Thanksgiving is a cherished holiday that brings family and friends together to express gratitude for the blessings in their lives. It’s a time to give thanks, reflect on the year’s journey, and indulge in delicious feasts.
While the scrumptious turkey dinner is a highlight of the day, the creative spirit can also flourish with Thanksgiving crafts.
In this blog post, we’ll explore several delightful Thanksgiving crafts to help you celebrate this special day with a personal touch.
We’ll also delve into why you should engage in Thanksgiving crafts, what they teach, and how to celebrate this meaningful holiday.
Why Celebrate Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is more than just a day of feasting; it’s a time to connect with loved ones and express gratitude. Here are some reasons why celebrating Thanksgiving is essential:
Gratitude: Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the things you are thankful for in your life. Expressing gratitude has been shown to improve mental and emotional well-being.
Family and Friends: It’s an opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, strengthen bonds, and create lasting memories.
Tradition: Thanksgiving is a tradition that has been celebrated for generations in the United States. Embracing traditions helps connect us to our past and preserve cultural heritage.
Community: It’s a time when people come together to help those less fortunate through volunteering and charity work.
Festive Spirit: The holiday season officially kicks off with Thanksgiving, setting the stage for a month of joy, goodwill, and celebration.
The Benefits of Thanksgiving Crafts
Thanksgiving crafts offer a unique way to celebrate the holiday. They provide an opportunity to engage in creative activities that not only add a personal touch to your celebration but also teach valuable lessons:
Expressing Gratitude: Thanksgiving crafts can serve as a medium for expressing gratitude. When you create crafts like a Gratitude Tree or a DIY Thankful Tablecloth, you are encouraged to reflect on and share the things you are thankful for.
Family Bonding: Crafting together as a family promotes bonding. It’s an opportunity for parents and children to work together on a project, share stories, and make memories.
Creativity and Imagination: Crafting encourages creativity and imagination. Whether you’re designing a thankful banner or making a pine cone turkey, you get to explore your artistic side and experiment with different materials and techniques.
Fine Motor Skills: Many Thanksgiving crafts involve cutting, gluing, and intricate details. These activities help improve fine motor skills, especially in children.
Teaching Patience and Perseverance: Some craft projects can be time-consuming and require patience and perseverance. These qualities are essential life skills that can be imparted through crafting.
Appreciating Nature: Crafts like pine cone place card holders and leaf garlands introduce an appreciation for nature and the changing seasons.
Meaningful Decor: Handcrafted decorations and table settings add a personal and meaningful touch to your Thanksgiving celebration, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
Fun & Creative Thanksgiving Crafts for All Ages
1. Build Your Own Turkey
As a kiddo, building my own turkey was one of my favorite activities. I loved drawing designs on the feathers!
2. Turkey Donuts
How cute are these turkey donuts? If your kiddos are anything like mine, they would love making AND enjoying this fun treat!
Related Post: 75+ Easy and Free Thanksgiving Crafts & Activities
3. Turkey Tracks
How cute are these little turkey tracks?! This craft is super simple for little ones to do, and educational! You can do a lesson about bird tracks during this craft.
4. Turkey Cage
Building a turkey cage/house will keep your little ones busy for hours. especially if it involves marshmallows! I would buy some extra just in case some become a snack.
5. Turkey Paper Bag Craft
Do you remember making turkey paper sacks as a kid, because I do! This version is the simplest out there and so much fun!
6. Apple Stamping Pumpkin Craft
Okay, come on! How cute are these pumpkins? Simply cut an apple in half, dip in paint and stamp! If you have googly eyes on hand you can have your little pick some out or simply draw eyes and a stem! So easy!
7. Turkey Wreath
This turkey wreath is so adorable and a perfect last-minute craft for little ones!
8. Paperclip Turkey
The paper clip turkey craft is so simple and easy! This craft is even great if you are on the road because it is (big) mess free!
9. Scrap Paper Fall Leaf
Use those leftover scraps of paper you have to make a super simple fall leaf with your little ones!
10. Turkey Headband
Your little ones will get a kick out of this turkey headband craft. To allow for a little more personalization, you can let them decorate the band before assembling.
