Thanksgiving hosting
The short answer: Thanksgiving crafts for kids are easy fall projects children can make with paper, paint, leaves and pinecones, like handprint turkeys, gratitude trees and place cards for the table. The best ones take 15 to 30 minutes and give kids a job while dinner cooks.
Our picks for thanksgiving crafts for kids
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Below are 45 easy Thanksgiving crafts for kids in 6 groups, sorted by age and mess, with 5 step-by-step craft ideas for kindergarten, a supply list and a simple plan for the day.
Hosting this year? Our Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) keeps the menu and the shopping list on one page while the kids handle the decorations.
The full list: 45 Thanksgiving crafts for kids in 6 groups
1. Turkey crafts
- Handprint turkey
- Footprint turkey
- Paper plate turkey
- Toilet paper roll turkey
- Pinecone turkey
- Paper bag turkey puppet
- Coffee filter turkey with watercolor feathers
- Leaf feather turkey
2. Gratitude crafts
- Gratitude tree with paper leaves
- Thankful paper chain
- Gratitude jar with notes
- "I am thankful for" handprint wreath
- Thankful turkey with a feather per thing
- Gratitude journal with drawings
- Thank-you cards for teachers or helpers
3. Table decorations
- Place cards with drawings
- Paper turkey napkin rings
- Handprint placemats
- Coloring tablecloth from kraft paper
- Mini pumpkin name tags
- Leaf garland for the table
- Paper cup pilgrim hats as candy holders
- Corn husk centerpieces
4. Nature crafts
- Leaf rubbings
- Pressed leaf suncatchers
- Acorn people
- Pinecone bird feeders
- Painted rocks with fall colors
- Stick and yarn weaving
- Pumpkin painting
5. Paper and recycled crafts
- Paper leaf wreath
- Torn paper corn
- Egg carton turkeys
- Paper bag scarecrows
- Paper plate pies
- Cardboard tube pilgrims
- Cut-and-paste cornucopia
6. Crafts for older kids
- Salt dough leaf dishes
- Hand-lettered menu cards
- Clay pumpkin trinkets
- Mason jar candle holders with tissue paper leaves
- Embroidered felt leaves
- Family recipe cards decorated for the table
- Thanksgiving trivia cards for after dinner
- A family gratitude book
Pair the crafts with printable fun: our Thanksgiving coloring pages, Thanksgiving word search and Thanksgiving games all work at the kids' table.
Thanksgiving crafts people forget
- Place cards. Kids can make one for every guest, and it gives them a real job.
- A coloring tablecloth. Roll kraft paper over the kids' table and set out crayons.
- A gratitude tree started on November 1, so there's plenty to read on the day.
- Thank-you notes for the host if you're the guests this year.
- A craft for the drive if you're traveling, like a sticker book or a leaf hunt list.
- A keepsake folder for handprint turkeys with the child's name and year.
How to choose your Thanksgiving crafts
- Start with the youngest child. Then add a detail or step for older kids.
- Skip small parts for toddlers. The American Academy of Pediatrics' choking prevention guide says to keep small or detachable parts away from young children, so leave out googly eyes, beads and buttons for kids under 3. For centerpiece and lantern crafts, the Consumer Product Safety Commission's holiday safety tips say never to leave candles unattended and to use flameless candles whenever possible.
- Pick a mess level for the day. Paint the weekend before, and use crayons and glue sticks on Thanksgiving.
- Give crafts a purpose. Place cards, napkin rings and the centerpiece make kids part of the meal.
- Collect nature supplies early. Gather leaves and pinecones on a fall walk a week ahead.
- Plan for cleanup. A plastic tablecloth and a tray per child keeps the kitchen clear for the cooks.
