We love holiday crafts around here! There’s just something about crafting around holidays that’s just so much fun. As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, I wanted to think of a simple but fun craft that the kiddos in the family could make while the Thanksgiving food is being prepared….something to occupy a little of their time! This Paper Plate Turkey Craft makes a cute turkey hat that can be worn all day. Plus, there’s little to no mess with this turkey paper plate craft which is a huge bonus, right moms?!
First published November 15, 2017. I have made a few updates and republished it here for my new readers to enjoy.
Turkey Paper Plate Craft Tutorial: A Fun Turkey Hats Craft!
Are you looking for some Thanksgiving inspiration? A turkey hat craft is a fun, festive activity, especially around Thanksgiving. It’s a popular DIY craft for kids and families that serves as both an art project and a wearable celebration of the season. While making the hat, parents (or teachers) can discuss the tradition of Thanksgiving, gratitude, and even learn a bit about turkeys.
Here’s a fun turkey fact: Turkeys can blush! When a turkey is excited, agitated, or even attracted to another turkey, the color of its head and neck can change. Typically, the skin shifts from pale pink or gray to shades of red, white, and blue depending on their mood. This color change is due to blood flow, and it’s a unique way for turkeys to “express” themselves!
Turkey Hat Craft Materials:
- Paper Plates (in several different colors)
- Scissors
- School Glue (or glue sticks)
- Twine
- Large Googly Eyes
There are only a few simple supplies needed for this turkey plate craft. Feel free to substitute other basic craft materials you may have on hand like construction paper or feathers. These paper plate hat crafts are an easy and inexpensive holiday activity for all ages! Go ahead and round those up and place them on a clear work space area. Then the directions for this fun Thanksgiving craft are below.
How To Make This Paper Plate Turkey Hat Thanksgiving Craft:
If your child isn’t great with scissors yet, you can go ahead and cut out the pieces that they will need for their turkey paper plate crafts. That way all young kids have to do is the gluing. If an adult will be helping with these paper plate turkey crafts then there is no need to pre-cut materials. You can supervise while the younger kids use the scissors and it is great practice to improve their fine motor skills.
Prepare The Base
You want to start with a paper plate for the turkey body. If you are like us and don’t have a brown plate, just grab your brown acrylic paint and paint brush. Then, give the backside of a paper plate a thin coat. I cut a paper plate in half and let the kids paint it brown. No paint? A brown marker will be just fine. Once your paper plate half is colored brown, set it aside to dry.
Add Feathers
Next, cut out the “feathers” for your turkey. I sketched a feather out and then traced the rest. We used a variety of paper plate colors for the turkey’s feathers. Use what you have for this simple Thanksgiving craft. Cardstock paper will work well in place of the plates if that is what you have on hand.
After you’ve got the turkey feathers cut out, let your kiddos grab the glue and start gluing the tail feathers onto your brown paper plate. We glued each feather to the backside of the plate and alternated colors.
Add Facial Features
Once the feathers are glued on, glue your turkey’s googly eyes. For the turkey’s beak, just cut a triangle out of orange construction paper or colored card stock. Or use plain white paper and color it orange with a marker or acrylic paint.
Finally, add the band. Grab a hole punch or cut 1 holes on each side of the turkey body. Run your twine on the backside of the turkey body and tie knots on each side. You’re done!
You now have a Plate Turkey Craft and the kids will have a blast running around in their DIY turkey hats all day.
Turkey Plate Craft Conclusion
Paper plate hats bring a playful, seasonal touch to Thanksgiving, allowing kids (and adults!) to get involved in the holiday spirit creatively. Each child can personalize their turkey hat, choosing colors and decorations, which fosters a sense of creativity and personal expression.
Simple crafts are a lot of fun to make and great way to spend quality time with younger children. These paper plate Thanksgiving crafts are perfect for young children. Making a turkey hat is a great way for young kids to practice fine motor skills through cutting, gluing, and decorating. Do you think you will try this fun paper plate turkey craft for kids? Share your photos with us on Instagram at @familyfocusblog and @roo615!
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Thankful turkey craft for kids
HealXO says
I wanted to take a moment to commend you on the outstanding quality of your blog. I am going to make this thanksgiving paper plate turkey craft with my son today.
Abacus Trainer says
Family Focus Blog shares practical tips and heartwarming insights on parenting, family life, and eco-friendly living. Their relatable content provides inspiration for creating a balanced, joyful, and sustainable family lifestyle. You’ve done it again with this simple paper plate turkey. My kids each made one and they are so cute. My son added a red wattle to his.
Temp says
What a great craft for Thanksgiving fun! Watching my kids making the feathers reminded me of the crafts I did when I was little. Nice memories. Thank you for all that you do.
Veogus says
This Paper Plate Turkey craft is such a fun and creative way to celebrate Thanksgiving! It’s simple, cute, and perfect for little hands to make. The best part? You can get really creative with the colors and decorations to make each turkey unique! Plus, it’s a great way for kids to practice their fine motor skills while having a blast.
bwslidell says
What a fun and easy craft idea! I love how simple yet creative this paper plate turkey is — perfect for keeping little hands busy and engaged. The step-by-step instructions are so clear, and the added touch of using colorful feathers makes it look extra festive! I’m definitely going to try this with my kids this Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing such a great activity to bring some holiday cheer!