Looking for fun and festive ways to celebrate Thanksgiving with your little ones? These easy turkey crafts are perfect for kids of all ages! Using simple materials like paper plates, cardboard tubes, autumn leaves, and colorful chalk, each project is designed to spark creativity while keeping mess and frustration to a minimum. Whether you’re decorating your classroom, planning a holiday activity at home, or just want to keep tiny hands busy, these adorable turkey crafts are sure to bring smiles and seasonal charm. Let’s gobble up the fun—one feather at a time!
01. Stained Glass Paper Turkeys:
What you need:
- Printed templates
- Tissue papers
- Crayons/markers
- Paper board
- Scissors
- Glue
Templates:
How to make:
Step 01: Print the given templates first. You can print them on white sheets and as many copies as you want.
Step 02: Color the template images. Use brown to color the bird shape, orange for the beak, and red for the wattle.
Step 03: Cut out all the colored images separately.
Step 04: Paste the turkey body part onto paper paperboard for strength. If you want, you can use a brown-colored board and cut out the body part from it. Then you don’t need to color the body part image as in Step 02.
Step 05: Cut out the turkey body shape, keeping only the outer outline. Remove the middle area so it becomes a hollow frame. Then, paste the eyes, beak, and wattle onto the turkey’s face area.
Step 06: Now take the tissue papers. Use any colors you like. Cut them into small square pieces, then paste them behind the turkey’s body shape. Trim any extra tissue that goes outside the outlines.
Step 07: Paste or hang it on a window or outdoors to decorate your class.
02. Toilet Roll Turkey with Autumn Feathers
What You Need:
- 1 empty toilet paper roll
- Brown paper (to wrap the roll)
- Colored paper (red, orange, yellow, dark red for feathers)
- Googly eyes
- Yellow paper (for beak)
- Red paper (for wattle)
- Twine or ribbon (for decoration)
- Scissors
- Glue
Templates:
How to Make:
- Step 01: Wrap the toilet paper roll with brown paper and glue it in place to make the turkey’s body.
- Step 02: Cut out feather shapes from the colored paper. Use autumn colors like red, orange, yellow, and dark red.
- Step 03: Glue the feathers to the back of the roll in a fan shape to create the turkey’s tail.
- Step 04: Cut a small triangle from yellow paper for the beak and a wiggly shape from red paper for the wattle.
- Step 05: Glue the googly eyes, beak, and wattle onto the front of the roll to make the turkey’s face.
- Step 06: Tie a piece of twine or ribbon around the bottom of the roll for a cute finishing touch. Step 07: Display your turkey on a table, shelf, or classroom window for a festive fall decoration!
03. Paper Plate Dot Turkey
What You Need:
- 1 white paper plate
- Paint or markers in orange, yellow, and red
- Brown, red, yellow, and orange paper (for turkey parts)
- Googly eyes
- Scissors
- Glue
- Optional: paper cutouts of autumn leaves
Templates:
How to Make:
- Step 01: Use paint or markers to make colorful dots on the paper plate. Arrange them in circles or patterns using orange, yellow, and red.
- Step 02: Cut out a turkey shape from brown paper for the body.
- Step 03: Cut a small triangle from yellow paper for the beak and a red wiggly shape for the wattle.
- Step 04: Glue the googly eyes, beak, and wattle onto the turkey’s face.
- Step 05: Paste the finished turkey at the bottom center of the plate.
- Step 06: Add paper leaves around the plate if you like, to give it a fall-themed look. Step 07: Display your craft on a wall, window, or classroom board for Thanksgiving fun!
04. Turkey Feather Headband
What You Need:
- Brown paper (for the headband strip)
- Red, yellow, and green paper (for feathers)
- White and black paper (for eyes)
- Yellow paper (for beak)
- Red paper (for wattle)
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
Templates:
How to Make:
Step 01: Cut a long strip of brown paper to fit around your head. Tape or glue the ends together to make a headband.
Step 02: Cut out three large feather shapes from red, yellow, and green paper.
Step 03: Glue the feathers to the back of the headband so they stick up like a turkey’s tail.
Step 04: Cut two white circles and two smaller black circles to make the eyes. Glue the black circles onto the white ones, then attach them to the front of the headband.
Step 05: Cut a small triangle from yellow paper for the beak and a teardrop shape from red paper for the wattle. Glue both below the eyes to complete the turkey’s face.
Step 06: Let everything dry, then wear your headband for a fun Thanksgiving celebration!
05. Feathered Paper Plate Turkey
What You Need:
- 1 brown paper plate
- Brown paper (for the turkey’s head and body)
- White and black paper (for eyes)
- Yellow paper (for beak)
- Red paper (for wattle)
- Orange paper (for feet)
- Colorful craft feathers (red, orange, yellow, brown)
- Scissors
- Glue
Templates:
How to Make:
- Step 01: Start with a brown paper plate as the turkey’s body.
- Step 02: Cut a smaller shape from brown paper to make the turkey’s head and upper body. Glue it onto the top center of the plate.
- Step 03: Cut two white circles and two smaller black circles for the eyes. Glue the black circles onto the white ones, then attach them to the turkey’s face. Step 04: Cut a yellow triangle for the beak and a red teardrop shape for the wattle. Glue both below the eyes. Step 05: Glue colorful feathers around the top half of the plate to create the turkey’s tail. Step 06: Cut out two orange feet shapes and glue them to the bottom of the plate. Step 07: Let everything dry, then display your turkey craft for Thanksgiving fun!
06. Chalk Burst Turkey Art
What You Need:
- Black sheet of paper (for background)
- Brown paper (for turkey body and head)
- White and black paper (for eyes)
- Yellow paper (for beak)
- Red paper (for wattle)
- Colored chalk (purple, yellow, orange, red, green, blue, etc.)
- Scissors
Templates:
How to Make:
- Step 01: Cut a large oval from brown paper for the turkey’s body and a smaller circle for the head.
- Step 02: Cut two white circles and two smaller black circles for the eyes. Glue the black circles onto the white ones, then attach them to the head.
- Step 03: Cut a yellow triangle for the beak and a red teardrop shape for the wattle. Glue both below the eyes.
- Step 04: Glue the head onto the top of the body, then glue the whole turkey onto the center of the black paper.
- Step 05: Use colored chalk to draw feather shapes radiating outward from the turkey’s body. Use bright colors like purple, yellow, orange, red, green, and blue.
- Step 06: Add extra chalk details or patterns around the turkey if you like.
- Step 07: Let the chalk settle, then display your artwork for a festive Thanksgiving decoration!
07. Leaf Tail Turkey Collage
What You Need:
- Brown paper (for body and head)
- Orange, red, and white paper (for feet, beak, eyes, and wattle)
- Real autumn leaves (yellow, brown, or any available colors)
- White sheet of paper (for background)
- Scissors
- Glue
Templates:
How to Make:
- Step 01: Cut a large oval from brown paper for the turkey’s body and a smaller circle for the head. Step 02: Cut two white circles and two smaller black circles for the eyes. Glue the black circles onto the white ones, then attach them to the head.
- Step 03: Cut a yellow triangle for the beak and a red teardrop shape for the wattle. Glue both below the eyes.
- Step 04: Glue the head onto the top of the body, then glue the whole turkey onto the center of the white sheet.
- Step 05: Arrange real autumn leaves in a fan shape behind the turkey’s body to form the tail feathers. Glue them in place.
- Step 06: Cut out two orange foot shapes and glue them to the bottom of the turkey.
- Step 07: Add any extra decorations like a paper leaf or name tag if you like, then display your collage for a festive Thanksgiving touch!
Click here to get the free PDF template: Download