Paper Plate Turkey Craft for Kids + Free Turkey Template

This paper plate turkey craft is a simple and fun Thanksgiving craft for kids.  It’s easy to prep and put together with a free, printable turkey template.  Kids will love creating patterns with their turkey feathers, practice fine motor skills as they paint and glue the pieces together, and may even go a step farther and use each feather on their turkey craft to write down things or people they are thankful for!

This post contains affiliate links, which means that I will earn a commission if you shop through and make purchases through them.  For more information, you may see disclosure. 

Just like that, we’re almost to Thanksgiving.  I keep looking at the calendar and expect to be getting ready for trick or treaters, but here we are.

And while it seems like the rest of the world has moved right on by and is getting ready for Christmas (no judgement there – I’m just as excited for Christmas as the next person), it is definitely still fall here, and we are trying to soak in every last minute of it before the weather turns cold for winter.

So, don’t mind us, we’re just last minute crafting over here.

If you’re looking for a fun and simple fall or Thanksgiving craft for kids this season, one that’s easy to put together and clean up, this paper plate turkey craft is just for you.

RELATED: Thanksgiving Turkey Craft for Preschoolers

Make Your Own Paper Plate Turkey Craft

My oldest (4), had a really fun time with this Thanksgiving craft.  From deciding how to arrange the turkey feathers, to getting to use “drippy glue” rather than his glue sticks, and googly eyes (I mean come on, googly eyes…), it was a big hit!

To make it even easier for you, I’ve created a template here with all the “parts” of the turkey.  You just need to print it out and use the template to trace feathers, a beak, and a gobbler onto your own construction paper.

Here’s how to make your own paper plate turkey.

Supplies

• Paper Plate
• Foam Paint Brush
• Brown Paint
  • We used acrylic paint because that’s what we had on hand, but I love this tempera paint for little hands.  (And here is a great mess-free paint option!)
• Googly eyes
• Construction Paper in fall colors (or whatever colors you pick)
• Turkey Parts Template

Directions

• Print out your turkey parts template (download here) and cut parts out of construction paper
• Using a foam brush, paint the back of your paper plate with brown paint.  This will be your turkey’s face.
  • We covered our counters with a paper bag, or you could use newspaper to keep our work surface clean.
  • We also used 2 small pieces of tape to hold our plate in place while painting to avoid super messy paint hands.

• Wait a few minutes to let paint dry a little.
  • Use this time to let kids arrange their turkey feathers, talk about things they are thankful for, etc.
  • Kids can also use this time to write things they are thankful for on their feathers!
  • We didn’t wait for the paint to fully dry and it turned out just fine!
• Glue eyes, beak, and gobbler onto turkey’s face.

• Flip paper plate over and glue feathers to the underside of the plate.

RELATED: Make a Thanksgiving Paper Chain

And that’s it!  Super simple and fun!  My guy did tell me that he thinks we need to add “two little strips of paper at the bottom for our turkey’s legs though.  Because how will the turkey even walk, Mama?”

He’s not wrong.  😉

If you’re looking for a way to take this a little farther, I’ve rounded up a few fun Thanksgiving themed books to read along with this craft.

Fun Thanksgiving Books to Read Along with This Craft

Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving

Thankful

T’was the Night Before Thanksgiving

Little Critter: Just a Special Thanksgiving

Five Silly Turkeys