13 Thanksgiving Craft Ideas for the Whole Family
We can think of quite a few scenarios where some Thanksgiving craft ideas might just save the day.
Maybe you’re on hour 3 of cooking that big old turkey, and people are starting to get antsy. Maybe you’re looking for an activity to keep the kiddos and cousins busy so they’ll be deterred from, well, perhaps more destructive or chaotic activities when left to their own devices. No matter what your scenario, these Thanksgiving crafts are certain to add some creativity and fun to your schedule. So, grab your glue gun, and let’s get crafting!
Think Outside the Box With These Thanksgiving Craft Ideas
A chilly November afternoon indoors? No problem. Here are some delightful ideas to get you into the Thanksgiving spirit!
Thankful Pumpkin Pie Bunting
Nothing screams Thanksgiving more than pie. Pumpkin is most popular, of course. But runners-up include pecan, cherry, and apple. Now, let’s take this classic dessert off the table and into our decor. Start by cutting out pie-shaped pieces from brown and orange construction paper. Decorate each piece with your favorite kind of pie flavor. On each ‘slice,’ have your family members write out what they’re thankful for. String these together to make a sweet garland of gratitude that’s both heartwarming as it is decorative.
Thanksgiving Harvest Wreath
Add a twist to the traditional fall wreath with a Thanksgiving theme. This can be a fun group activity, too! Just set the table with a wreath base at every spot. Fill the table with all kinds of fall craft materials like fake leaves, berries, dried corn, acorns, small faux pumpkins and gourds, ribbons, twigs, glitter, floral wire Mod Podge, and hot glue. Encourage crafters to attach anything they’d like to a wreath base using floral wire or glue. Hang it on your front door to welcome guests, and have everyone take theirs on the way out. You know, after three platefuls of food, a fight about football, and a food coma.
Personalized Place Cards
Give your guests a warm welcome to your Thanksgiving table with personalized place cards. Use small pieces of cardstock and write each guest’s name in calligraphy or your best fancy script. Embellish with a small sprig of rosemary or fall leaves to add a rustic touch. If you have a Cricket machine, even better!
Cookie Turkeys
Who doesn’t love an edible craft? These turkey-shaped cookies are EVERYTHING (and by everything, I mean adorable and tasty). Begin by baking a batch of your favorite sugar cookies. Pick a recipe (or pre-made dough) that makes thicker cookies–you don’t want your cookies to get too flat. Once cooled, use a dab of icing to attach a chocolate-peanut butter cup candy to the center of each flat cookie for the turkey’s body. Then, use icing to attach a vertical cookie to the turkey’s tail. Use candy corn pieces to create colorful feathers and wings by pressing them into the top edge of the cookie in a fan shape.
Add a small white icing dot for the eyes, and place a mini chocolate chip on top for the pupil. For the finishing touch, fashion a beak, wattle, and feet from icing to bring your edible turkey creations to life. These cookies are sure to be a hit at any Thanksgiving gathering.
Thanksgiving Memory Book
Photos and videos are a great way to keep memories, but there’s nothing quite like writing down the stories and memories that aren’t captured visually. Start a Thanksgiving memory book where guests can write down a memory from the past year or something they’re thankful for. Decorate a blank notebook with fabric, ribbons, and craft paper. The book can become a treasured family keepsake, growing each year with new entries and becoming a time capsule of gratitude.
Thanksgiving Craft Ideas Using Natural Materials
With all the splendid colors in the great outdoors, take advantage of the natural beauty of fall with these creative craft ideas.
Pumpkin Votive Holders
Nothing like a little bit of mood lighting. Small pumpkins or seasonal gourds can be hollowed out to make natural votive holders that bring a soft glow to your Thanksgiving evening. Simply slice off the top, scoop out the seeds, and place a votive candle inside. You can even carve out designs or drill holes to create more intricate patterns that the light can shine through. One year, we used little blue glass stones to match the pops of aqua in the table settings.
