These Thanksgiving crafts for kids turn everyday supplies like mason jars, popsicle sticks, construction paper, and cardboard tubes into colorful turkeys, cheerful scarecrows, harvest decorations, and meaningful gratitude activities.
Some projects make lovely Thanksgiving table decorations, while others are designed to encourage children to think about the people and little everyday things they’re thankful for.
You’ll find simple activities for preschoolers, creative projects for kindergarteners, and slightly more involved crafts for elementary school children. Many can be adapted by preparing the more difficult pieces ahead of time and letting children concentrate on painting, gluing, and decorating.
From colorful turkey mason jars to wearable Thanksgiving headbands, these 16 ideas offer plenty of inspiration for family craft afternoons, classroom celebrations, and homemade holiday decorations.
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Why You’ll Love These Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids
Easy and Fun Thanksgiving Activities
Most of these projects use familiar crafting techniques, including painting, cutting, gluing, and arranging colorful decorations.
Children can create recognizable Thanksgiving characters without needing complicated patterns or specialized crafting skills.
Affordable and Accessible Craft Supplies
Many projects share the same basic supplies. Construction paper, craft sticks, felt, paint, and glue can be used to create several different Thanksgiving decorations.
You don’t need to purchase an entirely new collection of materials for every project.
Perfect for Preschool and Kindergarten
Younger children can participate by choosing colors, painting prepared surfaces, and attaching larger paper shapes.
An adult can handle difficult cutting, glass jars, and structural assembly while leaving the creative decisions to the child.
Encourages Creativity and Fine Motor Skills
Arranging turkey feathers, drawing facial expressions, cutting paper shapes, and positioning decorations give children opportunities to practice everyday fine motor skills.
There’s also plenty of room to experiment with different colors, textures, and patterns.
Teaches Children About Gratitude
The thankful turkey projects introduce gratitude through a hands-on activity.
Children can write or dictate short messages about their families, friends, favorite activities, and special memories, then incorporate those messages into their finished crafts.
Adorable Homemade Thanksgiving Decorations
Finished turkeys, pumpkins, scarecrows, and harvest characters can brighten classroom shelves, Thanksgiving tables, bulletin boards, and indoor fall displays.
Adding a child’s name and the year can also turn selected projects into keepsakes worth saving.
Essential Supplies for Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids
You won’t need every item below for every project. Start with your favorite Thanksgiving craft and check its individual tutorial before gathering supplies.
Basic Craft Materials
- Assorted Construction Paper: For turkey feathers, facial features, headbands, corn husks, and other colorful paper decorations.
- Red Cardstock, Orange Cardstock, and Yellow Cardstock: Useful for sturdier feathers, beaks, wattles, and harvest decorations.
- Acrylic Craft Paint: For suitable wooden and jar surfaces. Check surface compatibility and age recommendations.
- Washable Craft Paint: An alternative for many children’s painting activities.
- Craft Felt Sheets: For turkey faces, scarecrow hats, feet, and other soft decorative details.
- Googly Eyes: For creating playful character expressions.
- Colorful Craft Feathers: For bright, fan-shaped turkey tails.
- Craft Glue: For attaching compatible paper, wooden, and decorative materials.
- Colored Markers: For drawing expressions and writing gratitude messages.
- Pom-Poms: Optional textured decorations.
- Craft Foam Sheets: An optional alternative for selected paper decorations.
Recycled and Specialty Craft Materials
- Plastic Mason Jars: A useful alternative to breakable glass jars for supervised children’s crafts.
- Glass Mason Jars: For decorative jar projects assembled with adult assistance.
- Wooden Popsicle Sticks and Jumbo Craft Sticks: For turkey bodies, scarecrow faces, pumpkins, corn decorations, and gratitude messages.
- Cardboard Craft Tubes: Alternatively, reuse clean, sturdy cardboard rolls from home.
- Natural Raffia: For straw-like scarecrow hair and corn-husk-inspired harvest dolls.
