There’s something magical about watching little hands turn a plain paper plate into a proud, gobbling turkey. This craft is one of our favorites for the fall season, and it’s perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary kids. The best part? It uses supplies you probably already have tucked away in your craft bin.
Kids get to paint, press their fingerprints, and glue their way to a turkey they’ll want to show off on the fridge all November long. Those tiny thumbprint leaves floating around the turkey add the sweetest touch, and they double as a keepsake you’ll treasure for years. Let’s make some Thanksgiving memories together!
Craft Supplies:
Gather these simple supplies before you begin:
- 1 paper plate {we used gold}
- Brown cardstock
- Washable ink pads
- Orange construction paper
- Red construction paper
- Googly eyes
- Black marker
- Glue (school glue or a glue stick)
- Scissors (adult use)
Directions:
- First things first – grab your brown cardstock paper and washable ink pads. This is where the fun really begins! Have your child press their fingertip onto the ink pad and then press it onto the brown cardstock, anywhere they like. Encourage them to make rows of colorful fingerprints across the paper. These little prints become the “floating leaves” all around the turkey.
- Once the fingerprint leaves are dry, use a black marker to draw a short line through the center of each print. This tiny detail gives each fingerprint the look of a leaf {or feather if you like!}
- Now it’s time to build your turkey’s face. Take your gold paper plate and cut it in half so you have two halves. You’ll use one half for the turkey’s body and head.
- Next, cut a small triangle from the orange construction paper for the beak. Then cut a teardrop shape from the red construction paper for the wattle, that wiggly red flap that hangs below a turkey’s beak.
- Place the gold half-plate on the right side of your brown cardstock, with the curved edge facing left. Glue it down.
- Now add the face details: Glue the orange triangle beak to the left edge of the plate, pointing outward. Glue the red teardrop wattle just below the beak so it hangs down. Glue a googly eye near the top center of the plate. Just like that, your turkey has personality and is done!
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That’s all it takes to create your very own Paper Plate Turkey with Floating Thumbprint Leaves. This project is as much about the giggles and messy fingers as it is about the finished turkey, so slow down and soak up the fun with your kids.
We’d love to see your creations! Snap a photo and tag us @gluedtomycrafts so we can cheer on your little artists. Happy crafting, friends!
