KidsGen - the new age kids site

Thanksgiving Craft Ideas

Below are some general thanksgiving crafts. You will find cornucopia, log cabin, Fun thanksgiving tree, paper bag turkey and more, to make your thanksgiving even more eventful, enjoyable, and creative.
Monvenience - Transact in Convenience



Thanksgiving Crafts

Thanksgiving Cornucopia

Supplies:
Paper Grocery Bags
Magazines
Crayons
Glue
Scissors

Method:
Cut the paper bag so you can flatten it. Cut out the cornucopia cone shape, add a circle to the "open" end. Color it if desired. Cut out pictures of fruit from magazines and glue them onto circle of the horn.

Top


PILGRIM LOG CABIN

Supplies:
Popsicle Sticks
Glue
Marker Pens
Construction Paper (or White Paper)

Method:
Create your own log cabin on paper using Popsicle sticks. Coloring the Popsicle sticks, or the trees and grass surrounding the cabin on the paper.

If you are feeling extra creative, try making a 3-dimensional cabin out of Popsicle sticks. Use a small empty box to help support the sticks while you glue them together. Pull the box out of the middle when you are done, or keep it inside for extra support.

Top


THANKSGIVING CHARACTERS

Supplies:
Toilet Paper Roll
Crayons
Glue
Construction Paper
Scissors

Methods:
Cover roll with black paper. Cut a small circle, draw a face on it, and glue it onto the roll. Other things to add: arms, feet hair hat brim, apron, etc. You can also make Indians and turkeys this way.

Top


TREE Of THANKS

Supplies:
2 Paper Grocery Bags
Construction Paper (fall Colors)
Crayons, Markers, or Pencils
Glue
Scissors

Method:
Cut open the grocery bags so it lays flat. Cut out a tree trunk and branch shapes . Use colored paper and cut out leaf shapes. Have children write what they are thankful for on the leaves and hang them on the tree.

However, sometimes, it might be a problem about keeping a tree, in which case you can think of a thanksgiving COLLAGE. You Will need:

Old Magazines, Newspapers or Catalogs
Scissors
Construction Paper
Glue

Cut out pictures from old magazines or newspapers to make a collage of things you are thankful for this year. Glue the images onto construction paper, overlapping them to form a collage. You can even frame your picture by cutting another piece of construction paper into strips to line the outside of your collage. Be sure to sign it before you post it somewhere.

Top


PAPER BAG TURKEY

Supplies:
Brown Paper Bags
Scrap Construction Paper
Newspaper
Glue
Crayons
Scissors

Method:
Stuff the paper bag with newspaper, leaving about 3 inches to fold shut. Try to fold it so both ends look the same and then glue it shut. Cut out feather shapes and glue onto bag. Draw and cut out turkey head and neck; making two tabs where the base of the neck will be. Fold one tab forward and one tab back and attach it to the bag.

Top


POPCORN NECKLACE

You will need
Popcorn, Thread& a Needle

Method:
Pop the popcorn according to the instructions on the package. Let it cool... don't eat all of it! ;)

String a needle with thread, doubled over. Knot the ends of the thread together. Make sure the thread is long enough to make a necklace when doubled in half.

Stick the needle thru a piece of popcorn until the knot is pulled up close to the popcorn. Continue to string popcorn onto the needle, until you fill up the thread, leaving about a handful at the end of the thread.

Cut the needle off, then tie the thread in a knot at the end of the popcorn. Tie the ends together to make a necklace.

NOTES! Please ask an adult to help you thread the needle, if you need help. You can also try adding beads, cranberries or other items to the necklace. Bracelets can also be made out.

Top


NON-TOXIC MODELING CLAY

You will need:
2 cups baking soda
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cup water
(Food coloring, unless you want white clay.)

Method:
Mix the baking soda, cornstarch and water together in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Transfer it to a saucepan.

Please ask an adult to help you with the cooking on the stove. Cook the baking soda dough in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring the whole time. The mix will remain liquid for several minutes, but after 4-8 minutes it will start to thicken. Stir more rapidly until the dough begins to pull away from the pan.

Remove the pan from the heat and turn off burner. Put the dough in a bowl to cool.

After 10 minutes, knead the dough with your hands. If you want to add food coloring, now is the time to do that. You can separate the dough into smaller portions so you'll have different colors of clay, if you'd like. Put the clay in a plastic bag or air-tight container. In about 2 hours, the clay will be ready for you to use.

NOTES! This clay is very easy to work with and can be easily modeled by just about any age. The clay is non-toxic, but won't taste very good if you eat it. It will keep several weeks in an air-tight bag or container. If you'd like to keep the things you make, the clay will air dry. Once it's completely dry you can paint it, if you are using white clay.