- Burlap Ribbon: For textured fall hats and acorn caps.
- Decorative Ribbon: For finishing seasonal jars and handmade gifts.
- Brown Craft Yarn: For creating a textured owl body.
- Clear School Glue, Slime Activator, and Orange Slime Coloring: For the supervised Thanksgiving slime activity.
- Individually Wrapped Candy: For Thanksgiving turkey treat jars.
Craft Tools
- Safety Scissors: For cutting paper and suitable lightweight materials with supervision.
- Paintbrushes: For painting wooden and compatible jar surfaces.
- Pencils: For drawing feather shapes and facial details.
- Ruler: For measuring paper strips and planning craft shapes.
- Flexible Measuring Tape: Especially useful when making turkey headbands.
Thanksgiving Mason Jar Crafts for Kids
Mason jars make wonderful bases for three-dimensional Thanksgiving crafts. Instead of creating a flat paper decoration, children can help transform a jar into a turkey, woodland animal, or harvest character.
These projects also offer different purposes, from decorative keepsakes to gratitude jars, sensory activities, and small Thanksgiving gifts.
1. Turkey Mason Jar Craft
A classic turkey mason jar is a lovely starting point for Thanksgiving crafting. A brown-painted plastic jar forms the turkey’s body, while colorful feathers create a bright tail behind its playful face.
Children can experiment with traditional autumn colors or make a rainbow-feathered turkey. Once the decorations are secure and completely dry, the finished turkey can become part of a Thanksgiving centerpiece, classroom display, or seasonal shelf arrangement.
Main supplies: Plastic mason jar, brown acrylic paint, craft feathers, googly eyes, cardstock, and glue.
Best for: Preschoolers and kindergarteners with adult preparation.
Follow the complete Turkey Mason Jar Craft tutorial to create your own colorful Thanksgiving turkey.
2. Handprint Turkey Mason Jar Craft
Turn a child’s painted handprint into a personal Thanksgiving keepsake with this creative mason jar project.
The handprint is made on white construction paper, cut out, and attached to the jar. Colorful craft feathers and a playful turkey face complete the design.
What makes this version special is the child’s individual handprint. You can record their name and the year to remember how small their hands were that Thanksgiving.
Main supplies: Mason jar, suitable washable finger paint, white construction paper, colorful feathers, googly eyes, and compatible adhesive.
Best for: Preschoolers and kindergarteners with close adult assistance.
Create a personalized holiday keepsake with the Handprint Turkey Mason Jar Craft tutorial.
3. Thanksgiving Turkey Slime Jar Craft
For children who enjoy sensory activities, this Thanksgiving turkey slime jar combines a decorated container with colorful homemade slime.
The orange slime sits inside a reusable plastic jar, while feathers, googly eyes, and felt transform the outside into a cheerful turkey.
Unlike an ordinary decorative jar, children can return to this project for supervised sensory play. An adult should manage the activator and follow the product’s mixing instructions.
Main supplies: Plastic jar, clear school glue, slime activator, orange slime coloring, craft feathers, googly eyes, and felt.
Best for: Kindergarteners and elementary school children who meet the product’s age recommendations.
Discover the complete Thanksgiving Turkey Slime Jar Craft tutorial for preparation, decorating, and storage instructions.
4. Turkey Mason Jar Candy Craft
A turkey candy jar makes a sweet little Thanksgiving gift for teachers, grandparents, guests, or family members.
A mini plastic jar holds individually wrapped treats, while colorful feathers, cardstock facial features, and fall ribbon decorate the outside. There’s no painting required, making this an attractive choice when you want to prepare several matching gifts.
Keep all craft materials on the exterior and use containers labeled for food contact.
Main supplies: Food-contact plastic jar, wrapped candy, cardstock, craft feathers, googly eyes, ribbon, and glue dots.
Best for: Kindergarteners and elementary school children with adult supervision.
Make your own Thanksgiving party favors by following the Turkey Mason Jar Candy Craft tutorial.