Thanksgiving craft ideas for kindergarten: 5 step-by-step projects
These five easy Thanksgiving crafts work for a kindergarten class or a group of 5- and 6-year-olds at home. Each takes 15 to 25 minutes, uses the basic kit below and needs an adult only for cutting or paint.
| Craft (from the list above) | Time | Supplies | Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper plate turkey (#1.3) | 20 min | Paper plate, brown paint or crayon, colored paper strips, glue stick, googly eyes or a marker | 1. Color the plate brown. 2. Glue 6 to 8 paper strips around the back as feathers. 3. Add a paper head, beak and eyes. |
| Handprint turkey (#1.1) | 15 min plus drying | Washable paint, white paper, marker | 1. Paint the palm brown and each finger a different color. 2. Press onto paper. 3. Draw legs, a beak and eyes once dry. |
| Thankful paper chain (#2.2) | 20 min | Paper strips, crayons, tape or a stapler | 1. Write or draw one thing they're thankful for on each strip. 2. Loop and tape strips into a chain. 3. Hang it near the table and read it at dinner. |
| Leaf rubbings (#4.1) | 15 min | Fresh flat leaves, thin paper, peeled crayons | 1. Place leaves vein-side up under the paper. 2. Rub the side of a crayon over the top. 3. Cut out the shapes for a garland. |
| Place cards (#3.1) | 25 min | Card stock folded in half, markers, stickers | 1. Write each guest's name (or trace it). 2. Draw a turkey, leaf or pumpkin. 3. Set them on the table before guests arrive. |
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For a classroom, prep the paper strips, plate feathers and folded card stock the night before, and run two crafts at once at separate tables so 20 kids are never waiting on one paint station. Scotch Magic Tape with a desktop dispenser is easier for small hands than glue on the paper chain, and a washi tape set turns plain place cards into striped fall ones with no paint.
Thanksgiving crafts by age
| Age | Best crafts | Mess | Adult help |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Handprint and footprint turkeys, leaf collages | Medium | Full |
| 3 to 5 | Paper plate turkeys, pinecone turkeys, leaf rubbings | Low to medium | Cutting |
| 5 to 7 | Place cards, paper bag puppets, gratitude chains | Low | Some |
| 8 to 12 | Salt dough leaf dishes, menu cards, gratitude books | Medium | Oven only |
| Teens | Centerpieces, candle holders, trivia cards | Low | Little |
A basic Thanksgiving craft kit: brown, orange, red, yellow and green construction paper, paper plates, paper bags, glue sticks, washable paint, crayons, markers, kid-safe scissors, pipe cleaners and a hole punch. Add leaves, acorns and pinecones from outside.
A simple Thanksgiving craft plan
When everyone pitches in on the holiday, the table is a great job for kids. Here's how to plan it:
- November 1: start the gratitude tree and add one leaf a day.
- The weekend before: do the messy crafts, like painting and salt dough.
- Two days before: make place cards and napkin rings.
- Thanksgiving morning: set up the coloring tablecloth and a quiet craft table.
- After dinner: read the gratitude leaves aloud, then play a game.
For a full day of ideas, see our Thanksgiving activities and the Thanksgiving checklist for the hosting side.
Plan the holiday from the kids' table to the budget
- Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. Plan the Thanksgiving menu and the shopping list side by side.
- Kids Chore Chart, $3.49. Give kids a holiday job list, from place cards to clearing plates.
- Holiday Season Bundle, $15.99 (regularly $25.94 for the six items bought separately). The meal planner plus the Christmas gift planner, sinking funds, a bill tracker and a cleaning schedule.
Browse the full Holiday shop. Planning the menu too? Start with our Thanksgiving food list.
Want a craft that lasts all month? Make a thankful tree and add a gratitude leaf every day.
Plan the feast on paper
Your Thanksgiving timeline, guest list and grocery list in one place
The Thanksgiving Edition of our Meal Planner & Grocery List, in a warm harvest design: map the day on the Thanksgiving Day timeline, track who brings what on the guest & dish sign-up, and shop once with the aisle-sorted grocery list. Print it at home tonight.