Top



FRUITY GARLAND

Here we are going to make a garland and decorate it with fresh fruit and nuts. Garlands are easy to make and add a festive touch to your home during the holiday season.

REQUIREMENTS
Preserved Fall Foliage
Gardening Gloves
Garden Shears
Miniature Pumpkins
Miniature Gourds
Raffia
wire ( to tie)
Paddle Wire

INSTRUCTION
Gather a wheel-barrow full of evergreen trimmings. Try to use the tips of the branches for best results. Juniper, oak, asparagus fern, cedar, pine and fir could be good options.

Cut the evergreens to a length of 5 inches and place a 9-foot length of string on a large flat surface.

Tie a loop in one end of the string. Attach floral wire (sometimes called paddle wire) to the loop end of the twine.

Select a couple of 5-inch foliage pieces and place them together in a bunch, with the stems at one end. You may combine various kinds of foliage in one bundle. Place the bundle of foliage at the loop end of the twine with the stems pointing toward the long end of the string.

Wrap the floral wire around the stems and tie up to secure them in place.Take proper care while holding the foliage in place against the string and wrapping the wire.

Wrap the floral wire around the bundle a second time and then pull it tight. Please make sure you leave the wire attached to the twine.

Gather another bundle of foliage and place it so that the leaves overlap the first bunch and cover the stems. Make sure that all the stems are facing the same direction. Continue the process of overlapping the bunches of foliage and wiring them to the twine until you run out of string.

Twist the wire tightly around the last bundle when you come to the end of the string and knot the wire and the string together.

Leave some inches of wire to attach the garland where you want it and cut the wire with scissors or pruning shears.

Add the fruit and nuts by Cutting 4-inch squares from discarded nylon materials. Light colors would work best since they are not easily visible.

Then Wrap lemons, pomegranates, limes, apples, nuts and other long-lasting fruit in the squares of the nylon material. You can be assured that the nylon will not be visible once the garland is hung, and the fruits will last longer if you don't pierce them.

Pull the nylon tightly across the fruit, twist the end and secure with floral wire or paddle wire. Wrap the floral wire tightly around the base of the wrapped fruit .Leave some inches of wire attached to the base of each fruit packet.

Its time to wrap several nuts together into one packet.

Twist a bit of the nylon tight around each nut and tie with wire to separate the nuts in appearance. Again leave some inches of wire attached to the nut bundles.

Prepare as many packets of fruit and bundles of nuts as you want

Place the garland on a flat surface and tuck the fruits and nuts into the garland, wiring each packet in place as you continue.
Leave some space between the fruit.

Add small pinecones, if desired, by wrapping wire around their bases and wiring them in among the fruit.

Cover the finished end of the garland with a ribbon or raffia bow.

If you need the finished garland to be longer than 10 feet, you can wire two completed garlands together.

Plastic tie wraps (sometimes called cable ties) work well to hang garlands on banisters.

The garland will be heavy once it is completed so make sure that you have adequate support and sturdy hangers when you hang it on the mantel or banister.

Work over newspaper to avoid a mess.

Top


CLAY POT TURKEYS

REQUIREMENTS
Clay pot
Wooden balls
Miniature silk Autumn leaves/fresh leaves
colored foams (ideally yellow and red)
Craft paint
Paint brush
Black paint /marker

INSTRUCTIONS:
Paint wooden ball and clay pot black or the color you desire.

Apply hot glue to the wooden ball and stick it to top of pot to define the head and body of turkey.

Cut a triangle from yellow craft foam for beak and cut an oval circle from red craft foam for wattle.

Apply glue -to wiggly eyes and stick it to head and the wattle at about 1/4 inch below the eyes and in center of face. - to beak just above the wattle. Leaves on back of pot for tail feathers and on sides for wings.

Tips & Warnings :
Guardians should accompany their children if the craft is prepared by kids. Advise only glue instead of hot glue.

Top


TURKEY APRON

Everyone in the family simply loves to wear an apron and help with the coveted feast.And its a fabulous idea to decorate them with kids' art It also makes a good gift item for the men in your family, too! Here are the easy steps to craft out unique Thanksgiving gifts item.

REQUIREMENTS
A plain white or cream colored apron
Fabric Paint

INSTRUCTIONS :

Buy a plain white or cream-colored apron (chef's).

Calculate the size of the apron to make handprints on. Use a smaller hand print or block for the kids.

Iron on the back of a fusible fabric webbing.

Make turkey handprints by tracing around hands on the fabric

Cut out the handprints.