5. Thankful Turkey Mason Jar with Craft Sticks
This Thanksgiving gratitude jar gives children a place to collect thankful thoughts throughout November.
The decorated turkey holds removable wooden craft sticks with handwritten gratitude messages. Children can add another stick whenever they think of something they appreciate.
At Thanksgiving dinner, family members can choose a stick and read its message aloud if they wish. Younger children can dictate their answers, so independent writing isn’t necessary.
Main supplies: Mason jar, jumbo craft sticks, colorful feathers, googly eyes, cardstock, ribbon, markers, and craft glue.
Best for: Preschoolers, kindergarteners, elementary school children, and families.
Start a meaningful holiday tradition with the Thankful Turkey Mason Jar with Craft Sticks tutorial.
6. Scarecrow Mason Jar Craft
Bring a little harvest charm to your Thanksgiving decorations with a friendly scarecrow mason jar.
Raffia creates its straw-like hair, while felt facial features and a textured burlap hat give the scarecrow plenty of personality.
Children can choose different expressions, hair arrangements, and hat details. The finished jar looks especially cute alongside pumpkins, autumn leaves, and other fall characters on a seasonal shelf.
Main supplies: Mason jar, acrylic paint, raffia, burlap ribbon, felt sheets, googly eyes, and tacky glue.
Best for: Kindergarteners and elementary school children with adult assistance.
Learn how to create this harvest character in the Scarecrow Mason Jar Craft tutorial.
7. Acorn Mason Jar Craft
Not every Thanksgiving decoration needs to feature a turkey. An acorn mason jar brings a woodland-inspired touch to the holiday.
A tan-painted body, textured brown cap, and cheerful facial expression transform an ordinary jar into an autumn character.
Burlap gives the acorn a rustic appearance, while felt offers a softer finish. Children can help choose the materials and facial expression before displaying their acorn with other harvest decorations.
Main supplies: Mason jar, tan acrylic paint, brown felt or burlap, googly eyes, and compatible craft glue.
Best for: Kindergarteners and elementary school children.
Explore the full Acorn Mason Jar Craft tutorial for another creative Thanksgiving decoration.
8. Corn Husk Doll Mason Jar Craft
Inspired by autumn harvest characters, this mason jar doll features raffia hair, colorful paper clothing, decorative ribbons, and a friendly painted expression.
This particular design uses raffia to suggest the appearance of corn husks rather than requiring actual dried husks.
Children can personalize their doll by choosing outfit colors, ribbon combinations, and hairstyles. Several finished dolls can create a cheerful harvest-themed display.
Main supplies: Mason jar, acrylic craft paint, natural raffia, colored craft paper, ribbon, and glue.
Best for: Kindergarteners and elementary school children with adult preparation.
Create your own harvest-inspired character with the Corn Husk Doll Mason Jar Craft tutorial.
9. Thanksgiving Owl Mason Jar Craft
This wide-eyed Thanksgiving owl is a lovely alternative to traditional turkey decorations.
Brown yarn wrapped around the jar gives its body a textured appearance, while paper wings and oversized eyes create the recognizable woodland character.
Children can experiment with warm autumn colors and different wing designs. The finished owl pairs beautifully with the acorn mason jar for a woodland-themed Thanksgiving display.
Main supplies: Mason jar, brown yarn, colored paper, googly eyes, and suitable craft adhesive.
Best for: Kindergarteners and elementary school children with adult assistance.
Follow the Thanksgiving Owl Mason Jar Craft tutorial to make this cozy autumn character.
Thanksgiving Popsicle Stick Crafts for Kids
Wooden craft sticks are an affordable and versatile choice for Thanksgiving art projects.
They can be arranged into flat character bodies, triangular frames, pumpkins, and simple harvest decorations. Compared with glass jar projects, craft-stick crafts are often easier to organize for larger classroom groups.
