Easy Thanksgiving crafts and activities for kids! Find turkey crafts, free printables, games and fun Thanksgiving ideas for preschool, kindergarten and early elementary grades.
Thanksgiving Crafts and Activities for Kids
Looking for fun and easy Thanksgiving crafts and activities for kids? You’re in the right place!
I’ve gathered all of our favorite Thanksgiving crafts, printable activities, games and learning ideas into one big collection to make planning for November a little easier.
From adorable turkey crafts and pumpkin pie projects to Thanksgiving bingo, scavenger hunts, coloring pages and gratitude activities, there’s something here for kids of all ages.
These Thanksgiving activities are especially great for preschool, kindergarten and early elementary children and can easily be used at home, in the classroom, at daycare or as part of a homeschool Thanksgiving theme.
Best of all, everything you’ll find below was created right here at This Tiny Blue House.
Easy Thanksgiving Crafts and Activities for Kids
Whether you need a quick Thanksgiving classroom craft, something fun for the kids’ table or a screen-free activity to keep little hands busy during November, these are some of our favorite ways to celebrate Thanksgiving with kids.
Many of these activities also work on important early learning skills like cutting, coloring, letter recognition, counting, visual discrimination and fine motor development.
So, grab your cardstock, crayons, scissors and glue sticks and pick a few favorites to try this Thanksgiving!
Turkey Crafts for Kids
It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a few adorable turkeys!
These easy turkey crafts for kids are perfect for preschool and kindergarten classrooms, Thanksgiving craft sessions at home and November bulletin board displays.
15+ Easy Turkey Crafts and Activities for Kids
Gobble, gobble! 🦃 This collection of 15+ turkey crafts and activities for kids is packed with fun Thanksgiving ideas for preschool and kindergarten! From colorful fork painted turkeys and torn paper crafts to handprint keepsakes, name crafts, and free printables, there’s something for every little learner. Perfect for classroom art projects, November learning centers, and screen-free Thanksgiving fun!
Turkey Name Craft
Our Turkey Name Craft combines Thanksgiving crafting with early literacy practice.
Kids color, cut and assemble their own adorable turkey before adding the letters of their name to its colorful feathers. It’s especially fun for preschool and kindergarten and makes an adorable Thanksgiving bulletin board display.
📚 Book pairing: Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano – Turkey has a clever plan to avoid becoming Thanksgiving dinner by disguising himself as all kinds of other animals.
Torn Paper Turkey Craft
Our Torn Paper Turkey Craft is a colorful Thanksgiving activity that’s perfect for little hands!
Kids tear pieces of colorful construction paper and glue them into rainbow-shaped rows to create their turkey’s feathers. It’s a wonderful way to strengthen fine motor skills while making an adorable Thanksgiving classroom decoration.
📚 Book pairing: How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace – A hilarious Thanksgiving story about a turkey on the loose at school!
Turkey Handprint Craft
Little hands become the star of this sweet Turkey Handprint Craft.
Kids use their handprint to create a colorful Thanksgiving turkey, making this an especially cute Thanksgiving keepsake for preschoolers and kindergarteners.
📚 Book pairing: How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace – A silly turkey is running loose at school just before the Thanksgiving play and catching him turns into quite the adventure.
Fork Painted Turkey Craft
Get creative with paint and an ordinary plastic fork with our Fork Painted Turkey Craft!
Kids use a fork dipped in colorful paint to create their turkey’s feathers before adding a construction paper body, googly eyes, a beak and a wattle. It’s a fun, hands-on Thanksgiving craft that encourages creativity while helping preschoolers and kindergarteners practice fine motor skills.
Plus, these colorful turkeys look absolutely adorable displayed together on a November classroom bulletin board!
📚 Book pairing: How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace – A hilarious Thanksgiving story about a turkey running loose through a school just before the big Thanksgiving play.
Fingerprint Turkey Craft
Little fingers make the cutest turkey feathers! Our Fingerprint Turkey Craft is a fun and easy Thanksgiving activity that’s perfect for preschoolers and kindergarteners.
Kids use colorful paint and their fingertips to create bright, messy turkey feathers before adding a brown construction paper body, eyes, beak, and wattle. Our free printable turkey template makes this an easy, hands-on Thanksgiving craft that helps strengthen fine motor skills while encouraging creativity.