11. Thankful Pie
I absolutely adore this “I am thankful for” craft. This is so fun for little ones to learn about thankfulness and gratitude.
12. Turkey Cones
How adorable are these little turkey cones?! You can add a piece of elastic to make a little hat or keep as is.
13. Pot Belly Turkeys
This pot belly turkey craft is the perfect amount of silliness for little ones! They will get a kick out this funny turkey craft.
14. Thanksgiving Placemat
How sweet is this placemat for little ones? You can do whatever scripture/saying that you want and let them decorate with crayons, markers, etc.
15. Turkey Windsock
How adorable is this turkey windsock?! The supplies needed are super simple! This makes a super cute front door decoration.
16. Coffee Filter Turkeys
I love these coffee filter turkeys! They are simple and fun to do with little ones!
17. Pumpkin Apple Stamping
This is always a great activity after we have been at the apple orchard and have inevitably found a couple of bruised or hole-y apples at the bottom of our bag.
18. Thanksgiving Handprint Craft
This is such a fun keepsake for fall! Have your child use fingerpaint to create this delightful handprint turkey!
19. Thanksgiving Footprint Craft
Sometimes handprints can be hard to grab! Try this fun Thanksgiving Footprint craft instead!
20. Thankful Thanksgiving Turkey
If you’re looking for a sweet gift for a grandparent this year, you could modify this turkey to create a special keepsake or thank you note for them. It’s a fun way to let a grandparent know how much their grandchild cares for them.
21. Turkey Corner Bookmarks
Gooble, gooble, let’s read a book together. Done reading for today? Mark your pages with this adorable turkey corner bookmark.
22. Cereal Box Thankful Turkey
Thanksgiving is almost here and what would the holiday be like without sharing fun ways with the kids on what it’s all about? This cereal box turkey is a great way to help kids express what they are thankful for.
23. Fun Turkey Hand Craft
Paper Plate Turkey Hand Crafts are a timeless November craft that seems to be a right of passage for many kids for a reason! They’re easy to make, allow kids to express themselves, and look adorable on the fridge.
24. Paper Quilled Turkey
DIY Paper Quilled Turkey Craft for Kids is one of the cutest Thanksgiving craft projects. Perfect as an Autumn / Fall Card or as a name card for your Thanksgiving dinner.
25. Turkey Pop-Up Card
Here’s an easy DIY Thanksgiving Turkey Pop Up Card that pops right up to wish kids a Happy Thanksgiving Day!
26. Felt Turkey Craft
This cute turkey craft for kids is an easy sewing project using felt scraps and simple stitching.
27. I am Thankful Headband
Print and decorate this cute I am Thankful turkey headband! This simple Thanksgiving craft is a great activity to help children think about what they’re grateful for.
28. Yarn Turkey Craft
This is an easy and fun project perfect for kids of all ages, and it takes a little extra time to put together so it’s great for those long Thanksgiving afternoons before food is ready.
29. Upcycled Glitter Leaf
Get crafty ready for Fall with this easy upcycled Autumn leaf craft.
30. Scarecrow Handprint Craft
This scarecrow handprint craft is perfect for kids of all ages. It’s easy to make and only requires a few supplies that you probably already have around the house.
31. Paper Plate Scarecrow Craft
It’s fall so it’s time to snuggle up inside and enjoy the change of season. This paper plate scarecrow craft is a fun project that your kids will love!
32. Pumpkin Name Craft
This pumpkin name craft is perfect for kids of all ages and is a great way to learn how to spell their names.
33. Turkey Spoon Puppet
A simple turkey spoon craft great for the Thanksgiving holidays. This wonderful little DIY turkey craft is an adorable puppet, a dinner keepsake, or that missing item your holiday centerpiece needs to be complete.
34. Fall Gnome Rock Painting
These Fall gnome rock painting cuties are a perfect addition to your rock painting collection or the pile of rocks you made to hide.
35. Easy Fall Tree Craft
This easy Autumn Craft for Toddlers and Preschoolers is great fun to create and make to celebrate the seasons changing.
