Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for family gatherings and expressing gratitude. It’s also an excellent opportunity to get creative with your little ones. Keeping toddlers engaged and entertained during this holiday can be a breeze with some fun and easy Thanksgiving crafts. These activities not only keep your child occupied but also help them develop essential skills. Here are 15 delightful and straightforward Thanksgiving craft ideas for your toddler:
1. Handprint Turkey:
- Materials: Construction paper, paint, googly eyes.
- Instructions: Paint your child’s hand with brown and orange paint and make a handprint on paper to create a turkey. Add googly eyes and a beak.
2. Paper Plate Pumpkin:
- Materials: Paper plate, orange paint, green construction paper.
- Instructions: Paint the paper plate orange. Cut out a green stem and attach it to the top of the plate.
3. Thankful Turkey:
- Materials: Paper, markers, googly eyes.
- Instructions: Help your child write or draw things they’re thankful for on paper feathers and attach them to a paper turkey.
4. Leaf Rubbings:
- Materials: Leaves, paper, crayons.
- Instructions: Place leaves under a sheet of paper and have your toddler rub crayons over them to create leaf prints.
5. Pinecone Turkey:
- Materials: Pinecone, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, craft foam.
- Instructions: Attach googly eyes, a beak, and feathers made from craft foam to a pinecone to create a turkey.
6. Handprint Cornucopia:
- Materials: Paper, paint, markers.
- Instructions: Paint your child’s hand with various colors and make a handprint on paper, forming a cornucopia. Draw in fruits and veggies.
7. Apple Stamps:
- Materials: Apples, paint, paper.
- Instructions: Slice an apple in half and dip it in paint. Let your child stamp the apple onto paper to create apple prints.
8. Pumpkin Seed Art:
- Materials: Pumpkin seeds, glue, construction paper.
- Instructions: Let your toddler create artwork by gluing pumpkin seeds to paper.
9. Paper Plate Pilgrims:
- Materials: Paper plates, markers, construction paper.
- Instructions: Help your child turn a paper plate into a pilgrim by drawing a face and attaching construction paper hats and clothing.
10. Turkey Windsock:
Materials: Paper, markers, streamers, googly eyes. –
Instructions: Let your toddler decorate a paper tube like a turkey, add streamers at the bottom for tail feathers.
11. Gourd Painting:
Materials: Small gourds, paint, paintbrushes. –
Instructions: Provide gourds and paint for your child to decorate with their creative designs.
12. Leaf Turkey:
Materials: Craft foam leaves, googly eyes, markers. –
Instructions: Arrange leaves to create a turkey body and let your toddler decorate it with eyes, beak, and legs.
13. Potato Stamps:
Materials: Potatoes, paint, paper. –
Instructions: Cut a potato in half and carve designs. Dip it in paint and let your toddler stamp the designs on paper.
14. Beaded Corn:
Materials: Beads, pipe cleaners.
Instructions: Thread beads onto a pipe cleaner to create colorful ears of corn.
15. Gratitude Banner:
Materials: Paper, markers, string.
Instructions: Cut paper into banner shapes and have your child draw things they’re thankful for on each one. String them together to create a gratitude banner.
These simple Thanksgiving crafts are not only fun but also provide an opportunity to teach your child about the meaning of gratitude and the traditions of the holiday. Enjoy the quality time spent with your little one, and create lasting memories during this special season. Happy Thanksgiving!
