Thanksgiving is the perfect time of year to teach children the virtue of gratitude. This adorable cardboard thankful turkey craft is simple enough for preschool and kindergarten students to complete with a bit of help or for older children to do on their own.
One of the things I love most about this craft is that we already had everything we needed on hand! The supplies are simple:
If you are doing this craft with a classroom full of students you may consider cutting out all the pieces beforehand so that the children just have to assemble the turkey with glue. However, if you are just doing this with a few kids it is wonderful fine motor practice for them to trace and cut all the pieces themselves.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to practice gratitude. Making a thankful turkey craft is a fun hands-on activity that allows children to reflect on what they are grateful for. This kid-friendly DIY project also makes for a cute Thanksgiving decoration or centerpiece.
In this simple tutorial, you’ll learn how to make an easy thankful turkey craft with your kids using basic supplies like construction paper, googly eyes, and glue. The instructions below walk through the steps for making a thankful turkey by hand, but you can also find printable templates online to shortcut the process.
Supplies Needed
To make a handmade thankful turkey, you will need:
- Construction paper in fall colors like brown, red, orange, yellow
- Googly eyes
- Glue (white school glue or glue stick)
- Scissors
- Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
- Printable turkey template (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps to assemble your thankful turkey:
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Cut out the turkey’s body Use brown construction paper and cut out the shape of the turkey’s body. If using a printable template, trace it onto construction paper and cut out
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Cut out colorful feathers From construction paper in red, orange, yellow cut out feather shapes. Make sure to cut out enough feathers to fill the turkey’s body, about 8-12 feathers.
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Write what you’re thankful for: On each feather, write or draw something you are thankful for with markers or crayons. Get creative with blessings big and small.
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Glue on the feathers: Glue the feathers onto the back of the turkey’s body, filling it up. Press down firmly to adhere.
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Add eyes and a beak: Glue on 2 googly eyes and cut an orange diamond or triangle for the beak. Glue to the turkey’s head.
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Add legs if desired: Cut and glue on 2 brown paper legs so the turkey can stand up.
And just like that, you have a beautiful thankful turkey! Make it a yearly tradition by saving the turkey and re-reading all the blessings from years past.
Turkey Craft Variations
There are all kinds of ways to customize your thankful turkey:
- Use a toilet paper roll or paper bag for the body
- Craft feathers from real fallen leaves and twigs
- Attach feathers with brass fasteners instead of glue
- Use pom poms, wiggle eyes, or foam shapes for embellishments
- Make handprint turkeys with fingerprint feathers
Displaying Your Thankful Turkeys
Once complete, thankful turkeys make wonderful Thanksgiving decor. Here are some ideas:
- Line them up on the mantel or bookshelf
- Hang them by ribbon around the house
- Arrange them down the center of the dining table
- Display them on a wreath or garland
- Hang by string from the ceiling or windows
You can also turn your turkey into a place card by adding a name tag or tent. Kids will love finding their own turkey at the table!
Turn It Into a Thanksgiving Activity
Beyond just making turkeys, there are lots of ways to turn this into a fun activity that fosters thankfulness:
- Have a thankful turkey making party with friends or family members
- Take turkey making supplies to a family gathering as an activity
- Use it as a craft project in your children’s ministry, classroom, etc.
- Make a thankful tree by hanging turkeys from branches
- Take turns sharing what you wrote on your feathers
The thankful turkey is a craft that can be enjoyed every year and adapted in many creative ways. Not only is it easy for kids to make, but it helps nurture gratefulness and provides a keepsake to treasure. Celebrate Thanksgiving in style with this handmade holiday craft!
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Making a Cardboard Thankful Turkey Craft
The first and most important step is to download the free turkey template below. We printed it out on white cardstock so that it would be sturdy.
We cut each piece of the template out and set them aside.
I traced the body of the turkey onto cardboard and cut it out.
Using a bunch of fall-colored cardstock I traced the feathers onto the different colors.
We cut out the feathers and glued eight of them onto the back of each turkey body.
We traced the wattle, beak, and two feet onto colored cardstock and cut them each out.
Carefully, we glued the beak and wattle to the turkey’s face along with two googly eyes. Finally, we glued the two feet to the bottom of the back of the turkey so they looked like they were peeking out from underneath the fat turkey breast. The turkey was so cute!
I helped the younger kids write the names of people, objects, and ideas that they are thankful for on the turkey’s feathers. The older kids wrote their own words.
The kids were thrilled to take their cardboard thankful turkey craft home to show their family and friends. Not only is it a cute Thanksgiving craft, but it also provides such a lovely way for the children to discuss the good things in their lives with others.
Need more turkey resources?
How To Make A Thankful Turkey | Fun and Educational Videos for Kids
FAQ
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