Unbe-leaf-ably Adorable Turkeys
Grab as many hikers as you can and embark on a “craft-material foraging expedition.” Once you’ve gathered an assortment of colorful autumn leaves, use them as a backdrop to give the impression of a turkey’s expanded tail feathers. For the turkey’s body, cut out shapes from orange construction paper, arranging smaller circles for the head atop and larger ones for the body. Add personality with cut-out paper beaks, gobbles, and feet, attaching them with glue. Use googly eyes to bring your turkey to life. For added texture and fun, adorn the body with natural elements like acorns or small pinecones, and for a pop of color, you can add berries or small blossoms. How cute are these?
Festive Leaf Lanterns
Transform simple mason jars into whimsical lanterns. Collect colorful fall leaves and adhere them to the outside of the jars using Mod Podge. Once dry, place candles inside and watch as the leaves glow with a warm, inviting light. Let your lanterns cast a magical vibe over your Thanksgiving feast or mantle display.
Shadowbox Collages
Embarking on a Thanksgiving walk can become more than just a leisurely stroll or simply a means of “working off” all that stuffing. It can be the beginning of a creative craft project. Collect a variety of colorful fall leaves, delicate flowers, and any interesting natural artifacts you find along the way. Once you arrive home, arrange your treasures in a shadowbox, layering them to create depth or designing patterns that highlight the beauty of the season. Secure your finds with a non-damaging adhesive or use small pins for a three-dimensional effect. The result is a personalized shadowbox that captures a moment in time, a collective family art piece that embodies the memories made together. Don’t forget to write the year somewhere on the finished shadowbox.
Grateful Tree Branch Display
An expressive and interactive piece, the Grateful Tree Branch Display can take center stage in your living room or dining table. Start by finding a large, sturdy branch and place it in a vase. Cut out paper leaves and provide pens for guests to write what they’re thankful for before hanging their leaves on the branches. This creates a beautiful visual representation of all the blessings your family and friends cherish.
It’s Turkey Time: Thanksgiving Craft Ideas Featuring Thanksgiving’s Biggest Icon
Because the turkey is the main event, of course!
Turkey Plates
Transform clear plastic plates into charming Thanksgiving turkey decorations! Start by embellishing the rims of these rings with small, colorful pieces of tissue paper, attached with glue to mimic the turkey’s feathers. In the clear center, a brown handprint with fall serves as the turkey’s body—it adds uniqueness to each piece. Once the handprint dries, draw eyes, a beak, and feet with markers to bring your turkey to life. Personalize your creation by adding a name or date, making it not just a festive ornament but a memorable keepsake.
Pinecone Turkeys
Craft a flock of adorable pinecone turkeys to add adorable charm to your Thanksgiving decor. Begin by collecting pinecones and colored construction paper. Cut the paper into feather shapes and fan them out behind the pinecone to serve as the turkey’s plumage. Secure the feathers with glue at the pinecone’s wider end. For the turkey’s face, glue googly eyes and a small triangle of red paper for the wattle on the narrower end of the pinecone. Cut out feet and a beak from paper, attaching them to give your turkey character. Adorn with accessories like miniature hats or bows to individualize each bird.
Turkey Puppets
These charming turkey crafts are a simple project, perfect for kiddos. Start by flattening out colorful cupcake liners and folding them into halves to represent the turkey’s fanned tail feathers. They don’t necessarily have to be fall-themed liners–use whatever you have! Then, glue each liner onto a craft stick to form the turkey’s body. Using markers, draw eyes and a beak on a small, cut-out paper oval and glue this to the top of the craft stick to create the turkey’s face. Add a red paper wattle for detail. These adorable turkey puppets can be used for storytelling or as festive decorations to brighten up any corner of your home during the fall festivities.
What Are Your Go-To Thanksgiving Crafts?
Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving craft that never fails to add that touch of heartwarming decor to your home? Whether you’re crafting elegant centerpieces or joining the kids in making festive decorations, share your top DIYs with us on Instagram @getfamilyapp! Who knows, your creations might just become part of someone else’s Thanksgiving tradition!
