20 Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids to Make This Fall

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to get kids crafting, especially with all the beautiful fall colors and festive inspiration around.

Simple supplies like paper plates, colorful leaves, paint, and cardboard can turn an ordinary afternoon into a creative adventure. Little ones will enjoy making adorable turkeys, cheerful decorations, and keepsakes they’ll proudly show off.

These 20 easy Thanksgiving crafts for kids are packed with playful ideas that encourage imagination and hands-on fun. Plus, they’re a lovely way to create lasting family memories together.

#1. Fluffy Pom Pom Thanksgiving Turkeys

These fluffy little turkeys are bursting with personality and autumn color. Large yarn pom-poms form their round bodies, while paper feathers, googly eyes, and tiny felt beaks create their adorable faces.

Children can mix orange, yellow, and brown yarn to give each bird its own unique appearance. The soft textures make this project especially inviting for young crafters. Arrange the finished turkeys across a Thanksgiving table for a cheerful handmade centerpiece.

#2. Colorful Cupcake Liner Turkey Craft

Who knew cupcake liners could make such an adorable Thanksgiving turkey? The colorful paper liners create a beautiful fan of feathers in red, orange, yellow, and brown. A simple construction paper body, googly eyes, and bright orange feet give this little bird plenty of personality.

Kids will love mixing different patterns and arranging the feathers to create their own festive designs. It’s an easy afternoon project that looks lovely displayed on a wall or classroom bulletin board.

#3. Thanksgiving Turkey Footprint Canvas Art

Capture a sweet childhood memory with this adorable Thanksgiving footprint painting. Two brown footprints form the turkey’s body, while colorful paper feathers fan out above them in warm autumn shades.

Add simple eyes and a small red beak to turn the artwork into a cheerful holiday character. Children will enjoy seeing their own footprints become part of a creative masterpiece. It’s also a lovely keepsake for parents and grandparents to treasure long after Thanksgiving.

#4. Easy Paper Roll Turkey Napkin Holders

Make your Thanksgiving table a little more playful with these adorable turkey napkin holders. Brown cardboard tubes become cheerful birds with colorful paper feathers, googly eyes, and tiny orange beaks.

A neatly folded white napkin tucked inside gives each turkey a practical purpose. Kids can personalize their creations by choosing different feather combinations and facial expressions. It’s a fun family activity that adds a handmade touch to the holiday meal.

#5. Colorful Autumn Leaf Turkey Art

Gather a handful of beautiful fall leaves and turn them into a delightful Thanksgiving turkey. Their natural red, orange, and golden shades create a gorgeous feather display behind a simple brown paper body.

Children can arrange the leaves in different directions before gluing everything onto cardstock. Add a cute face and little legs with crayons or paper cutouts to bring the character to life. This nature-inspired activity makes an ordinary autumn walk part of the crafting fun.

#6. Crumpled Tissue Paper Acorn Craft

Little hands will have a wonderful time turning tiny pieces of tissue paper into colorful autumn acorns. The crumpled paper creates a bumpy texture, while corrugated cardboard gives each acorn its distinctive cap.

Warm shades of orange, yellow, cream, and brown capture the beauty of fallen leaves. This activity is especially great for preschoolers practicing their fine motor skills. Once finished, the acorns make cheerful additions to a Thanksgiving display.

#7. Cute Candy Filled Thanksgiving Turkey Favors

These little turkeys are almost too cute to open! Each one features a mesh bag filled with colorful candies, a bendable pipe cleaner neck, and a playful googly-eyed face. Fluffy mesh tails and polka-dot ribbons make them extra festive for the Thanksgiving table.

Children can help assemble and decorate the bags while adults handle any tricky fastening. They’re wonderful as party favors, classroom treats, or sweet surprises for holiday guests.

#8. Adorable Egg Carton Turkey Craft

An empty egg carton and a collection of fallen leaves are all you need to start this charming turkey project. The cardboard cups form a sturdy little body, while colorful autumn foliage creates a beautiful, oversized tail.

Googly eyes, a felt beak, and pipe cleaner feet complete its playful appearance. I love how every turkey turns out differently depending on the leaves children collect. It’s a creative way to reuse household materials and celebrate the season.

#9. Bubble Wrap Corn Painting Craft

Here’s a wonderfully messy way to make Thanksgiving artwork without painting every kernel individually. Bubble wrap dipped in yellow, orange, and brown paint creates a realistic pattern of colorful corn kernels. Green construction paper leaves frame each cob and make the finished pictures pop.

Children will enjoy pressing the textured material onto paper and discovering the patterns it leaves behind. Display their colorful corn creations around the classroom or kitchen for a cheerful harvest-inspired decoration.

#10. Thanksgiving Turkey Painted Rock Craft

Smooth garden stones become the cutest little turkeys with a splash of autumn color. Each rock features a brown turkey body surrounded by brightly painted feathers in red, yellow, orange, and green. Tiny decorative dots and feather details make the designs feel especially charming.

