Thanksgiving Turkey Table topper

I wanted to make something special for our Thanksgiving table. So I decided to make my own Thanksgiving table topper. You can make one with your munchkin using just a couple things. Here's how we made ours:

Materials:

• Glue or glue stick (having both works best)
• construction paper colored sheets (or even white paper and have your kiddo color it in)
• scissors
• toilet paper roll
• eyes or you can just draw them on

Construction:

• You start off with a plain brown sheet and trace circles in 2 different sizes. One smaller than the other.
• You cut them out and glue the smaller circle slightly over the other to create the body and head.
• Cut out free handed feathers in different colors of your choosing (you could trace these and have your kiddo cut them out)
• You then glue the feathers onto the back of the body and head just slightly so that they are peaking out.
• Use the trimmings from the paper you used to cut out the feathers to cut small straight strips of paper to make the legs then more trimmings for feet and eyes (details). That way you waste as little paper trimmings as possible. I estimated the leg size depending on how I wanted my turkey to stand on the toilet paper roll, because you could make a huge one and put it on a paper towel roll.
• Glue the details onto the turkey
• Then glue the back of the turkey onto the toilet paper roll and wait for it to dry
• Have a Beautiful and Loving Thanksgiving meal with your family! (Your Turkey table topper on your table)

Here are some other ideas on what to do with your turkey (before you glue him onto the tp roll)

• Write on each feather something you are grateful for (you can ask your kids and they can write it or you can write it for the little ones)
• glue the turkey on to a sheet of paper and frame it with your childs name and age/year.
• Use it as a greeting card cover or even inside so you can send it to a family member.

Inspiration for this project came from a pin I saw on Pinterest here and I gave it my own twist.

We had fun making turkeys and munchkin loved playing with googly eyes. We also made Thanksgiving Turkey handprints that you can make. This will be on our table on Thanksgiving as we have a yummy meal with family.

Turkey Handprints

We are counting down the days until we get to eat yummy turkey and I'm trying to find ways to get my munchkin into The Thanksgiving spirit. So we always love playing with paint and I decided we should do some Thanksgiving turkey Handprints! They are super easy to create and can be used in so many ways.

Here's what we did:

• Get out lots of paints (you need brown and colors that look fun to you because every ones turkey can be different)

• Get paper, plain construction paper or printer paper anything works. (Try the inside of a cereal box so it will sturdy)
• We got googly eyes but you can just draw them on later or even draw then cut them out of construction paper and glue them on
• You paint the palm(body of turkey) and thumb(head of turkey) of your hand brown and the rest of your fingers a different color so they represent the feathers.

• You just place your hand against the paper and push down and you can get at least 3 uses from that one hand before you need to repaint.

• Wait for it to dry and then decide how you want to use the turkey

Choices:

1. Cut them out and add the eye and legs and glue them onto a thick paper and write a special message and the year and then laminate it and make it into a Thanksgiving place mat that will be a special keepsake over the years.
2. You could cut one out and Put the childs name and the year it is and then place it on thick paper and frame it.
3. You can cut one out and glue it on to an empty card either on the outside or inside with a special holiday message and send it to a loved one.
4. You could even get a toilet paper roll and cut out the turkey and decorate it then glue it onto the side of the toilet paper roll (standing up) so It could be a cute centerpiece.
5. You can cut them out, add details then use a hole punch and string a bunch together to create a nice hanging decoration.

Honestly the possibilities are endless! Use your imagination and think of how you want to use it and display.

I made one of munchkins handprints into a Thanksgiving card to give to grandma. And the other handprints I put onto thick poster paper to put up on our wall. I love them!

We had lots of fun making them and they are super special to me because I love seeing how much his hand has grown over the years.

I got inspiration for this craft from a picture on pinterest here and I gave it my own twist.

How are you getting your child in the Thanksgiving spirit? And Please share with me if you make some and how you ended up using them. I would love to see them!