I especially love how every turkey turns out a little different! These adorable fingerprint turkeys make the sweetest November classroom bulletin board display.
📚 Book pairing: How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace – A hilarious Thanksgiving story about a turkey running loose through a school just before the big Thanksgiving play. A fun read-aloud before making your own colorful fingerprint turkeys!
Toilet Paper Roll Stamped Turkey Craft
This colorful toilet paper roll stamped turkey craft is a fun and easy Thanksgiving activity for preschool and kindergarten kids! Using a recycled cardboard tube, colorful tempera paint, and our free printable turkey template, children can create adorable turkeys while practicing fine motor skills. It’s a simple, budget-friendly November craft that’s perfect for classrooms, daycare, or crafting at home.
📚 Book pairing: 10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston – A silly, rhyming Thanksgiving counting story that’s perfect for preschoolers and kindergarteners before making their own colorful turkeys.
Paint Splat Turkey Craft
Get ready for some messy Thanksgiving fun with our Paint Splat Turkey Craft!
Kids use a spoon and colorful tempera paint to create bright, splattered turkey feathers before adding a brown construction paper body, googly eyes, a beak and a wattle. Our free printable turkey template makes this a fun and easy process art activity for preschoolers and kindergarteners.
I especially love how every turkey turns out completely different! These colorful turkeys make an adorable Thanksgiving classroom bulletin board display.
📚 Book pairing: A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman – A clever turkey outsmarts the townspeople who are hoping to catch him for Thanksgiving dinner. A funny Thanksgiving read-aloud to enjoy before making your own silly turkeys!
Fall Leaf Turkey Craft
Celebrate the beautiful colors of autumn with our Fall Leaf Turkey Craft!
Kids use red, orange, and yellow construction paper leaves to create colorful turkey feathers before adding a brown paper body, eyes, beak, and wattle. Our free printable template makes this an easy Thanksgiving craft for preschoolers and kindergarteners while giving them plenty of opportunities to practice cutting, gluing, and fine motor skills.
These adorable leaf turkeys also make a beautiful fall or Thanksgiving classroom bulletin board display!
📚 Book pairing: A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman – A clever turkey outsmarts the townspeople who are planning to make him their Thanksgiving dinner. A fun and silly story to read before making your own colorful turkey!
Paper Plate Turkey Craft
Put those inexpensive paper plates to good use with our Paper Plate Turkey Craft.
Kids use a paper plate, paint and simple craft supplies to make their own colorful Thanksgiving turkey. It’s easy enough for young children and looks adorable displayed on a classroom bulletin board.
📚 Book pairing: 10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston – A silly rhyming counting book filled with goofy turkeys that’s especially fun for younger children.
Paper Bag Turkey Craft
Our Paper Bag Turkey Craft turns an ordinary brown lunch bag into a colorful turkey puppet.
Kids get plenty of cutting, folding and gluing practice while creating a turkey they can actually use for pretend play when they’re finished.
📚 Book pairing: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey! by Lucille Colandro – The familiar old lady is back with a funny Thanksgiving twist kids will get a kick out of.
Wood Slice Turkey Craft
Try something a little different this Thanksgiving with our Wood Slice Turkey Craft.
Wood slices, colorful feathers and simple craft supplies come together to make cute little turkeys that are perfect for a November craft session at home or school.
📚 Book pairing: A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman – A clever turkey realizes the people of Squawk Valley have a sneaky plan for Thanksgiving dinner and decides to outsmart them.
Thanksgiving Thankful Turkey Craft
Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to talk to young children about gratitude, and our Thanksgiving Thankful Turkey Craft makes it easy.
Kids color and assemble their turkey before writing something they’re thankful for on each feather.
This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving classroom activities because it combines crafting, writing and a meaningful conversation about gratitude.
📚 Book pairing: The Thankful Book by Todd Parr – A bright, kid-friendly book that helps children recognize all the big and little things they can be thankful for.
Pumpkin Crafts for Thanksgiving
Pumpkins aren’t just for Halloween! They’re also a perfect fit for Thanksgiving and harvest-themed crafting throughout October and November.
These easy pumpkin crafts are especially fun for preschool and kindergarten classrooms learning about pumpkins, farms, the fall harvest and Thanksgiving.