- Thanksgiving Day timeline that works backwards from dinner
- Guest & dish sign-up
- Grocery list sorted by aisle, plus pantry and freezer pages
Thanksgiving and Christmas planners together: the Holiday Quick-Start Pack, $7
Frequently asked questions
What are easy Thanksgiving crafts for kids? Easy Thanksgiving crafts for kids include handprint turkeys, paper plate turkeys, gratitude trees, pinecone turkeys, leaf rubbings, paper bag turkey puppets, pilgrim hats from paper cups and place cards for the table. They use paper, glue, crayons and leaves from the yard, and most take 15 to 30 minutes. They're a great way to keep kids busy while the cooks finish dinner.
What Thanksgiving crafts can toddlers make? Toddlers can make handprint turkeys, footprint turkeys, paper plate turkeys with pre-cut feathers, leaf collages and sticker gratitude cards. Do the cutting yourself and let them paint, stamp and stick. Skip beads, buttons and googly eyes for children under 3, since small parts are choking hazards.
What are good Thanksgiving crafts for preschoolers? Preschoolers enjoy paper plate turkeys, toilet paper roll turkeys, pinecone turkeys, leaf rubbings, corn painting and simple gratitude chains. They like gluing and painting, and pre-cut feather shapes help them finish in one sitting.
What Thanksgiving crafts can older kids do? Older kids can make gratitude journals, clay or salt dough leaf dishes, hand-lettered place cards, paper leaf garlands, mason jar candle holders, painted pumpkins and a family gratitude tree for the table. They can also run a craft table for younger cousins.
What is a gratitude tree craft? A gratitude tree is a few bare branches in a jar or a paper tree on the wall. Each person writes something they're thankful for on a paper leaf and hangs or tapes it on. Start it at the beginning of November and add leaves every day until Thanksgiving, then read them at the table.
What Thanksgiving crafts can kids make for the table? Kids can make place cards, paper turkey napkin rings, leaf garlands, handprint placemats, mini pumpkin name tags, pinecone turkeys and a paper tablecloth they color themselves. These give kids a job on Thanksgiving Day and make the table feel personal.
How do you make a handprint turkey? Trace your child's hand on paper or paint their palm brown and fingers in red, orange, yellow and green. Press it on paper. The thumb becomes the turkey's head, so add an eye, a beak and a red wattle, and draw legs below the palm. Write the child's name and year on the back.
What are cheap Thanksgiving crafts? Cheap crafts use leaves, pinecones, acorns, paper bags, paper plates, toilet paper rolls and leftover construction paper. Leaf rubbings, pinecone turkeys, paper bag puppets and gratitude chains cost almost nothing.
What Thanksgiving crafts work for a classroom? For a classroom, pick crafts with few steps and pre-cut pieces, like paper plate turkeys, handprint turkeys, gratitude chains and paper bag puppets. Sort supplies into trays before kids sit down, and keep glue sticks instead of liquid glue for younger grades.
How do I keep kids busy on Thanksgiving Day? Set up a craft table with place cards, a coloring tablecloth and a gratitude tree, plus printable puzzles like word searches and crosswords. Give kids a real job, like making place cards for every guest. Our Thanksgiving activities and games pages have more ideas.
What supplies do I need for Thanksgiving crafts? A basic kit includes brown, orange, red, yellow and green construction paper, paper plates, paper bags, glue sticks, washable paint, crayons, markers, kid-safe scissors, pipe cleaners and a hole punch. Add leaves, pinecones and acorns collected on a walk.
Can kids make Thanksgiving crafts as gifts? Yes, kids can make Thanksgiving crafts as gifts. Handprint turkey cards, decorated picture frames, painted leaf dishes and gratitude letters make sweet gifts for grandparents and hosts. A child-made card is also a nice thank-you to bring to someone else's Thanksgiving dinner.
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Host without the scramble: get the free Thanksgiving checklist
A printable week-by-week Thanksgiving countdown, from the guest list and menu to the day-of timeline. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with simple holiday planning, budgeting and hosting tips.
