Kid and Mom-Friendly Thankgiving Crafts

By Katie Moosbrugger

Forget the hand-traced turkeys, I found two fun craft ideas for kids, and one that is not only super easy for moms (I’m all about easy crafts) but can also be a crowd pleaser at the “big” table this Thanksgiving!

This year I am hosting Thanksgiving for our family plus my husband’s sister’s family, so that totals four adults and six kids under the age of eight. In our house that’s a small gathering, but we’ll still have two separate tables: the “big” formal table for adults, and the “little” in-formal table in the kitchen sans carpet, rugs, table cloth and any kind of fabric-covered chairs. So while chances are good that it will mostly be my sister-in-law and I preparing for the big turkey dinner while the dads watch football or play golf, the following crafts are great ways to keep the kids entertained while getting them in the Thanksgiving spirit.

For Kids…

Turkey Centerpiece

Materials:
Construction paper in assorted colors
Paper bag
White glue
Red chenille stem

Instructions:
Trace your hand on several colors of construction paper and cut out for feather shapes.
Roll back top edge of paper bag and glue on feathers.
Cut out wings, head and pilgrim hat from construction paper. Attach to bag. Use a red chenille stem for the turkey’s wattle.

*Source: Women’s Day magazine

Turkey Hat

(see picture above)

Materials:
* White paper plate
* Scissors
* Assorted paint colors
* Cotton swabs
* Paper: dark brown, light brown, black, orange, red
* Glue stick
* Brown crafts foam
* Stapler

Step 1
• Cut a white paper plate in half. You will need one-half of the plate per hat.
• Paint each groove on the plate edge with assorted paint colors using a separate cotton swab for each color.

Step 2
• Cut a 6-inch-diameter circle from brown paper, and cut it in half.
• Glue one of the halves to the plate.
• Cut out a 3-inch-diameter circle from light brown paper for the turkey’s head, two small circles from black paper for the eyes, a small diamond from orange paper for the beak and fold in half, and a comma shape from red paper for the wattle.
• Glue all the pieces to the plate as shown.
• Cut two 8-1/2×2-inch strips from orange paper and cut two slits at the bottom of each strip.
• Accordion-fold the strips to make legs and fold up the strips at the bottom for the feet.
• Glue the legs to the flat edge of the plate, positioning each one just inside the rim on opposite sides.

Step 3
• Cut two 2×11-inch strips from brown crafts foam for the headband.
• Staple one end of each piece together.
• Glue the stapled seam to the center back of the turkey with the staple ends facing the turkey; let dry.
• Complete the hat by fitting the bands around the child’s head and stapling it closed to fit.

*Source: Parents magazine

And for Moms…

Thanksgiving Trivia Placeholders

See picture to the right. Trace a turkey body onto heavyweight paper, and cut out one body and five feathers for each bird. Write a question (see examples below) on one side of each feather and the answer on the other side. Make a hole at the end of each feather and toward the tail end of the body. Stack the feathers, questions facing forward. Align the holes in the stack with the hole in the body, insert a metal paper fastener through the holes, and secure. Fan out the feathers. To make the turkey stand up, cut a 1 1/2-inch slit in the bottom of the body. Cut a 1 1/2-inch-radius (3-inch-diameter) half circle from the heavyweight paper, and insert the curved side into the slit.

Thanksgiving Trivia

Q. What year did the Mayflower arrive in Plymouth, Massachusetts?
A. 1620.

Q. What kind of seafood did the pilgrims eat?
A. Clams, oysters, eels, lobster, and codfish.

Q. What colors did the pilgrims wear?
A. Dark or forest green, red, brown, black, blue, and gray.

Q. Did animals sail on the Mayflower with the pilgrims?
A. There was no room for cattle or livestock, but at least two dogs were on board.

Q. What was the pilgrims’ name for boiled-corn pudding?
A. Hasty pudding.

Q. What kind of houses did the Native Americans live in when the pilgrims met them?
A. Wigwams, round-roofed houses made of poles covered with bark.

Q. What is the male turkey called? What distinguishes him from the female?
A. A tom. He is bigger and has more colorful plumage than the female.

Q. What did Native Americans wear on their heads?
A. Tribes west of the Mississippi River wore elaborate headdresses made of many feathers. Other Native Americans used a single eagle feather.

* Source: Martha Stewart

Have fun, and let us know if you use these crafts and how it turned out!