10. Turkey Popsicle Stick Craft
A colorful popsicle stick turkey is a fun Thanksgiving project made from a wooden body, bright craft feathers, and felt facial features.
Children can make their turkey look traditional with orange, red, and yellow feathers or choose a completely different color combination.
The flat wooden body makes it suitable for bulletin board displays, indoor decorations, and personalized Thanksgiving place cards.
Main supplies: Jumbo popsicle sticks, brown acrylic paint, colorful craft feathers, yellow felt, red felt, orange felt, googly eyes, and craft glue.
Best for: Preschoolers and kindergarteners with a prepared wooden base.
Make this classic Thanksgiving character using the Turkey Popsicle Stick Craft tutorial.
11. Thankful Turkey Popsicle Stick Craft
This turkey combines a triangular wooden frame with colorful paper feathers containing handwritten gratitude messages.
Unlike an ordinary decorative turkey, the words on the feathers are the most important part of the project.
Children can write about their families, pets, favorite books, friends, or special memories. Preschoolers can share their thoughts verbally while an adult records them on the paper feathers.
Main supplies: Jumbo craft sticks, brown and colored construction paper, googly eyes, markers, and craft glue.
Best for: Preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary school children.
Encourage thoughtful holiday conversations with the Thankful Turkey Popsicle Stick Craft tutorial.
12. Scarecrow Popsicle Stick Craft
Create a friendly harvest character using wooden craft sticks, a painted hat, yellow paper straw hair, and a cheerful smile.
A small sunflower adds a seasonal touch, while children can personalize the scarecrow’s expression and hairstyle.
Preparing the wooden structure ahead of time makes this an especially manageable activity for kindergarten classrooms and supervised fall craft sessions.
Main supplies: Jumbo popsicle sticks, brown paint, construction paper, googly eyes, black marker, artificial sunflowers, and craft glue.
Best for: Preschoolers with adult preparation and kindergarteners.
Follow the complete Scarecrow Popsicle Stick Craft tutorial to make this autumn favorite.
13. Pumpkin Popsicle Stick Craft
A bright orange craft-stick pumpkin is a simple way to celebrate the Thanksgiving harvest.
Its wooden body, colorful paint, stem, green leaves, and optional vine create a recognizable fall decoration without needing a Halloween face.
Children can make orange, white, or green pumpkins and arrange several finished crafts together for a miniature Thanksgiving pumpkin patch.
Main supplies: Wooden craft sticks, orange paint, paper for the stem and leaves, and craft glue.
Best for: Preschoolers and kindergarteners with a prepared wooden base.
Use the Pumpkin Popsicle Stick Craft tutorial and leave off the optional Halloween facial features for a Thanksgiving version.
14. Corn Popsicle Stick Craft
Celebrate the Thanksgiving harvest with a cheerful ear of sweet corn made from a wooden craft stick and colorful construction paper.
The yellow paper cob and green husks create the familiar corn shape, while googly eyes give the decoration a friendly expression.
Children can draw kernel patterns, experiment with harvest colors, and display their finished corn alongside scarecrows and pumpkins.
Main supplies: Wooden popsicle sticks, yellow construction paper, green construction paper, googly eyes, markers, and craft glue.
Best for: Preschoolers and kindergarteners with age-appropriate preparation.
Make this harvest-inspired decoration with the Corn Popsicle Stick Craft tutorial.
Thanksgiving Paper and Recycled Crafts for Kids
Paper and cardboard Thanksgiving crafts are particularly helpful when you want inexpensive activities without purchasing many specialty materials.
These next two projects offer different ways to create turkeys, including a three-dimensional recycled character and a wearable Thanksgiving decoration.
15. Toilet Paper Roll Turkey Craft
Give an ordinary cardboard tube a second life by turning it into a cheerful Thanksgiving turkey.
A brown body, colorful paper feathers, playful eyes, and simple facial features create an inexpensive recycled craft children can personalize.
The upright design makes the turkey suitable for seasonal displays, while the paper feathers offer plenty of opportunities to experiment with colors and patterns.
