November brings chilly weather, early sunsets, and rooms full of kids bouncing off the furniture. You need a solid game plan before holiday prep kicks into high gear. Crafting gives little hands something fun to do while you step back, cook dinner, or catch a brief breath.
Here are 29 Thanksgiving crafts for kids that will keep them entertained all November. These quick DIY projects range from simple handprint turkeys to glowing leaf jar lanterns. Grab your glue sticks, clear off the kitchen table, and turn rainy afternoons into easy afternoon art sessions.
1. Pinecone turkey craft
Kids can turn basic backyard pinecones into tiny feathered turkeys with felt scraps and googly eyes. Send your children outside on a crisp afternoon to search under pine trees for sturdy cones. Pro tip: Parents should handle the hot glue gun when securing thick feathers, while kids can use standard Elmer’s glue for the felt face pieces.
2. Paper plate gratitude pie
This simple spinner wheel lets children think about what they appreciate most. Kids draw lines across a paper plate to create pie slices, shade each slice to look like pumpkin or pecan pie, and write out things they appreciate. Check out our guide on fun harvest crafts for kids for more ideas to fill your calendar.
3. Handprint turkey keepsake
The classic handprint craft never gets old. Trace your child’s hand onto heavy paper, let them paint each finger with rich fall shades, and draw a quick beak on the thumb. Parents always cherish these tiny cutouts long after their kids grow out of safety scissors.
4. Cinnamon stick pumpkin craft
These mini pumpkins double as a sensory project and smell great on a windowsill. Kids glue real cinnamon sticks together in a tight bundle, wind orange yarn around the middle section, and attach a green felt leaf at the top. The warm spice scent fills your living room all month.
5. Mason jar leaf lanterns
Light up your dinner table with handmade glowing leaf jars. Children brush craft sealant onto glass jars, press faux maple leaves flat against the glass, and smooth down the edges. Drop a battery-powered tea light inside to create a warm amber glow at dinner time.
6. Cardboard roll Thanksgiving pilgrims
Save your empty toilet paper rolls for this quick upcycling project. Kids paint the cardboard tubes to create small figures, complete with paper hats, collars, and aprons. If you want extra seasonal ideas, explore these creative fall art projects for kids.
7. Beaded Indian corn
This simple threading project builds quiet focus and dexterity in young kids. Children slide orange, yellow, brown, and red pony beads onto tan pipe cleaners, then twist the tops together to shape small corn cobs. Toddlers usually stay busy with this for a full hour.
8. Paper bag turkey puppet
Turn basic brown lunch sacks into interactive puppets. Kids glue large googly eyes, a red paper wattle, and colorful paper feathers directly onto the folded bottom flap. Once the glue dries, your children can host a funny Thanksgiving puppet show right in the living room.
9. Turkey feather headband
Kids can wear these paper hats to the holiday table. Wrap a wide strip of brown paper around your child’s head, staple the seam, and hand over craft feathers and glue. Children love wearing their custom crowns through dinner.
10. Felt turkey coasters
Protect your wooden dining table with simple handmade felt coasters. Trace circles onto thick felt, cut out turkey shapes, and assemble the layers with fabric glue. Stock up on basic supplies over at Crayola before starting your project.
11. Clay leaf print dishes
Roll out air-dry clay and let your children press real fallen leaves into the surface to capture leaf vein patterns. Cut around the leaf shape with a blunt plastic knife, curve the edges upward into a shallow bowl, and set the piece aside to dry overnight. Kids can paint their trinket dishes with metallic acrylic paint the next day.
12. Foam cup turkeys
Turn small foam cups upside down to build lightweight turkey bases. Kids paint the cups brown, glue looped pipe cleaners along the back for feathers, and attach face cutouts to the front. These work great as personalized place card holders on the kids’ table.
13. Apple stamped turkeys
Slice an apple in half to make a custom paint stamp. Kids dip the flat fruit side into red, yellow, and orange paint, then press it onto paper to make a colorful feather fan. Once the paint dries, children draw a simple turkey body right over the center.
14. Coffee filter turkeys
This project uses washable markers and water to blend colors across paper. Children color round coffee filters with bright markers, mist them with a spray bottle, and watch the inks bleed into soft patterns. Pinch the dried filter into a wood clothespin to complete the turkey.
