Archive for the ‘Thanksgiving crafts’ Category

Handprint turkey with feathers

Thursday, November 8th, 2007

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.
Handprint turkey with feathers
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.

Paper plate turkey

Monday, October 29th, 2007

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

Pinecone turkey

Thursday, October 11th, 2007

Here’s a fun Thanksgiving project made with things you can find in nature!
Pinecone turkey
What You Need: Pinecone; 2 acorn tops; 2 googly eyes (optional); scraps of orange and red cardstock or construction paper; 6 to 8 feathers (dyed or natural); scissors; glue.
How You Make It: Use glue to stick feathers in back of upright pinecone. Glue on 2 acorn caps for eyes (they should slide right over the pinecone parts). Add googly eyes. Cut out orange triangle for beak and red wattle shape and glue on.

Clothespin and muffin paper turkey

Tuesday, October 9th, 2007

Make a bunch of these cute clothespin turkeys for a holiday party. You can even use them to mark guests’ places at Thanksgiving dinner!
Clothespin and muffin paper turkey
What You Need: Flat clothespin; two small googly eyes; muffin (cupcake) pan paper liner; red, orange and yellow markers; scraps of red and orange cardstock or construction paper; glue; scissors.
How You Make It: Fold muffin paper in half with light side facing out. Color to look like turkey feathers, or however you’d like. Glue two eyes near top of clothespin front. Cut out orange triangle for beak and glue on front of clothespin. Punch out heart from red paper or just cut a wattle shape and glue on. Glue clothespin onto muffin paper.

Pumpkin head craft

Thursday, October 4th, 2007

This is a craft where preschoolers can really use their imaginations. Set out a bunch of ideas with which to dress up pumpkins: yarn, felt, markers, etc. The best part is, each child will come up with something different.
Pumpkin head craft
What You Need: mini pumpkin; feathers; acorn tops (or whatever you’d like); glue
How You Make It: Set pumpkin on its side so the stem becomes the nose. Add acorn eyes, feather hair or anything else. The only limit is supplies and a preschool imagination!