Fingerprint Pumpkin Pie Craft
This adorable fingerprint pumpkin pie craft is a fun Thanksgiving craft for preschoolers and kindergarteners. Kids use different shades of orange fingerpaint to create the pumpkin filling before adding a brown construction paper crust and lattice top. It’s a great hands-on activity for practicing fine motor skills, cutting, and gluing.
Book pairing: The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks by Stan and Jan Berenstain is a sweet Thanksgiving story that encourages children to think about gratitude, family, and the things they’re thankful for.
Torn Paper Pumpkin Pie Craft
Our Torn Paper Pumpkin Pie Craft is an adorable Thanksgiving craft that’s perfect for preschoolers and kindergarteners.
Kids tear orange construction paper into small pieces to create their pumpkin pie filling before adding a brown paper crust and a fluffy cotton ball for whipped cream. It’s a fun, hands-on Thanksgiving activity that encourages fine motor development while making the cutest little pumpkin pie slices for a November classroom bulletin board.
📚 Book pairing: The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks by Stan and Jan Berenstain – A sweet Thanksgiving story about gratitude, family traditions, and appreciating the things that matter most.
Paper Plate Pumpkin Craft
Our Paper Plate Pumpkin Craft is one of my favorite easy pumpkin crafts for preschool and kindergarten.
Kids cover a small paper plate with torn orange paper before adding a stem, curly green vines and their own hand-drawn pumpkin face. Because every child can decorate their pumpkin differently, this is an especially cute craft to turn into a fall or Thanksgiving classroom bulletin board.
📚 Book pairing: Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White – After Rebecca Estelle discovers that pumpkins aren’t quite as terrible as she thought, she finds some wonderfully creative ways to use an enormous pumpkin harvest.
Paper Bag Pumpkin Craft
Turn an ordinary lunch bag into a cute pumpkin with our Paper Bag Pumpkin Craft.
Kids use construction paper and our printable template to create their own friendly pumpkin character. Skip the jack-o’-lantern face and this one works beautifully for a pumpkin, farm, harvest or Thanksgiving theme.
📚 Book pairing: It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff – Mouse decorates pumpkins with all sorts of silly expressions in this short and playful pumpkin story that’s especially fun for preschoolers.
Pumpkin Name Craft
Combine a seasonal pumpkin theme with name recognition using our Pumpkin Name Craft.
Kids create their own pumpkin while practicing the letters in their name, making this a fun addition to preschool and kindergarten literacy centers during the fall and Thanksgiving season.
📚 Book pairing: Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White – A wonderful harvest story about Rebecca Estelle and the enormous crop of pumpkins she unexpectedly grows.
Pumpkin Wagon Name Craft
Our Pumpkin Wagon Name Craft is another fun way to combine a harvest theme with early literacy.
Kids fill their wagon with pumpkins containing the letters of their name, giving them hands-on practice with letter recognition, name spelling and sequencing.
📚 Book pairing: The Biggest Pumpkin Surprise Ever by Steven Kroll – Two little mice unknowingly care for the same pumpkin and eventually work together when it grows into an enormous one.
Pumpkin Pie Name Craft
Name practice gets a delicious Thanksgiving makeover with our Pumpkin Pie Name Craft.
Kids color a slice of pumpkin pie and add whipped cream dollops containing the letters of their name. It’s a fun Thanksgiving name recognition activity for preschool and kindergarten and looks adorable displayed in the classroom during November.
📚 Book pairing: How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara – A classroom pumpkin-counting experiment turns into a clever lesson about math, observation and why you shouldn’t judge something by its size.
Pumpkin Pie Paper Plate Craft
No Thanksgiving feast is complete without pie!
Our Pumpkin Pie Paper Plate Craft lets kids create their own pretend slice of this classic Thanksgiving dessert using a paper plate and simple craft supplies.
This is an easy Thanksgiving craft for preschoolers and kindergarteners and would be especially fun to make while talking about favorite Thanksgiving foods and family traditions.
📚 Book pairing: The Perfect Thanksgiving by Eileen Spinelli – Two families celebrate Thanksgiving in very different ways in this sweet story about family and the things that really matter.
More Harvest Crafts for Thanksgiving
Pumpkins aren’t the only way to bring a harvest theme into your Thanksgiving crafting!
Corn, acorns and scarecrows all work beautifully during November and help give kids a broader look at the fall harvest season.
