Amazing Thanksgiving Day Crafts for Preschoolers

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Thanksgiving is a time for family, feasting, and fun! But what about keeping those little hands busy while you're busy prepping the big meal? This year, ditch the screen time and embrace the joy of crafting with our guide to fantastic Thanksgiving Day crafts for preschoolers. We've gathered together some super simple, yet incredibly creative ideas that are perfect for tiny fingers and big imaginations. Get ready to unleash your preschooler's inner artist with projects that are as fun to make as they are to display. Whether you're looking for paper plate turkeys, handprint pilgrims, nature-inspired creations, or even some delicious edible treats, we've got you covered. Each craft is designed to be easy to follow, requiring minimal supplies and adult supervision. So gather your glue, glitter, and maybe a few extra wipes (accidents happen!), and let's dive into a world of Thanksgiving crafting fun. Prepare for a delightful journey of creativity and togetherness as we explore these engaging Thanksgiving Day crafts for preschoolers. Let's make some memories this Thanksgiving!

Easy Thanksgiving Day Crafts for Preschoolers: Paper Plate Turkeys

Getting Started: Gather Your Supplies

Let's make some adorable paper plate turkeys! This craft is super simple and perfect for little hands. First, gather your supplies. You'll need some paper plates (one per turkey), construction paper in various fall colors (orange, red, yellow, brown), googly eyes, orange and yellow paint, glue, scissors (for adult use!), and maybe some feathers if you're feeling fancy.

Don't worry if you don't have every single thing on the list. Get creative! For example, instead of googly eyes, you can draw them on with a marker. Instead of feathers, you can use cut-up strips of construction paper to make a fluffy tail. The best part about these crafts is that they're adaptable to whatever you have on hand!

Creating the Turkey Body

Now for the fun part! Take your paper plate and paint it brown. Let it dry completely (this is a great time to sing some Thanksgiving songs!). While the plate dries, you can help your little one cut out shapes from the construction paper. They can make simple shapes – circles for the body, triangles for the beak, and ovals for the wattle (that's the thingy under the beak!).

Once the paint is dry, it's time to assemble your turkey! Glue the wattle and beak onto the plate. Then, let your preschooler glue on the googly eyes. If you're using feathers, help them glue those on to create a fluffy tail. Remember, it's okay if it's not perfect! The imperfections add to the charm.

• Paint the paper plate brown.
• Cut out shapes for the wattle, beak, and tail.
• Glue everything onto the plate.
• Add googly eyes.

Adding the Finishing Touches

To add some extra flair, you can have your little one draw on some details. Maybe they want to give their turkey some fancy feathers or add some extra color. Let them express their creativity! You can also use glitter glue to add some sparkle—because why not?

Once your turkey is complete, let it dry completely before displaying it proudly. You can hang it up, use it as a place card, or simply put it on display as a testament to your little one's artistic skills. This is a great way to involve them in the Thanksgiving preparations, and it makes a wonderful keepsake. Remember to take lots of pictures!

Creative Thanksgiving Day Crafts for Preschoolers: Handprint Pilgrims

Getting Started: Gather Your Supplies

Handprint pilgrims are another super cute and easy Thanksgiving craft for preschoolers! These little guys are a fantastic way to make use of those tiny hands. You'll need some construction paper (brown for the bodies, various colors for hats and clothes), non-toxic paint (brown for the bodies, and any other colors your little ones fancy), scissors (for adult use!), glue, and maybe some extra embellishments like glitter or small buttons.

Remember, this craft is all about the process. Don't worry about perfection! The slightly wonky handprints will give your pilgrims their unique charm. Feel free to use whatever you have at home. A bit of creativity goes a long way!

Creating the Pilgrim Bodies

Have your preschooler paint their hands brown. Then, press their painted hands firmly onto the brown construction paper to create the pilgrim's body. Let the handprints dry completely. While the handprints are drying, you can help your little one cut out simple shapes for hats, buckles, and clothes from different colored construction paper. Let them choose the colors and shapes they want to use!

Once the handprints are dry, it's time to assemble your pilgrim! Glue the clothes and hat onto the handprint body. If you're using extra embellishments like buttons, help your little one glue those on, too. They might want to add a little face to their pilgrim. Let their imaginations run wild!

• Paint hands brown.
• Make handprints on brown paper.
• Cut out hat, clothes, and buckle shapes.
• Glue everything together.
• Add details like a face.

Adorable Thanksgiving Day Crafts for Preschoolers: NatureBased Creations

Leaf Pile Turkeys

Let's get crafty with nature's bounty! For this adorable Thanksgiving craft, we'll be using fallen leaves. Gather a variety of colorful autumn leaves – reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. You'll also need some googly eyes (or draw them on!), small twigs or sticks, and glue. This craft is all about embracing the natural beauty of the season and letting your preschooler's creativity shine.

To assemble your leaf turkey, arrange the leaves to form the body of the turkey. Use a larger leaf for the body, and smaller leaves for the tail. Glue the leaves together, and then add the googly eyes and a twig for the beak. You can even add little twig legs if you're feeling ambitious! This craft is perfect for a crisp autumn day, bringing the outdoors in.

Pinecone Turkeys

Pinecones are another fantastic natural material for Thanksgiving crafts. Collect some pinecones (make sure they're clean and dry!). You'll also need construction paper (orange for beaks, red for wattles), googly eyes, glue, and maybe some feathers or colorful yarn scraps for extra flair. This craft is a great way to use up those leftover bits and pieces from other projects!

To make your pinecone turkey, glue the googly eyes onto the pinecone. Cut out small triangles from orange construction paper for the beak and glue them on. Then, cut out small ovals from red construction paper for the wattle and glue those on as well. Finally, if you're using feathers or yarn, glue those onto the back of the pinecone to form the tail. These little turkeys are wonderfully rustic and charming.

• Gather pinecones.
• Glue on googly eyes.
• Add a paper beak and wattle.
• Attach feathers or yarn for the tail.

Fun Thanksgiving Day Crafts for Preschoolers: Edible Treats

Turkey Pretzel Snacks

Let's get cooking with these adorable turkey pretzels! This is a super fun and simple edible craft that's perfect for little hands (and little mouths!). You'll need mini pretzels, orange candy melts, mini chocolate chips, and some red candy melts (or red M&Ms). These are all easy to find at most grocery stores, making this a super accessible craft for your Thanksgiving celebrations.

To assemble your turkey pretzels, simply melt the orange candy melts according to the package instructions. Dip the top of each pretzel into the melted candy, and then quickly place two mini chocolate chips on as eyes. Add a tiny dab of melted red candy for the wattle, and let them set completely. These little treats are not only delicious, but they also look super festive on a Thanksgiving plate!

Pumpkin Spice Playdough

Now, for a sensory experience that's both fun and delicious! This pumpkin spice playdough is not only a fantastic craft but also a wonderful sensory activity that preschoolers will love. You'll need flour, salt, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vegetable oil, and water. You can adjust the amounts to create a dough that's just the right consistency for your little ones to play with.

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until you achieve a soft, pliable dough. Let your preschoolers knead and shape the dough into pumpkins, turkeys, or any other Thanksgiving-themed shapes. Let them decorate their creations with cookie cutters, sprinkles, or even small candies. The best part? This playdough is totally safe to eat, so you don't have to worry about little ones putting it in their mouths (although, supervision is always recommended!).

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Water as needed