Wondering how to keep your preschooler occupied this Thanksgiving?! That is certainly a question we hear regularly. Fortunately, we are here with some enjoyable and simple Thanksgiving Crafts for Preschoolers and elementary school kids. The children can work on some of these projects while you continue with your Thanksgiving preparations, while others are perfect for making together beforehand!
We have gathered a wonderful selection of ideas. Naturally, no Thanksgiving Crafts for Preschooler collection would be complete without plenty of cheerful turkey crafts. However, we have also included beautiful pumpkins, DIY decorations, leaf projects, and an adorable paper puppet for you to create with your preschooler or toddler. I will do my best to keep this list concise so it remains easy for you to manage!
You will also find a blend of crafts from Red Ted Art (woohoo!) along with projects from websites we enjoy. Hopefully, this mix will encourage you to get creative this Thanksgiving.
Every one of these crafts is educational in the sense that crafting offers enormous benefits to preschoolers overall – it gives young children a wonderful opportunity to
- develop their fine motor abilities,
- experiment with various materials and also
- listen to and follow directions.
These Thanksgiving crafts were also chosen because they are affordable, straightforward, and generally kind to the environment.
Preschool crafts for Thanksgiving – Overview
I could share plenty of “spiel” about the crafts we have created here at Red Ted Art – and you will find extra details for those projects. For the additional crafts contributed by websites we love, I have generally included only a link! I hope that works for you.
Another point to keep in mind is that preschoolers and elementary-aged children make lots of crafts and enjoy using up MANY craft supplies. Therefore, choose materials that are affordable and uncomplicated, while also being eco-friendly. Paper plates, paper bags, and ordinary paper can all become excellent craft supplies. As you will see, there are countless creations you can make with these simple basics. Just ad+
Make it uncomplicated. Make it affordable. Make it environmentally friendly!
Orange Pumpkin Crafts for Thanksgiving
Create a wonderfully bright orange pumpkin decoration with this inventive paper plate string art project for preschoolers. Paper plates are affordable, environmentally friendly, and incredibly adaptable.. making them a fantastic crafting material throughout the year. Along with this adorable string art pumpkin, which is suitable for preschoolers, be sure to take a look at the several paper plate turkeys below!
If you would like to strengthen your toddler’s or preschooler’s fine motor skills, try making our yarn-wrapped pumpkins. They are a “two-in-one” Halloween craft because you can turn them around to suit either Halloween or Thanksgiving. Arranged together, they would make a lovely yarn pumpkin garland for the mantel!
Paper Plate Turkey Crafts
Paper Plate Turkey Crafts – we have two different paper plate turkey projects, both shared as guest posts – Paper Plate Turkey 1 and Paper Plate Turkey 2. Together, they demonstrate how one craft idea can lead to many different results! A quick Google search will reveal plenty of other wonderful paper plate turkey projects as well. So, this selection is simply a small sample. Paper plates are also an excellent foundation for Thanksgiving wreaths. For instance, you could try our Pumpkin Wreath, leaving off the Jack O’Lantern faces, and create an easy apple-printed Thanksgiving wreath!
Handprint Turkey Craft Keepsake
We absolutely LOVE this Handprint Turkey Craft too – it is a delightful keepsake that is both enjoyable and simple to create!
Recycled Turkey DIY Ideas
Cardboard Turkey with a free template – this is likely one of the most popular turkey crafts for preschoolers on Red Ted Art. It was a lovely guest post from Raising Kingsley several years ago. I especially like how it centers on reusing cardboard, with a free turkey template included, while also helping you use materials you already own. There is no reason to purchase extra supplies. Once again, I recommend drawing sweet paper eyes rather than using googly eyes. However, if you already have a collection, go ahead and use them instead of discarding them!
Here is an adorable version of the Toilet Paper Roll Turkeys – this one is wonderful for strengthening fine motor abilities. It makes a lovely addition to our complete Animal A-Z created from toilet rolls! Although I have to admit that it only requires a handful of pipecleaners, you can make this project even more affordable and environmentally friendly by swapping the turkey feathers for paper cutouts. Keep watching this space! I will be sharing another idea soon.
You should also take a look at the sweetest little Paper Bag Turkey Puppet from No Time for Flash Cards. As you can see, this charming project uses simple shapes to create the turkey. If shapes are the kind of activity you are seeking, you could also try these Turkey Shape Tracing printables!
How about trying this straightforward Turkey Feather Count & Sort Activity? It is an enjoyable printable Thanksgiving game!
Nature Turkey Crafts
Pine Cone Turkey – we had so much fun creating these nature-inspired turkey crafts some time ago. It is a wonderful excuse to enjoy a walk, breathe in some fresh air and discover your local surroundings. Just remember that these pine cone turkeys are not long-lasting, since the leaves will shrivel, so you may prefer to make them on the same day as your Thanksgiving festivities. Alternatively… you can try our techniques for preserving leaves and use them instead!
Printed Turkey Crafts – Handprints and footprints
A preschool activity collection would not be complete without handprint and footprint projects! Although I have a full animal ABC series of handprint crafts, I do not have a turkey (the turtle was used for “T”).. so here are a few suggestions from our favourite bloggers..
Gratitude Crafts
Paper Bag Turkey Book – a Gratitude Journal from B Inspired Mama
Egg Carton Gratitude Turkey – these tiny turkeys never fail to make me grin. Inspired by our incredibly popular Egg Carton Chicks, I believe they are also perfect for Thanksgiving. The turkey’s feathers are ideal for writing gratitude notes, and the finished craft can hold little treats like candy corn, or you can place names on it!
Paper Turkey Crafts
Paper Turkey Puppet – we adore this very easy method for creating paper finger puppets. Crafting a small turkey finger puppet could not be simpler! Once again, it requires only a few straightforward shapes. We first created our turkey puppet with googly eyes, but we are choosing a more eco-friendly approach and encouraging you to sketch your own funny, cheerful eyes on paper and use those instead!
Paper Bag Turkey
Easy Turkey Bookmarks – if you are feeling adventurous, you could try making these Turkey Bookmarks too! They are inspired by the traditional origami bookmark, which is a simple origami activity for preschoolers to try. Then pair it with a few basic shapes to create your charming Turkey Corner Bookmark
Easy Thanksgiving Decorations for Preschoolers to make
Leaf lanterns – if you are familiar with Red Ted Art, you have probably already come across our wonderfully simple leaf lanterns for preschoolers. They are certainly a fantastic all-purpose Autumn Craft for children of every age, but I think they make especially beautiful Thanksgiving Decorations for Preschoolers. The method is uncomplicated, uses natural leaves and produces truly lovely results. My children always considered them wonderfully magical! You can light these Thanksgiving lanterns with real candles placed inside protective glass, or use electric tealights if the children will be handling them. I should mention that ours are a little too tall for centerpieces – or at least the ones we made are. However, you can follow the same method to create a smaller design. After all, leaf lanterns always make stunning centerpieces!
Leaf pinch pots – we also ENJOY creating pinch pots. They are especially suitable for elementary school children and support finger strength. So, if you would like to make attractive keepsake Thanksgiving Decorations in the classroom, why not try these? Preschoolers can attempt them as well, though it is best to expect simpler forms and colours.
Newspaper Leaf Garland – you can easily turn this into a gratitude garland as well – just include a thankful message.
And with that, I have reached the conclusion of my Cheap Thanksgiving Crafts for Preschoolers. I hope you like this collection and feel inspired to try some of these projects soon!
Here is another lovely assortment of Turkey Crafts that your preschooler might enjoy!