Iron the turkey handprints onto the apron.

Use fabric paint to paint around the edges of the handprints and to paint on eyes, wattle, beak, and trim on the feathers.

Print the name and age of each handprint maker underneath the prints.

Add a loving text for Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa and so on - in the space at the top of the apron.

You can also make the handprints by dipping hands into fabric paint and pressing them directly onto the apron.

Top


ORNAMENTAL HARVESTS

Essentials :
Gardening Gloves
Garden Stakes
Garden Shears
Plaster Of Paris
Nuts
Chile Peppers
Flowerpots
Toothpicks
Paddle Wire
Floral Foam

This little centerpiece is actually a mock topiary tree made from Oasis floral foam, plaster of paris and garden trimmings. The project is easy to put together, and you can save the base to use for projects later in the year.

INSTRUCTIONS :
Soak a 4-inch clay pot in a bucket of water. Its important to prevent the pot from cracking when you pour in the plaster of Paris.

Then Soak 1/4 block of floral foam in water. The foam is thoroughly saturated when it sinks to the bottom.

Remove the clay pot from the bucket and let it dry for an hour approximately

Cut fall foliage from your garden (enough to fill you shopping bag). The cuttings should be 3 to 6 inches long. Podocarpus (fern pine), Asparagus fern, statice, straw flowers, Oak, Maple, are some good options

Cut a straight stick according to your measurements about 10 to 15 inches long, or use a piece of bamboo stake. The stick will support the foam and will be permanently embedded in the plaster. Select a stick that is 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter.

Cover the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot with aluminum foil, newspaper or tape. This will prevent the plaster of Paris from leaking out the hole and making a mess all over your work surface.

Mix 2 c. plaster of Paris with 2 c. water in a disposable container. Add more water as necessary or until the plaster has the consistency of sour cream. This will set quickly, so have everything you need right on hand: a pot with a covered drain hole and the stick. Then pour the plaster into the prepared pot.

Place the stick into the plaster. You may need to support it until the plaster sets, usually not longer than 3 to 4 minutes.

Allow the plaster-filled pot to dry at least 1 hour.

Fold a stiff leaf in quarters and place it on top of the center stick. This step will prevent the floral foam from sliding down the stick like the ball at Times Square.

Place a 4-inch square of the soaked Oasis floral foam onto the leaf-topped stick. No special method is required; just be careful not to run the stick all the way through the Oasis.

Add the foliage to cover the block of foam. Once the foam is covered and none is showing through, begin adding short shafts of wheat, fall leaves, nuts and fall berries.

ADDED TIPS
Nuts can be added by wrapping them in pieces of panty hose which has been pulled tightly, then secured with floral wire. Wrap the end of the floral wire around a toothpick and insert the pick, nut and all, into the foam.

Impale brightly colored chili peppers on toothpicks and add them to the topiary.

These mock trees will last several weeks indoors. Mist your tree frequently to prevent it from drying out.

Keep the plaster-filled pot base for projects later in the year.

Top


TURKEY TOOTHPICK HOLDER

Make a toothpick holder for the holiday table.
This project is rated EASY to do.

REQUIREMENTS
1 1/2' terracotta pot
Popsicle stick
Tacky glue
Tiny wiggle eyes
Feathers - brown, orange, black (or make some out of foam or paper)
Fun foam or construction paper in black, brown, red, orange

METHOD
Before you start

Find a place to work, and protect it with a large sheet of paper.

Gather all your materials.

Read all the directions.

Making your Turkey Toothpick Holder

Turkey Head
Draw a turkey head and neck on the brown paper or foam.

Make a little pilgrim hat with the black paper or foam.

Glue the head/neck to the Popsicle stick, then glue the hat on top.

Add wiggle eyes, an orange beak, and red wattle.

Attach the Head to the Pot

Glue the Popsicle stick to the inside of the pot.

For the tail, glue some feathers to the back of the pot. You can also use a couple feathers for wings on the side of the pot.

Top


THANKFUL TREE

MATERIALS REQUIRED
Construction paper (orange, red, yellow, brown, and other earth tones)
Crayons or markers
Scissors
Glue or a glue stick

Method:
Have children trace their hands on construction paper. Then cut out the tracings. These will be the leaves.

Have the children write their names and what they're thankful for on each of the hand prints.

Using brown construction paper, cut out a tree trunk and branches.

Glue or staple the tree trunk on a large piece of construction paper (or onto a bulletin board). Then glue or staple the hand print leaves to the tree.

For variations on this project: instead of using hand prints, use cut-out leaves, tissue paper baking cups or torn-up scraps of paper.

Top

Hot!