Main supplies: Clean cardboard tube, brown paint, construction paper, felt, googly eyes, and craft glue.
Best for: Preschoolers and kindergarteners with adult assistance.
The Toilet Paper Roll Turkey Craft is a great choice for families who enjoy making decorations from everyday recycled materials.
16. Turkey Headband Craft
A turkey headband gives children a Thanksgiving decoration they can actually wear.
A brown paper band supports a friendly turkey face and colorful feather shapes. Children can choose the feather arrangement and personalize the headband to match their favorite autumn colors.
It’s a playful addition to Thanksgiving classroom parties, school performances, family photographs, and holiday celebrations.
Main supplies: Construction paper, googly eyes, craft felt, glue, double-sided tape, and measuring tape.
Best for: Preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary school children.
Try the Turkey Headband Craft for a Thanksgiving activity that becomes part of the celebration itself.
Best Thanksgiving Crafts for Different Age Groups
Thanksgiving Crafts for Toddlers
Keep toddler activities simple and closely supervised.
Adults can prepare large paper turkey feathers, sturdy cardboard shapes, and washable painting activities. Avoid glass, slime, loose googly eyes, and other small decorative pieces.
A simplified paper or cardboard turkey with drawn facial features is a practical starting point.
Thanksgiving Crafts for Preschoolers
Preschoolers can enjoy choosing colors, painting prepared wooden bases, and arranging large paper decorations.
The turkey popsicle stick craft, pumpkin craft, corn craft, and simplified toilet paper roll turkey are good options with adult preparation.
Thankful turkey activities also work well when adults help record children’s ideas.
Thanksgiving Crafts for Kindergarteners
Kindergarteners may be ready for more independent paper cutting, feather arrangement, and simple construction.
Turkey headbands, thankful popsicle stick turkeys, and scarecrow crafts provide a nice balance between guided instructions and creative choices.
Thanksgiving Crafts for Elementary School Kids
Older children can experiment with more involved designs, detailed facial features, textured jar decorations, and independent writing.
The acorn jar, corn husk doll, owl jar, and gratitude projects offer room for additional personalization. Slime activities still require appropriate adult supervision.
Easy Thanksgiving Craft Tips for Parents and Teachers
Prepare Craft Supplies in Advance
Organize materials into individual trays before craft time.
For classroom groups, pre-cut difficult felt shapes and assemble wooden bases beforehand. This reduces waiting and leaves more time for decorating.
Choose Age-Appropriate Craft Materials
Give younger children larger paper shapes that are easier to handle. Save intricate cutting, small embellishments, and more complicated assembly for children who are ready for those tasks.
Use Washable and Non-Toxic Craft Paint
Choose products labeled as appropriate for the child’s age and intended activity.
Washable paint is useful for classroom projects, but check whether it will adhere to the selected surface. Use only paint intended for skin contact when making painted handprints.
Reuse Everyday Household Materials
Clean cardboard tubes, suitable empty containers, leftover construction paper, and spare craft sticks can reduce the need to purchase additional supplies.
Avoid damaged containers or materials with sharp edges.
Allow Enough Drying Time
Separate painting and decorating when projects involve wooden or jar surfaces.
Follow the paint and adhesive manufacturers’ drying instructions, and avoid moving finished crafts before their decorations are secure.
Encourage Children to Personalize Their Crafts
Offer several feather colors, facial expressions, paper shapes, and ribbon choices.
Children don’t need to reproduce the example exactly. Small differences give each handmade character its own personality.
Turn Crafting into a Gratitude Activity
During Thanksgiving craft time, invite children to think of someone who helped them, a favorite memory, or something that made them happy.
Add their answers to thankful turkey feathers or removable wooden gratitude sticks without requiring children to share anything personal.
Ways to Use Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids
Thanksgiving Table Decorations
Arrange finished mason jar turkeys, pumpkins, and scarecrows on a stable table as seasonal accents.