Kids can experiment with their favorite color combinations and create a whole family of turkey rocks. Place the finished decorations on a porch, windowsill, or Thanksgiving centerpiece for a playful seasonal accent.

#11. Colorful Handprint Paper Plate Turkey

This cheerful turkey puts children’s handprints at the center of Thanksgiving creativity. Colorful paper hands form a beautiful feather arrangement behind a painted brown paper plate. Googly eyes, a bright orange beak, and little pipe cleaner legs give the bird an irresistibly silly personality.

Let kids trace and cut out their hands in several autumn colors to make each turkey unique. The finished craft is perfect for decorating a Thanksgiving table or celebrating a memorable afternoon together.

#12. Colorful Thanksgiving Handprint Flower Bouquet Craft

Turn little handprints into a beautiful autumn bouquet that parents will want to keep forever. Bright red, orange, and yellow paint creates cheerful flowers, while green stems and paper leaves bring the arrangement together.

A brown paper flowerpot finished with a twine bow adds an adorable rustic touch. Kids will love getting their hands messy and seeing their prints transform into colorful blossoms. This Thanksgiving activity makes a thoughtful handmade gift for grandparents.

#13. Pilgrim Hat Popsicle Stick Turkey

This little turkey is dressed and ready for Thanksgiving! A painted wooden craft stick forms its body, while vibrant feathers fan out behind it in a rainbow of autumn colors. The tiny black pilgrim hat, googly eyes, and orange beak give the character an extra dose of personality.

Children can experiment with different feather arrangements and decorate their turkeys however they like. It’s an entertaining project for classroom celebrations or a quiet afternoon at home.

#14. Thanksgiving Thankful Handprint Tree Craft

Thanksgiving is the perfect occasion to help children appreciate the little things that make life special. This meaningful craft features a cardboard tree covered with colorful paper handprints in warm autumn shades.

Each hand can hold a handwritten message about something the child feels thankful for, creating a beautiful collection of happy memories. Families can work together to fill the branches with thoughtful words. Display the finished tree during Thanksgiving dinner to share everyone’s gratitude.

#15. Colorful Paper Chain Turkey Decoration

Give your Thanksgiving decorations a playful twist with this cheerful paper chain turkey. A simple brown paper body sits above cascading loops of red, orange, yellow, and green construction paper.

Googly eyes and a tiny orange beak complete its friendly face, making the finished decoration especially appealing to young children. Creating the paper chains is a wonderful way to practice cutting, folding, and gluing. Hang it on a bedroom door or classroom wall for a bright seasonal accent.

#16. Personalized Family Photo Turkey Craft

Here’s a Thanksgiving turkey that celebrates the people who matter most. Instead of ordinary paper feathers, this adorable bird features family photographs cut into feather-shaped pieces. A brown cardstock body, googly eyes, orange beak, and little feet bring the design together.

Kids can choose their favorite pictures and enjoy remembering special moments while creating their artwork. It’s a heartfelt keepsake that grandparents and other family members will treasure.

#17. Rustic Button Corn Thanksgiving Craft

A handful of colorful buttons can become a charming harvest-inspired picture. Yellow, orange, and burgundy buttons form the corn kernels, creating a playful combination of shapes and sizes. Rough burlap fabric wraps around the bottom like corn husks, adding a lovely rustic texture.

Children can practice sorting colors and arranging the buttons before gluing them into place with adult supervision. This creative artwork makes a sweet decoration for the kitchen or classroom.

#18. Colorful Cork Turkey Thanksgiving Craft

A simple wine cork becomes an adorable little turkey with just a few colorful pipe cleaners. Bend the fuzzy stems into loops to create bright feathers in red, orange, yellow, and green. Add googly eyes and a tiny paper beak to give your turkey a cheerful personality.

This quick project is perfect for classroom crafting sessions, especially when children want something they can proudly display on their desks.

#19. Colorful Tissue Paper Turkey Suncatchers

Sunlight makes these handmade turkey suncatchers look especially beautiful. Translucent pieces of red, orange, and yellow tissue paper fill the feather shapes, creating a warm stained-glass effect. Each turkey has a simple brown paper body, googly eyes, and a tiny beak that adds a playful finishing touch.

Children can arrange the colorful pieces in their favorite patterns before assembling the designs. Stick the finished turkeys on a sunny window to brighten your home throughout November.

#20. Easy Paper Plate Fall Wreath

Bring the beautiful colors of autumn indoors with this charming paper plate wreath. Kids can decorate a simple plate ring with paper leaves in shades of orange, burgundy, yellow, brown, and green.

A shiny copper ribbon tied into a bow gives the finished piece a festive touch. Hang it on a door or window to celebrate Thanksgiving with a decoration made by little hands.