15. Popsicle stick Mayflower
Kids can build simple toy boats using wooden craft sticks, glue, and paper sails. Lay popsicle sticks side by side to assemble a boat hull, then glue paper sails onto toothpick masts. Find more project tutorials over on Parents.com for weekend family crafting.
16. Gratitude tree banner
Cut leaf shapes out of heavy paper or felt and leave them in a basket on the counter. Each day in November, family members write one thing they appreciate on a paper leaf and clip it to a piece of twine. By Thanksgiving, you have a room full of handwritten family notes.
17. Bubble wrap corn on the cob
Reuse leftover packing materials for an easy texture-stamping session. Kids coat bubble wrap with yellow and orange paint, press it face down onto cardstock, and cut the textured print into corn shapes. Glue paper husks around the sides to wrap up the project.
18. Yarn-wrapped turkey
Cut thick cardboard into turkey shapes and give your children leftover yarn in fall shades. Kids wind the yarn around the middle section until they cover the brown core completely. Multi-colored yarn adds fun texture without any extra steps.
19. Salt dough leaf ornaments
Mix flour, salt, and water to make a quick homemade craft dough. Kids press real leaves into the flattened dough to make clear impressions, poke a small hanging hole at the top with a drinking straw, and bake the shapes on low heat. Paint the hardened pieces with acrylics to hang around the kitchen.
20. Origami turkey place cards
Older kids can take on simple paper-folding designs. Fold paper squares back and forth into tight accordion fans to form turkey tail feathers, then write your dinner guests’ names across the base. Look up quick paper-folding guides on Martha Stewart for clear visual steps.
21. Egg carton turkey craft
Cut individual cardboard cups out of empty egg cartons to build small turkey bases. Kids paint each cup brown, glue on eyes, and push colored craft feathers into small slits cut into the cardboard back. Place these small figures beside table plates on Thanksgiving day.
22. Tissue paper pumpkin sun catchers
Cut pumpkin rings out of black paper and stick them onto clear contact paper. Children place small squares of orange, yellow, and red tissue paper inside the border until they fill the center completely. Tape the finished sun catchers onto sunny window panes.
23. DIY Thanksgiving place mats
Keep kids busy while the turkey cooks by letting them draw custom dinner place mats. Hand out large construction paper sheets, crayons, and stickers so children can decorate their own eating spots. Cover the finished artwork with clear contact paper so you can wipe up accidental spills.
24. Turkey wreaths with paper leaves
Cut out the inner circle of a paper plate to make a lightweight wreath frame. Children glue paper leaf cutouts around the rim until they cover the white space, then attach a paper turkey head at the bottom. Hang these homemade wreaths on bedroom doors.
25. Acorn finger puppets
Collect real acorn caps outside and wipe them clean. Glue the caps onto small felt tubes that fit your child’s fingers, then draw tiny faces on the fabric with fine-tip markers. Kids can use these woodland puppets for quick afternoon stories.
26. Paper fan turkeys
Fold colored construction paper back and forth to create wide fan tails. Glue two folded paper fans together into a semi-circle, then attach a brown paper body cutout right in front. This low-cost project uses basic paper scraps and brightens up blank walls.
27. Corn husk dolls
Soak dried corn husks in warm water until they turn soft and flexible. Wrap, fold, and tie the damp husks with twine to shape simple traditional figures. This historic project gives kids a hands-on history lesson during quiet crafting hours.
28. Cardboard box turkey toss
Turn a large shipping box into an indoor target game for energetic afternoons. Paint a big turkey face across the front of the box, cut out a wide mouth hole, and toss beanbags through the opening. Kids stay active taking turns aiming for the target.
29. Button pumpkin art
Draw a simple pumpkin outline onto heavy cardstock. Kids fill in the shape by sorting and gluing down orange buttons of different sizes and tones. Once you finish your November projects, check out these festive Christmas crafts for kids to keep the table busy through December.
Summary of festive November fun
- Skill building: These projects build hand strength, color recognition, and scissor control.
- Gratitude focus: Hands-on ideas like the gratitude tree banner help kids practice sharing thanks all month.
- Budget friendly: Most crafts rely on basic kitchen items like paper plates, cardboard rolls, and backyard pinecones.
Crafting with your kids during November creates memories that stick around long after the holiday leftovers disappear. Pick three or four of these simple projects, clear off the table, and enjoy an easy, creative month together.