Twenty crafts to have your kiddo’s squealing with glee and your wallet, too.
Mod Mayflower
-Give a little history with your craft time with this fun ship making craft.
- Cut off the bottom of a cup. Cut two slits with the tip of your scissors at the center edge of the cup. Place the cup, bottom side up, into the center of a cup holder.
- Cut 2 paper rectangles per boat to make sails. Cut 2 tiny slits at the center of each sail at the top and bottom. Push stirrers through the slits.
- Add a paper flag to the top of each mast. Push the sticks into the slits in the cup.
Tabletop Turkey
-Use this as a center piece to show all the relatives what you did to busy your Thanksgiving weekend.
- Paint a paper cup brown. Turn the cup upside down and glue a pom-pom to the top of the cup for the head.
- Cut nine 4-inch leaf shapes from different colors of construction paper. Fold a 1-inch-square piece of orange construction paper in half; cut a triangle shape out of the folded paper for the beak. Using a 2-inch square of red paper folded in half, cut a heart shape to create the turkey’s wattle.
- Glue the beak and wattle to the pom-pom. Add googly eyes. Glue on the “feathers.”
Native Necklace
-History doesn’t have to be boring! Explain how all of the Native Americans wore something like this at the first Thanksgiving dinner, and maybe your kids will too!
- Remove the top ring of a paper cup. Punch 2 holes in the top of the ring and 1 hole in the bottom center. Paint the ring.
- Cut a 20-inch piece of cord. String 1 bead on each end. Make a loop and place one end through each top hole. String a few wooden beads onto the cord, creating a “Y” shape. Push 2 cords through the center hole. Add a single bead to keep in place.
- Attach a feather and bead to each end of the cord to finish.
Darlin’ Dixie Garland
-Welcome your guests with a cute, homemade banner.
- Cut apart a Dixie cup so it lies flat to create a template. Trace it onto decorative paper, adding an extra 1/2 inch on one end, and cut out 7 shapes (adults should handle this part).
- Place a strip of double-sided tape on one end of each paper. Wrap paper around each of 7 cups and attach with tape. Now cut out letters that spell “Welcome.” Glue a letter to the front of each cup.
- Using a utility knife, cut an X in the center of each cup bottom. Push 1 light into the bottom of each cup and hang in an entryway to welcome your holiday guests.
Cup on the Cob
-Here’s to making Thanksgiving dinner a little easier.
- Cut an oval corncob shape slightly larger than the paper cup out of yellow construction paper. With crayons, draw kernels on the paper. Glue to the front of the cup.
- Cut a piece of crepe paper, 11 inches high by 12 inches long (this may vary depending on size of cup). Glue the crepe paper around the cup to create the corn husk. Crinkle and gather the paper at the top as you glue around the cup.
- Fill a snack bag with popcorn and place inside the cup. Gather the top of the crepe paper and tie with a piece of raffia.
Thankful String
-Have your kids go over what they are thankful for this year with this neat craft.
- With a felt needle, string 2-cm felt balls ($10 for two needles, $20 for 60 balls; handbehgfelts.etsy.com) onto a thin 30-inch hemp cord; tie a knot at each end.
- Trim shaft ends of five feathers to be 1 inch.
- String two wooden beads onto each shaft.
- Place a 6-inch piece of braided cording against feather shaft (below beads), then secure to shaft by wrapping with hemp cord; tie off securely. Repeat with remaining feathers.
- Have everyone write what they’re most thankful for on a small piece of paper; punch holes in papers and thread onto cording.
- Tie each feather between two felt beads on string; trim excess cording.
- Hang string between tepees.
Thankful String alternative: Create a paper chain and write what you’re thankful for on each of the links.
Feather Place Mats
-Give a new twist on Thanksgiving decor with these fun plate mat ideas.
- Trace the largest plate you’ll be using on pieces of scrapbook paper. Cut out circles.
- Glue feathers along edges, leaving paper centers blank (they’ll be covered by the plates).
Hunt for Turkey Feathers
-Easter influences Turkey Day this year!
1. Buy a bunch of colorful feathers at a crafts store and hide them around the yard or house, then do a T-Day version of an Easter-egg hunt. Kids can use the feathers they collect to design a Native American headdress.
Mini Maracas Nature Craft
-Keep the kids entertained with noise making using this craft.
- Cut out a section (top and bottom) of an egg carton and fill one side with dried beans.
- Glue the sides together, with an ice-pop stick coming out of the middle.
- Paint with orange paint, let dry and push a green pipe cleaner into the top as a stem; slip on a green construction-paper “leaf” and bend pipe cleaner over in a loop.
Appreciate Your Guests
-Give your guests a warm fuzzy feeling with this sweet idea.
1. Make place cards for everyone who will be attending your feast. Then ask your child to think of one reason she’s thankful for each person and write it on the back. Guests can read them aloud!