Paper Bag Corn Craft
Celebrate the fall harvest with our adorable Paper Bag Corn Craft.
Using a brown paper bag, construction paper and our printable template, children create a cute ear of corn that doubles as a puppet.
It’s a great fine motor Thanksgiving craft for preschool and kindergarten and works especially well alongside lessons about farms, crops and the foods we eat at Thanksgiving.
📚 Book pairing: The Popcorn Book by Tomie dePaola – This kid-friendly classic mixes the history and science of corn and popcorn with plenty of interesting facts.
Paper Bag Acorn Craft
Our Paper Bag Acorn Craft is another simple harvest-themed activity that works beautifully during November.
Kids transform an ordinary lunch bag into a cute acorn character using basic craft supplies and our printable template. Once they’re finished, they can use their acorn as a puppet for imaginative play.
📚 Book pairing: Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Schaefer – Beautiful illustrations show children how one tiny acorn can eventually influence an entire forest ecosystem.
Torn Paper Acorn Craft
Tearing paper is such a simple way to work on fine motor skills.
Our Torn Paper Acorn Craft gives kids plenty of tearing and gluing practice as they fill an acorn template with small pieces of colorful paper.
It’s low prep, inexpensive and especially well suited to preschool and kindergarten classrooms during a fall harvest or Thanksgiving theme.
📚 Book pairing: Little Acorn by Melanie Joyce – Follow a tiny acorn as it grows into a mighty oak tree in this sweet introduction to the life cycle of an oak.
Paper Bag Scarecrow Craft
Celebrate the fall harvest with this cheerful Paper Bag Scarecrow Craft.
Kids use a brown lunch bag and simple craft supplies to create their own scarecrow puppet. It’s a fun choice for Thanksgiving classroom crafting and pairs especially well with lessons about farms and the fall harvest.
📚 Book pairing: The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry – This beautifully illustrated story about an unexpected friendship has a lovely message about kindness and helping others.
Printable Thanksgiving Activities and Games
Crafting isn’t the only way to have some screen-free fun during Thanksgiving.
I’ve also created a growing collection of free printable Thanksgiving activities for kids that are perfect for classrooms, homeschool, Thanksgiving parties, family gatherings and the kids’ table.
Print a few favorites or combine several to make your own Thanksgiving activity pack.
Thanksgiving Alphabet Matching Game
Make learning letters extra fun this Thanksgiving with our free printable Thanksgiving Alphabet Matching Game!
This hands-on literacy activity encourages preschoolers and kindergarteners to match uppercase and lowercase letters using adorable turkey-themed cards. It’s a great addition to November literacy centers, morning tubs, and Thanksgiving classroom activities.
Pumpkin Pie Number Matching Game
Make Thanksgiving math practice extra sweet with our free printable Pumpkin Pie Number Matching Game!
Kids match whole pumpkin pies featuring numbers 1–10 with cards showing the corresponding number of pumpkin pie slices. It’s a fun, hands-on way for preschoolers and kindergarteners to practice counting, number recognition, and one-to-one correspondence.
Perfect for November math centers, morning tubs, small group activities, and Thanksgiving-themed learning at home or in the classroom!
📚 Book pairing: How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara – A fun classroom counting story that pairs beautifully with this hands-on Thanksgiving number matching activity.
Thanksgiving Bingo
Our Thanksgiving Bingo is one of my favorite activities for a Thanksgiving family gathering.
The printable game features colorful Thanksgiving-themed pictures, making it easy for younger children to play along too.
Use small erasers, pom-poms or other little manipulatives as bingo markers and play a few rounds before or after Thanksgiving dinner.
📚 Book pairing: Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland – A simple and sweet story that helps young children think about all the people and things they’re thankful for.
Printable Thanksgiving Placemats
Keep little hands busy while everyone waits for Thanksgiving dinner with our Printable Thanksgiving Placemats.
These festive activity placemats are perfect for the Thanksgiving kids’ table and give children a fun, screen-free way to stay entertained during your holiday celebration.
Print a copy for each child, set out some crayons or colored pencils and you’ve got an easy Thanksgiving activity that requires virtually no prep.
Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
Get kids moving with our Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt.
Children search for seasonal items like an acorn, pumpkin, turkey, corn, leaves, pumpkin pie and other Thanksgiving-themed objects while checking them off their printable list.
