This document provides instructions for kids' Thanksgiving crafts that can be used to decorate the home, including: (1) Hand turkey crafts where children trace their hands and add details to make turkeys, (2) A turkey door decoration where feathers are added with things to be thankful for, and (3) A paper chain craft made of construction paper strips in fall colors that can be hung throughout the house. The crafts are meant to celebrate Thanksgiving and decorate the home to keep the holiday special.

1. Holiday CraftsHoliday Crafts
Thanksgiving Decorations KidsThanksgiving Decorations Kids
Can MakeCan Make

3. ThanksgivingThanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday!Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday!
What a spiritual renewal to take a day toWhat a spiritual renewal to take a day to
reflect over the past year about just howreflect over the past year about just how
good God has been to you and yourgood God has been to you and your
family, to give you harvest and shelter,family, to give you harvest and shelter,
health and hope.health and hope.

4. Christmas.Christmas.
To get the most out of this joyousTo get the most out of this joyous
occasion, make some holiday crafts withoccasion, make some holiday crafts with
your children. These days, Thanksgivingyour children. These days, Thanksgiving
often gets squeezed out by Halloween’soften gets squeezed out by Halloween’s
spooky decorations and the lights andspooky decorations and the lights and
gala of Christmas.gala of Christmas.

5. holiday craftsholiday crafts
With the following holiday crafts, yourWith the following holiday crafts, your
home can be decorated for this quieter buthome can be decorated for this quieter but
important celebration.important celebration.

6. ““Project”Project”
Turkeys are a natural choice forTurkeys are a natural choice for
decorations. A familiar project at this timedecorations. A familiar project at this time
of year is for a child to trace around herof year is for a child to trace around her
hand and make the resulting drawing intohand and make the resulting drawing into
a turkey. The thumb is the head and thea turkey. The thumb is the head and the
fingers are the tail feathers all displayed.fingers are the tail feathers all displayed.

7. ““Food”Food”
While many of the turkeys that are raisedWhile many of the turkeys that are raised
for food are now the domestic whitefor food are now the domestic white
variety, the turkeys eaten by the Pilgrimsvariety, the turkeys eaten by the Pilgrims
at the first Thanksgiving were the wildat the first Thanksgiving were the wild
brown ones. The tail feathers on a wildbrown ones. The tail feathers on a wild
turkey are brown, but they are iridescent.turkey are brown, but they are iridescent.

8. Catching light and appearing to be multi-Catching light and appearing to be multi-
colored. This is why children color the tailcolored. This is why children color the tail
feathers in bright colors.feathers in bright colors.

9. The turkey's head has a wattle under theThe turkey's head has a wattle under the
beak. This is a vertical flap of loose skinbeak. This is a vertical flap of loose skin
that is red colored. Be sure to draw this inthat is red colored. Be sure to draw this in
order to make the hand turkey look like aorder to make the hand turkey look like a
turkey. Add skinny legs and bird feet.turkey. Add skinny legs and bird feet.

11. When done, the children can cut out theWhen done, the children can cut out the
turkeys and hang them on the wall. It'sturkeys and hang them on the wall. It's
really cute to make a whole flock of thesereally cute to make a whole flock of these
turkeys in the sizes of all the hands in theturkeys in the sizes of all the hands in the
family. The little hand shapes arefamily. The little hand shapes are
particularly sweet.particularly sweet.

12. Another nice turkey decoration to makeAnother nice turkey decoration to make
when making Thanksgiving holiday craftswhen making Thanksgiving holiday crafts
is a turkey door decoration. Make a brownis a turkey door decoration. Make a brown
construction paper body and head of aconstruction paper body and head of a
turkey. Now make a large number ofturkey. Now make a large number of
colored feather shapescolored feather shapes

14. Each family member writes on a featherEach family member writes on a feather
something he or she is thankful for beforesomething he or she is thankful for before
attaching as part of the turkey's tail.attaching as part of the turkey's tail.
Repeat until all the feathers are used, andRepeat until all the feathers are used, and
hang the turkey on the front door to greethang the turkey on the front door to greet
visitors with a message of gratitude.visitors with a message of gratitude.

15. Make a sign to accompany the turkey thatMake a sign to accompany the turkey that
says "Give thanks to the Lord for He issays "Give thanks to the Lord for He is
good!" or simply "Be thankful!" Or "We'regood!" or simply "Be thankful!" Or "We're
thankful for you!" or whatever you like.thankful for you!" or whatever you like.

17. Children love making construction paperChildren love making construction paper
chains. To further decorate the house forchains. To further decorate the house for
Thanksgiving, let them make a paperThanksgiving, let them make a paper
chain in fall colors as one of their holidaychain in fall colors as one of their holiday
crafts. Using 9 by 12 inch constructioncrafts. Using 9 by 12 inch construction
paper cut the paper in half across the longpaper cut the paper in half across the long
side and cut the halves into one inch thickside and cut the halves into one inch thick
six inch long strips.six inch long strips.

18. Use a stapler to attach the ends ofUse a stapler to attach the ends of
the strip into a circle.the strip into a circle.
Loop the next strip into the circle andLoop the next strip into the circle and
staple it. Continue the process alternatingstaple it. Continue the process alternating
colors of brown, red, yellow, and orange.colors of brown, red, yellow, and orange.
When the chains are long, you can drapWhen the chains are long, you can drap
them along the ceiling or stair rail. If youthem along the ceiling or stair rail. If you
don't make the door turkey, the childrendon't make the door turkey, the children
can write something they're thankful for oncan write something they're thankful for on
each strip of paper before adding it to theeach strip of paper before adding it to the
chain.chain.

20. Thanksgiving is too nice a holiday to letThanksgiving is too nice a holiday to let
the other more commercial holidays crowdthe other more commercial holidays crowd
it out. By making holiday crafts toit out. By making holiday crafts to
decorate the home for Thanksgiving, youdecorate the home for Thanksgiving, you
can keep this day special, too.can keep this day special, too.

22. The extended family, aunts, uncles,The extended family, aunts, uncles,
grandparents, etc., will be pleased to seegrandparents, etc., will be pleased to see
the holiday crafts the young ones havethe holiday crafts the young ones have
made to decorate the house and make itmade to decorate the house and make it
cheerful for their visit.cheerful for their visit.