Keep the decorations separate from serving dishes, hot food, and candles.
Thanksgiving Classroom Craft Displays
Create a harvest-themed bulletin board using wooden turkeys, pumpkins, scarecrows, and corn crafts.
Label completed projects with children’s names and display the gratitude messages where appropriate.
Homemade Thanksgiving Gifts
Turkey candy jars and handprint keepsakes make thoughtful gifts for relatives and teachers.
A handwritten note can make the finished project more personal.
Thanksgiving Wall and Door Decorations
Flat craft-stick projects can be attached to suitable indoor displays using appropriate mounting methods.
Make sure heavier decorations are securely supported.
Thanksgiving Kids’ Table Activities
Prepare paper feathers, washable markers, and suitable pre-cut shapes for a supervised craft activity before or after dinner.
Keep crafting materials separate from food and drinks.
Thanksgiving Party Decorations
Display colorful turkey characters throughout the party area, use completed headbands as photo props, or offer wrapped candy jars as small gifts.
Thanksgiving Family Gratitude Activities
Create a thankful turkey jar that family members can add messages to throughout November.
Reading selected messages together can become a simple annual Thanksgiving tradition.
Thanksgiving Craft Safety Notes
Supervise Children When Using Scissors
Provide scissors appropriate for the child’s age and ability.
Adults should handle difficult materials, thick wooden pieces, and intricate cutting.
Choose Child-Friendly Paint and Glue
Read product labels and follow age recommendations, application instructions, and drying directions.
Avoid strong instant adhesives during children’s crafting activities. Hot glue guns should be handled by adults only.
For additional guidance, see Poison Control’s recommendations for using art products safely.
Handle Glass Mason Jars Carefully
Inspect jars for cracks, chips, and damaged edges.
Adults should manage glass containers. Compatible plastic jars can be a more practical alternative for younger children’s projects.
Keep Small Craft Supplies Away from Toddlers
Googly eyes, pom-poms, small felt pieces, and detachable decorations can pose choking hazards.
Use drawn or large paper facial features in simplified crafts for children who still put objects in their mouths.
Keep Craft Decorations Away from Candles and Heat
Paper, wooden sticks, yarn, feathers, raffia, and other decorative materials should be kept away from open flames and hot surfaces.
Never place a burning candle inside a decorated Thanksgiving craft jar. Choose suitable flameless LED tealights if lighting is appropriate for the design.
Use Age-Appropriate Slime Materials
Follow the manufacturer’s mixing and handling directions, and supervise children throughout the slime activity.
Slime is not edible. Keep it away from children’s mouths, wash hands after play, and store the finished mixture in a suitable sealed container.
See Poison Control’s homemade slime safety guidance for more information.
Final Thoughts
These Thanksgiving crafts for kids offer plenty of ways to celebrate the holiday with simple supplies, creative decorations, and meaningful family activities.
Start with a colorful turkey, create a harvest display with pumpkins and scarecrows, or make a thankful turkey jar that your family can revisit throughout November.
Choose the projects that suit your children’s interests and abilities, and give them room to make each craft their own. Sometimes the little differences in a handmade turkey or a child’s unexpected gratitude message become the most memorable parts of the finished project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Some Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids?
Popsicle stick turkeys, cardboard roll turkeys, paper turkey headbands, pumpkin crafts, and corn crafts are easy options. Preparing the basic shapes in advance makes these projects more manageable for younger children.
What Are the Best Thanksgiving Crafts for Preschoolers?
Preschoolers can enjoy decorating prepared craft-stick pumpkins, colorful paper turkeys, simplified cardboard tube characters, and thankful turkey crafts with adult assistance. Use larger paper pieces and avoid loose small decorations.
What Materials Do I Need for Thanksgiving Crafts?
Common supplies include construction paper, craft sticks, paint, glue, felt, markers, scissors, and cardboard tubes. Mason jars, yarn, raffia, and craft feathers are useful for more specialized projects.
