Textured Thanksgiving Turkey Kids Craft

Textured Thanksgiving Turkey Kids Craft

Create a three-dimensional Thanksgiving Turkey out of paper plates, cups, bowls and tissue paper.

Classified: Easy. Children 3 and up can do this independently!

What you need:

• Brown, gold (optional), red, green and orange tissue paper
• Orange pipe cleaners
• Glue (preferably tacky glue)
• Paper dinner plate
• Paper bowl
• Paper bathroom cup
• Scissors
• Wiggle eyes

What to do:

Prep: Tear and bunch up pieces of tissue paper. Have your children help with this process- great for fine motor skills! Cut a bathroom cup size sliver out of the paper bowl (use bathroom cup for measurements.) Cut the bathroom cup in half and glue together for reinforcement. Glue the paper bowl (cut out section facing up- body portion of turkey) to the bottom-center of the paper dinner plate (tail). Glue the half bathroom cup into the open section of the bowl to form the turkey's head. See photo:

Structure of the turkey.

Start with the turkey's tail!

1. Start by creating the Turkey's tail. I had them apply glue only to the tail part and take various shades of fall-colored tissue paper and glue it on. Emphasize that they need to fill in the entire tail and no plate should show through!

2. You do not need to wait until it dries to move onto the body and head of the turkey! Repeat as you did in step 1; however this time make it only brown (or gold) tissue paper. My 18 month old had an easier time gluing down torn pieces of un-crinkled tissue paper.

Make it simple for younger kids!

3. Cut and bend the orange pipe cleaners to form the turkey's feet and beak (see photo). Also tear a larger piece of red tissue paper for the turkey's wattle. See photo for help:

Feet and beak out of orange pipe cleaner

4. Glue all pieces (including wiggle eyes) onto the face of the turkey. Glue the feet onto the bottom of the turkey.

Completed Turkey

Top: 18 month old created turkey. Left: 5 year old created turkey. Right: 3 year old created turkey.

5. Allow to dry and display!