest, and to kick-off the preparations for the Festive Season. It’s also a time for family gatherings and feasting!
So, to help your kids get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, we’ve put together this list of 25 outstanding crafting ideas. We’ve included lots of easy, fun projects that are ideal for little kids and preschoolers to get busy with. There are also some more challenging crafting ventures in this listicle that will keep older children occupied for hours on a rainy fall afternoon.
Table of Contents
Project #1: Thankful Turkey
This thankful turkey makes a great way of teaching young kids about the sentiment behind Thanksgiving season.
All you need for this project is some colored card, marker pens, and craft glue. These thankful turkeys look great on the wall in your kids’ bedrooms or on a classroom noticeboard at school. Now that’s something to be thankful for!
Project #2: Turkey Handprint Wall Art
This attractive piece of turkey handprint Thanksgiving wall art is ideal for young kids to work on, with a little help from you. This project is absolutely perfect for use as a class project in school too.
Best of all, this project is super-cheap to make! You’ll need paper, pens, paint, and animal eyes, all of which are available for a few dollars from your local crafting supplies store.
Project #3: Clothespin Turkey Craft
These beautiful turkeys are made using clothespins, card cut into feathers, and animal eyes.
You can make this clothespin turkey craft project even more creative by taking a family trip to the park, where you can forage for especially beautiful fall leaves. Press and dry the leaves, and use them to create the turkey’s tail!
Project #4: Craft Stick Turkeys
Here’s an easy and fun craft project that is ideal for preschoolers to make, along with mom and dad or with their teacher.
These craft stick turkeys are made using budget items from a craft shop. If you don’t want to buy the feathers for the turkey tails, why not collect fallen feathers when you’re next on a walk in the park.
Project #5: Colorful Magazine Fall Tree
Don’t throw away your glossy magazines! Your kids will thank you for saving your glossies when they undertake this project to create a colorful magazine fall tree.
The brightly colored fall tree makes the perfect addition to any Thanksgiving home or classroom display. This project is also a great way to teach youngsters about the importance of recycling old items to create new ones.
Project #6: Thumbprint Turkey
Preschoolers and kindergarten kids will love creating this super-colorful thumbprint turkey.
All you need for this crafty creation are some paints, paper, animal eyes, and a willing volunteer’s thumb!
This project can get messy, so be sure to have your kids wear aprons, and put some old newspaper down to protect your kitchen counters!
Project #7: Thanksgiving Printables and Placemat
These free Thanksgiving printables and placemat make a great way for your kids to pass a rainy fall afternoon.
All you need for this creative project is a printer and a set of colored crayons or pencils. Then, simply let your kids’ imagination do the rest!
Project #8: Colorful Turkey Hat
Your whole family will love getting involved in the creation of this funky, colorful turkey hat!
Simply download and print this free printable creation, and you’re good to go!
Project #9: Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
Everyone loves a scavenger hunt!
Print out this free Thanksgiving-inspired scavenger hunt and let the kids have fun finding all the items on the list. There are things to find indoors and outdoors, so your family is guaranteed a good time, regardless of the weather!
Project #10: Great Turkey Obstacle Course Thanksgiving STEM Challenge!
This Thanksgiving activity is perfect for an end of term class challenge!
In the Great Turkey Race STEM activity, your students create, design, and build a turkey obstacle course! This challenge makes the perfect companion to the Thanksgiving read-aloud book, The Great Turkey Race by Steve Metzger.
This Thanksgiving activity works just as well at kids’ parties and family get-togethers.
Project #11: Thanksgiving I Spy Counting Game
This free printable Thanksgiving I Spy Counting Game is an excellent way of combining education with Thanksgiving fun and games.
Aimed at preschoolers and kindergarten students, the game uses eight Thanksgiving-themed pictures that have to be “spied” and counted. Images include a pumpkin, a pilgrim, a cooked turkey, an Indian, a corn cob, a turkey, and a pumpkin pie.
Challenge your little ones to find all of the images without looking at the answer key.
Project #12: Fingerprint Fall Tree Picture
This glorious fingerprint fall tree picture truly captures the glory of the season!
Younger kids will love creating their very own fall tree picture that can be displayed on a classroom wall or in your home as part of your family’s Thanksgiving decorations.
All you need for this project is some art paper, paints, and some kids’ fingers! Creating this artwork can be a messy undertaking, so be sure to have your junior Picassos wear an apron!
Project #13: Preserved Fall Leaves
Many Thanksgiving creative projects and artworks can be made using real fall leaves.
But how do you keep these beautiful gifts of nature looking fresh and glorious for more than just a day or two? This project shows you how to preserve fall leaves for future use in art and leaf nature craft projects of all kinds.
Take your children for a long walk on a misty fall day, and gather a selection of beautiful colored leaves that you can then preserve for your Thanksgiving art projects and more.
Project #14: Tin Can Turkey Windsock
If you want to add a quirky, fun splash of color to your back yard or porch this Thanksgiving, you might want to task your children with making this tin can turkey windsock.