36. Easy Pumpkin Craft
Looking for a unique pumpkin activity for preschool? Try this Marble Painting Easy Preschool Pumpkin Craft!
37. Fall Corn Craft
Looking for a fun preschool Thanksgiving corn craft? Check out this super easy bubble wrap corn craft!
38. Popsicle Stick Scarecrow
Creating this popsicle stick scarecrow craft is a breeze.
It’s not only enjoyable for play afterward but also wonderfully suited for autumn decoration.
39. Torn Paper Pumpkin Craft
Out of all the crafts for the fall season, making a torn-paper pumpkin craft is super cool! It’s easy and great for little hands to practice using their fingers.
40. Easy Leaf Craft
You can have each kid make one with their initial to hang on their bedroom door, you can have them each do a letter of your last name or you can spell out something like “fall” or “autumn.”
41. Fall Tree Pom Pom Craft
Get in the fall spirit with this new fall tree craft with pom poms! The perfect fall handprint craft you can do this fall season.
42. Easy Turkey Craft
This Thanksgiving craft is as cute as it is easy! Perfect for the toddlers in your family!
43. Turkey Mask
This Thanksgiving craft is ideal to make during the Thanksgiving holiday. Kids love masks, and this mask is simple and cute!
44. Potato Print Turkey Craft
This is a great and easy Thanksgiving craft that kids of any age can enjoy!
45. Build a Turkey Craft
This free build a turkey printable template is so much fun for kids this Thanksgiving! Just print, color, and cut out the pieces to build your own turkey.
46. Easy Handprint Turkey w/ Feathers
Handprint turkeys are not new, but this fun twist with feathers makes everything more fun!
47. Playdough Turkey
This little turkey is the perfect activity for Fall or Thanksgiving theme curriculums. It’s a fun way to encourage small group in your class to work on their fine motor skills.
Whether you’re a mom with a few kids or a teacher with a classroom full of students, your children will have so much fun making their own creations.
48. Popsicle Stick Turkey
This popsicle stick turkey is a great turkey craft to get you ready for Thanksgiving.
49. Corn Cob Painting
This great fall activity is fun for kids and adults. Plus, you only need a couple of items, corn, paint, and paper. Corn on the Cob painting will give your children an experience with texture painting and it makes a perfect hands-on activity.
50. Fork Painted Turkey Craft
Make an easy turkey by using a fork! This is a simple art project that the kids can make by themselves.
51. Paper Plate Turkey Wreath
This Paper Plate Turkey Wreath is a fun kid craft and decoration for Thanksgiving. How cute will this be hanging in your house or classroom this Thanksgiving!
52. Leaf Sprites
Have you ever met a leaf sprite in the forest? Now you can find one in your printer! Just print out these playful leaves and turn them into silly and mischievous friends to hide around your house!
Thanksgiving is a time for reflection, gratitude, and spending quality moments with loved ones.
With these 50+ Thanksgiving craft ideas, you can add a personal touch to your celebration and create lasting memories. Whether it’s making handprint placemats with the kids or crafting a thankful tree centerpiece, these creative projects will enhance the spirit of thankfulness and togetherness on this special day.
So, gather your materials, let your imagination run wild, and make this Thanksgiving a memorable one with delightful DIY delights.
By engaging in these crafts, you not only celebrate the holiday but also teach valuable lessons and create cherished keepsakes.
If you are looking for some Thanksgiving activities, check out these activities:
FREE PRINTABLES
Thanksgiving Puzzle
Thanksgiving Playdoh Mats
Thanksgiving Pattern Mats
Thanksgiving Size Matching Printables
Thanksgiving Counting and Numbers
4 Thanksgiving Coloring & Dot-to-Dot Printables
FUN ACTIVITIES/ IDEAS
Thanksgiving Counting Number Mats
Thankful Turkey Thanksgiving Activity
75+ Easy and FREE Thanksgiving Activities for Toddlers
Thanksgiving Footprint Baby Craft
While you’re here, grab my Thanksgiving Activity Bundle, with 6 different activities focused on toddler and preschool learning concepts – perfect for fall learning!
You can also check out more Fall Toddler & Preschooler Learning Resources in my shop here.
