Thanksgiving Paper Plate Turkey Crafts for Kids

The following Thanksgiving Turkey Paper Plate Crafts are fun, inexpensive projects for children. Use them for Thanksgiving art activities, classroom decorations, learning activities, or projects about thankfulness and the story of Thanksgiving.

 

Celebrate the joyful spirit of Thanksgiving with a delightful paper plate turkey craft that sparks creativity and nurtures gratitude in young hearts! This craft is beautifully simple—just gather some paper plates, paints, colored pencils, and glue, and you’re ready to go!

Once you’ve created your turkey, hang it in a prominent place, inserting feather shapes into its pocket. Encourage your children and Thanksgiving guests to write something they are thankful for on each feather and replace them in the display. During your Thanksgiving meal, take turns reading the messages on the feathers aloud. To make it even more engaging, turn it into a fun guessing game where family members and guests try to guess who wrote each thankful message.

This interactive element not only enhances the festive atmosphere but also helps everyone cultivate and share a wonderful sense of gratitude. Together, you’ll create cherished memories and foster a warm, thankful spirit that brightens your Thanksgiving gathering!

Patterns for this craft are available to members and as an instant digital download below.

Member's

Instant Digital Download

 

 

Make Thanksgiving a little more colorful with this Sitting Paper Plate Turkey Craft, a fun art project for first grade and older children. Students paint and decorate paper plates to create the turkey’s bright tail, then assemble the simple paper body, face, and feet so their turkey can sit upright on a table, shelf, or classroom display.

Use the project while teaching about Thanksgiving traditions, thankfulness, or the fall season. Children can decorate their paper plates in different colors and patterns, giving every turkey its own unique look and personality. Display the finished turkeys around the classroom for a festive Thanksgiving decoration, or send them home to decorate family Thanksgiving tables.

What you will need:

Two Dinner-sized Paper Plates, Paint, Scissors, Colored Paper, and Googly Eyes

 

How to Make a Paper Plate Turkey:

1. To make the turkey's body roll one paper plate into a cone shape and staple it closed. Cut the bottom off the wide end of the cone so that it is even all the way around. See picture to the right.

2. Fold the pointed end of the cone down 2 inches to make the head of the turkey.

3. Cut wing shapes from the left over part of the paper plate you cut off the cone and glue them to the body as shown in the picture above. Paint the turkey's body.

4. Cut the turkey's caruncle from red construction paper and the feet from yellow or black construction paper. Glue the feet to the inside of the cone as shown in the picture. Glue the caruncle to the underside of the turkey's head.

5. To make the turkey's tail feathers fold another paper plate so that one side is about 1 1/2" from the opposite edge of the paper plate. Cut the paper plate at the fold. Paint the paper plates and then glue them together. Then glue them to the back of the turkey.

©2009, Digital by Design, Inc. -*See copyright Information

 

 

It is essential for kids to learn that Thanksgiving is more than just fall colors, good food, and family get-togethers, but in this world of ever-present distractions, keeping their attention is no easy task. Use this craft to keep your excitable kids engaged while they are taught its historical significance in a hands-on way that is sure to be retained by both kinesthetic learners and distractible creatives.

Children attach the feathers that contain the story of Thanksgiving to the paper plate turkey they created with a brass brad so that they can move the feathers to reveal the story as they read it.

What you will need: Three Snack-sized Paper Plates, Paper, Glue, Brown Paint, Yellow Paint, Brass Brads, Google Eyes, and Scissors

Patterns for this craft are available to members and as an instant download.

Members

Instant Download Pattern -    Feathers patterns available in color and black and white.

How to Make the Story of Thanksgiving Paper Plate Turkey Craft:

Children use two snack-sized plates to create the turkey's body and another plate for the head and wing. They paint the turkey and then glue on the head, body, feet, waddle, and wing. To finish, they arrange the turkey's tail feathers in order and attach them to the body with a brass brad, allowing the feathers to move as they read the story.

As an alternative, you can use blank feathers for students to write stories or simply record facts about the stories they have learned.

©2009, Digital by Design, Inc. -*See copyright Information

 

 

If you're eager to bring a festive touch to your home this Thanksgiving without breaking the bank, look no further! This delightful paper craft is not only visually appealing but also budget-friendly, making it the perfect choice for your holiday decor. It’s simple to create, allowing family members of all ages to join in on the fun. Plus, once the festivities are over, these charming decorations are easy to store or dispose of, leaving you with a stress-free cleanup. Embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving by crafting these adorable creations together!

What you will need:

Dinner-sized and Snack-sized Paper Plates, Construction Paper, Glue, Paint, and Scissors

 

How to Make the Paper Plate Turkey Craft:

1. Glue two large plates together and two small plates together top to top. Glue the small plate to the side of the large plate to make the turkey's head. Fold two small plates in half and glue them to the turkey's body for the wings. Cut a small plate in half and then fold it in thirds for the beak and glue it to the head.

2. Paint the turkey's body brown and the beak orange.

3. Cut fee shapes from yellow construction paper. Glue them to the body. Cut a waddle and hat shape from construction paper and glue to the turkey. Cut feather shapes, 3" x 12", from different colors of construction paper and glue them to the body of the turkey.

©2009, Digital by Design, Inc. -*See copyright Information

 

 

Use these adorable little turkey figures in your Thanksgiving display or as festive table place holders. Write each guest’s name on the turkey’s belly so everyone knows where to sit. They’re inexpensive, fun to make, and easy to personalize. Give each turkey its own look to match the personality of your Thanksgiving guests.

What you will need: Small Lunch-size Paper Plates, Paint, Glue Gun or Stapler, Feather, and Eyes

 

How to Make the Turkey Paper Plate Craft:

1. Fold a small paper plate in half and cut on the fold line.

2. To make the head roll one half of the plate into a cone shape overlapping the sides about 1/3 of the plate. Glue the cut side closed.

3. To make the body roll the other half of the paper plate into a cone shape overlapping the side only about one inch at the edge. Glue the cone closed on the cut edge. Fold the tip of the cone down about 1/2" and glue the head to the folded tip. Paint the head and body.

4. Cut another paper plate in half and use one half for the back tail feathers and the other half for the wings and feet. Paint the tail feathers and wings and then glue them to the body as shown in the picture.

5. Glue on the eyes. To finish glue a feather to the top of the head and cut a wattle from red paper and glue it to the underside of the beak.

Copyright 2010, Digital by Design, Inc. -See Copyright Information

 

 

Looking for more Thanksgiving ideas? Visit our other Thanksgiving craft and activity pages:

1. Creative Thanksgiving Crafts and Activities

2. Thanksgiving History Crafts and Activities

3. Educational Thanksgiving Crafts and Activities

4. Thanksgiving Bible Crafts

5. Cheap and Easy Thanksgiving Crafts

6. Beat the Greedies Bible Thanksgiving Crafts

7. Thanksgiving Games