You’ll need a recycled tin can, craft glue, ribbon, and a few other bits and pieces from your crafting shop to make the cutest Thanksgiving turkey in the neighborhood!
Project #15: Fall Leaf Suncatchers
These fall leaf suncatchers are so easy to make, yet so effective. Hang the suncatchers in your windows where they’ll catch the light, creating a stunning Thanksgiving display for your home or school classroom.
You’ll need a few basic supplies that you can pick up for a few dollars from good craft stores. This project is perfect for older kids who enjoy making things with minimal supervision.
Project #16: Marbled Pumpkin Art
Older kids will love creating these marbled pumpkin art pieces for display in your home or at school for the Thanksgiving holiday celebrations.
You can create a highly effective piece of wall art from these pretty pumpkins. Your kids can use traditional pumpkin colors or go for a more wacky, freestyle approach for a fresh new look. Why not add some glitter too?
Project #17: Thanksgiving Kids’ Edible Table Decorations
If you’re planning on making a special kids’ table this holiday, you’ll love these Thanksgiving kids’ edible table decorations.
These jolly turkeys are stuffed with sweets and popcorn with a felt beak and crazy eye added for a quirky, cheeky look. You can use the turkeys as party gifts or maybe make them in class for your students to take home for mom and dad.
Project #18: Turkey Bowling
For a fun family game that’ll keep the kids busy while you’re whipping up a Thanksgiving feast, why not have your children make this fun turkey bowling game in advance of the big day?
All you need to create this fun game are some paper cups, colored card, and craft glue. Use mini pumpkins as bowling balls, and let the fun commence!
Project #19: Pinecone Turkey Table Decorations
Even young kids can enjoy making these adorable pinecone turkey table decorations.
All you need to create these super-cute turkeys are a few items from your local crafting shop and some pinecones that you can gather during a fall walk with your family.
Before you begin, be sure to tap the pinecones to knock out any insects that might be living inside. Dry the cones, and then put them in plastic bags in your freezer overnight to kill any bugs.
Once the cones have returned to room temperature, get busy creating those turkeys!
Project #20: Thanksgiving Tree
This pretty Thanksgiving tree makes the perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving dinner table.
Use seasonal items such as berries, twigs, and mini pumpkins to create an attractive backdrop to the centerpiece. Make paper leaves in a range of pretty fall colors to hang on your tree or use real dried, pressed leaves to make your decoration even more realistic.
This project is ideal for kids of any age and makes a wonderful family Thanksgiving activity project that everyone can have a hand in creating.
Project #21: Turkey Leaf Lantern Mason Jars
These turkey leaf lantern mason jars are created using real fall leaves, although you can use silk ones if you prefer.
This Thanksgiving creative project is easy for both kids and adults to do. These seasonal luminaries add a delightful, cozy ambiance to your dinner table.
If you prefer, you can use battery-operated candles, rather than real tea lights, especially if you have curious young kids sitting at the table.
Project #22: Turkey Lollipop Thanksgiving Treats
If you have kids attending your Thanksgiving dinner, these turkey lollipop treats are sure to go down well!
To make these tasty turkey lollipops, you’ll need a few basic crafting supplies and, of course, some lollipops. Older kids with nimble fingers will find it easy to make these treats. Younger children can join in too, but they may need a little help from you as assembling the turkeys can be fiddly!
Project #23: Turkey Sweetie Bowl Centerpiece
This easy to make turkey sweetie bowl makes a really effective centerpiece for your Thanksgiving family dinner table.
Kids of all ages will have fun creating this sweetie bowl. All you need is a clear glass bowl, some brightly colored felt, craft glue, and lots of fall-colored sweets.
The turkey sweetie bowl also makes a lovely Thanksgiving holiday gift for your child’s teacher or for a special friend. Alternatively, pop the tasty turkey on a side table for guests to dip into after dinner.
Project #24: Fall Teepees Food Craft
A sumptuous feast is something we all look forward to at Thanksgiving time. These fall teepees are simple to make and look so tempting on your kids’ table.
All you need for this easy food craft project are some waffle ice cream cones, cooking chocolate, sprinkles, and pretzels. Older kids can tackle this project on their own, but younger children may need your help.
Project #25: Sweet Treat Thanksgiving Pilgrim Hats
Here’s another sweet treat that’s easy to make and looks great on your dinner table.
These sweet treat Thanksgiving pilgrim hats are made using just a few chocolates, biscuits, and simple piped icing for decoration. Again, older kids can tackle this tasty task alone, but you might need to help little ones whose fingers aren’t quite as nimble.
Wrapping it up
Thanksgiving is such an exciting time of the year for all the family!
If you’re planning a big family dinner for Thanksgiving, you’re really going to have your hands full! So, we’ve chosen the crafting ideas that are included in this list, especially to keep your kids busy and occupied making decorations for your Thanksgiving party.
Most of these ideas can be used in the classroom too, and there’s something included here for kids of all ages.
Happy Thanksgiving!
