5 Fun Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids
What better way to decorate your house this November than with homemade Thanksgiving crafts your toddler created? From leaf art to turkey wreaths and more, these Thanksgiving crafts for kids are festive family activities to do leading up to the holiday or even day-of while the bird roasts in the oven.
Fall Leaf Craft for Toddlers
This toddler-friendly arts project from Busy Toddler keeps things simple by using fall’s beautiful bounty. Chances are, your little one is already picking up pretty fall leaves, so why not use them in cute Thanksgiving crafts they can show off to guests on Turkey Day?
What you’ll need: Leaves, white construction paper, crayons or washable markers, glue stick and leaves.
How to make it: Collect leaves with your child and shake them out over a trash can to get rid of any bugs or dirt. Draw your best version of a bare tree on the construction paper with crayons or marker. Your toddler can then color in the tree and, using the glue stick, attach the leaves. Hang on the wall or fridge (because everyone can appreciate Thanksgiving crafts).
Thanksgiving Turkey Brownies
These festive sweet treats from Momma Lew are the perfect edible Thanksgiving crafts for kids to create before the big day—after all, you can never have too many desserts at your holiday feast. Plus, your child can bring leftovers to school (if you feel like sharing). The recipe calls for brownie mix, but you can easily make these with cupcake mix if that’s more your jam.
What you’ll need: Your favorite brownie baking mix, a jar lid (about 3-inches in diameter), icing, candy corn, mini peanut butter cups, M&M’s and candy eyes.
How to make them: Prepare the brownie (or cupcake) mix according to package directions. Let cool after baking, then, using the lid, cut into circles. Depending on your toddler’s age and abilities, she can help! Add icing to the back of a peanut butter cup and show your toddler how to place it on the brownie so it sticks. Have her then add the candy corn “feathers” around the peanut butter cup, attach the candy eyes and add a “beak” in the M&M color of her choice. Then set about devouring these edible Thanksgiving crafts.
Popsicle Stick Wooden Scarecrow
You’ve gotta love Thanksgiving crafts for toddlers that require you to eat an entire box of popsicles. While you don’t actually need to polish off several ice cream bars to make this adorable popsicle stick scarecrow from One Sharp Bunch, you at least have a good excuse at the ready.
What you’ll need: 12 popsicle sticks, a hot glue gun, orange and flesh-colored tempera paints, raffia ribbon, felt, googly eyes, black marker, flower and magnets.
How to make it: Trim two popsicle sticks. Line up nine other sticks side by side so they look like a fence. Using the glue gun, attach the trimmed sticks perpendicular to the others—one about an inch from the top and the other an inch from the bottom. These secure the sticks together. Attach the ribbon close to the sides to create the scarecrow’s hair.
Flip the sticks over. Paint the tops of the sticks orange (for the young ones, draw a horizontal line for them to follow) and the rest a flesh-color. Paint the remaining lone popsicle stick orange as well. Once everything is dry, hot glue the one stick across the bottom of the orange section—this will serve as your hat brim. Now you’re ready to add the scarecrow’s features and accessories: Cut out a small felt triangle for the nose, glue on the googly eyes and let your toddler draw in the mouth with marker. Add a flower to the hat. When everything is dry, glue magnets onto the back of the scarecrow’s head so you can display it on your fridge or a metal cabinet.
Footprint Turkey Wreath
If you’re into making handprint and footprint crafts with your kids, you’ll love this turkey wreath from Non-Toy Gifts. One of the easiest Thanksgiving crafts for kids to make, it’s ideal for decorating the house for the holiday or serving as a gift to a loved one
What you’ll need: Brown, red and orange acrylic paint; paint brush; paper plate; craft knife (for adult use only); red and yellow construction paper; glue and googly eyes.
How to make it: Apply brown paint to the sole of your child’s foot and firmly press onto the inside of the plate. Make sure the toes touch the paper plate rim. Once the paint is dry, use a craft knife to cut along the heel and instep portion of your child’s footprint, then cut around the inside circle of the Plate. (This is one step you’ll want to handle yourself.) Paint on what’ll serve as the “turkey feathers” onto the paper plate rim. Cut out the beak from yellow construction paper and the snood from red construction paper; glue them onto the footprint. Don’t forget the googly eyes!
Thanksgiving Yarn Pumpkin
This cute pumpkin decoration from One Little Project might look complicated, but we promise it’s fun to do with your toddler and will look festive on your Thanksgiving table. Even better? You can find all of the supplies at the dollar store! Of all the Thanksgiving crafts for kids, this one is a bit messier and takes longer to dry, so consider starting at least a few days before Turkey Day.
What you’ll need: A balloon, orange yarn, glue, a bowl, plastic fork, green and brown pipe cleaners.
How to make It: Blow up the balloon to create a mold for your pumpkin. Dunk the pieces of yarn in glue and wind it around the balloon, continuing until you’ve covered it entirely. Let dry overnight. In the morning, burst and remove the balloon so just the yarn pumpkin remains. Add your pipe-cleaner stem and leaf, and voila! A perfect little pumpkin, ready to adorn your Thanksgiving table. Find full instructions for this and other Thanksgiving crafts at One Little Project.
Updated October 2017