It’s a great way to add a little movement and screen-free fun to your Thanksgiving celebration.
📚 Book pairing: We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger – Three friends head out in search of colorful autumn leaves in this fun fall adventure that’s perfect before a seasonal scavenger hunt.
Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher
Remember making paper fortune tellers as a kid?
Our printable Thanksgiving Cootie Catcher brings that classic activity back with a festive holiday twist.
Kids color, cut and fold their own cootie catcher before using the Thanksgiving jokes inside for some screen-free holiday fun.
📚 Book pairing: The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing – Two cousins hatch a plan to escape the boring parts of Thanksgiving dinner in this funny holiday adventure.
Thanksgiving Coloring Pages
Sometimes the simplest activities are the biggest hit.
Our Thanksgiving Coloring Pages are an easy no-prep activity for morning work, early finishers or the Thanksgiving kids’ table.
Set out crayons, markers or colored pencils and let kids get creative while everyone waits for Thanksgiving dinner.
📚 Book pairing: I Am Thankful by Sheri Wall – A sweet rhyming story that celebrates gratitude, family traditions, kindness and giving during Thanksgiving.
Turkey Color By Number
Sneak a little learning into your Thanksgiving celebration with our Turkey Color By Number.
Kids practice number recognition, color recognition and fine motor skills while coloring a festive Thanksgiving turkey.
It’s an easy activity to add to November morning work, early finisher bins or a Thanksgiving busy binder.
📚 Book pairing: 10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston – Pair the number practice with this silly turkey counting book for even more Thanksgiving-themed math fun.
Thanksgiving I Spy
Our Thanksgiving I Spy is loaded with Thanksgiving-themed pictures for kids to find and count.
It’s a fun way to work on visual tracking, counting, sorting and visual discrimination while keeping kids happily busy without a screen.
📚 Book pairing: The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing – This Thanksgiving spin on the classic Christmas poem follows a family as they prepare for their holiday celebration.
Thanksgiving Word Search
Older elementary kids who enjoy puzzles will love our Thanksgiving Word Search.
The printable puzzle contains 25 Thanksgiving vocabulary words hidden throughout the grid, making it a great choice for early finishers, Thanksgiving classroom activities or quiet time at home.
📚 Book pairing: Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet – The fascinating true story of Tony Sarg and the giant balloons that became an iconic part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Printable Pilgrim Hat Template
Our Printable Pilgrim Hat Template is a simple cut-and-paste Thanksgiving craft for kids.
Children can color, cut and assemble their hat and even turn their finished project into a paper crown to wear during Thanksgiving activities.
📚 Book pairing: The Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross – A picture-book introduction to the traditional story of the Pilgrims written for young readers.
Thanksgiving Activities for the Classroom or Home
One of the things I love most about these Thanksgiving crafts and activities for kids is how easy they are to adapt to different settings.
Teachers can use the crafts for November bulletin boards, morning work, literacy centers, early finisher activities or Thanksgiving classroom celebrations.
At home, you can print a few of the games and coloring activities to create your own Thanksgiving busy pack. They’re especially handy when you’re preparing Thanksgiving dinner and need something fun to keep little hands busy.
You can even set out a stack of printables with crayons and pencils at the kids’ table for an easy screen-free Thanksgiving activity station.
More Fall Fun for Kids
Not quite ready to move on to Christmas?
We have lots more screen-free fall fun for kids!
Visit our Fall Crafts for Kids collection for even more easy autumn projects featuring pumpkins, apples, leaves, acorns, woodland animals and plenty of colorful fall fun.
You can also check out our Fall Name Crafts if you’re looking for seasonal activities that combine crafting with name recognition and early literacy practice.
Save These Thanksgiving Crafts and Activities for Later
I hope you found a few Thanksgiving crafts and activities for kids that you’re excited to try!
Whether you’re making colorful turkey crafts with preschoolers, planning Thanksgiving activities for your kindergarten classroom or printing a few games to keep kids busy during Thanksgiving dinner, these ideas are an easy way to add a little extra screen-free fun to the holiday.
We’re always adding new crafts, printable activities and learning games to This Tiny Blue House, so be sure to check back often.
And, don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest and Facebook where we’re always sharing our newest screen-free crafts and activities for kids.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