Decorate the dining room table with handmade projects from the family’s youngest crafters – fun Thanksgiving turkey napkin holders, garlands, and other items that put the party's youngest creative minds to work. These little feathered friends are so simple even the littlest fingers will find them easy to craft using the materials listed below.
Paper tubes from wrapping paper or paper towels can provide material for turkey napkin rings and Thanksgiving folk place cards; this cardboard tube type is easier to cut than tubes from wallpaper, wax paper, or other industrial product rolls.
Materials Needed for Thanksgiving Crafts
- cardboard tubes from wrapping paper or paper towels
- scissors
- colored construction paper (brown, orange, green, red)
- crayons
- measuring tape
- clear fishing line or craft twine
- craft "google" eyes or mini buttons
- hole punch
Turkey Napkin Rings
Cut the cardboard tube or tubes into one inch rings; cover each one with a one inch strip of brown paper, glued in place. This forms the turkey's "body", which also serves as the napkin ring. The head and tail feathers will be glued to the front and back of each ring.
Cut long feathers from the colored paper and alternate colors, gluing them in a fan-shaped pattern to the bottom of the ring. Bend them upwards to form the turkey’s tail so it's visible when the napkin isn't inside. If preferred, cut the feathers from brown paper and color them in crayon instead of using pre-colored paper.
Adding Napkin Ring Features
Cut a large teardrop shape with a circle on top instead of a tip, forming the turkey's head. Using markers, color the beak, red undercomb, and black dot eyes on the circle to create the turkey’s features, then glue to the top edge of the ring. Let the teardrop overhand the edge slightly, to help the two pieces glue together more solidly.
Add "wings" to the side of each turkey if desired, by cutting a simple fan or leaf shape from brown or colored paper and gluing it to the side of each turkey. To make them stand out from the turkey's body, bend the wing slightly at the base to form a tab for gluing to the side of the ring.
Turkey Hand Garland
To create a unique garland for a windowsill or mantle piece, let each little crafter trace her hand several times onto pieces of brown construction paper. Cut out the shape, then color the turkey "shape" with crayons, using the thumb for a head and the fingers for tail feathers.
Add "google" doll craft eyes to each turkey for a fun finishing touch; or glue miniature buttons or seed beads instead, depending upon the age-appropriateness of the materials. Have each artist sign his or her turkeys before punching a hole in each turkey's back and stringing them on fishing line or craft twine for display. Knot each turkey in place to keep it from slipping
Pilgrim and Indian Place Cards
Little crafters will love creating unique place card Thanksgiving folk using paper towel rolls cut in half, construction paper, glue, and a little imagination. Create a pilgrim by wrapping a paper tube in brown paper, then adding a black belt. Color facial features and hair with crayons, then craft a paper hat by rolling a simple brown paper tube and gluing it atop a wide circle cut from brown paper.
Create an Indian chief using brown or orange paper wrapped around a tube, then gluing a crown of colorful miniature paper feathers around the top of the tube. Color the face and hair or make mini braid from black yarn. Craft "google" eyes also work well for place card people.
Fasten a small paper card to the front of each Thanksgiving folk, bearing the name of a different guest. Place each one in front of a guest's plate according to name, putting these creative place cards to use on the Thanksgiving table.
Keeping Projects Fun
Let kids decide for themselves which project to make for Thanksgiving by supplying the materials and workspace, keeping supervision to a minimum. Encourage each child to make his or her creations as unique as possible, showing off his or her creativity with color choice and individualized features.
Once the decorations are finished, display them proudly in whatever setting best features them, from placing napkin rings or place cards on the Thanksgiving dinner table to a prominent spot for the turkey garland across a windowsill or fireplace mantle.
Sarah Briggs - For the last two years, I have designed primitive dolls and folk art sculptures (such as Edwin Drood and the Ghost of Marley) for Cordwood ...
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