Best and Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids: Fun Thanksgiving Activities For Kids of All Ages

Thanksgiving is more than just turkey and pie—it’s also the perfect time to gather the whole family and create lasting memories through hands-on projects. Whether you're looking for easy Thanksgiving crafts to keep the kiddos busy while the food cooks or thoughtful decorations for the dinner table, these fun and festive ideas are designed for kids of all ages. These Thanksgiving activities are simple, creative, and packed with gratitude.

Turkey Craft Fun: Classic and Colorful Ideas

Few Thanksgiving crafts for kids are more iconic than a turkey craft. Whether using paper bags, pine cones, or handprints, these birds are a great way to spark creativity and conversation about the holiday's meaning.

Handprint Turkey Craft

This classic project lets little ones create a turkey using their own hand as a template.

Supplies:

• Construction paper
• Crayons or markers
• Googly eyes
• Glue and scissors

Instructions:

1. Trace your child’s hand onto colorful paper.
2. Cut out and assemble the feathers, beak, and googly eyes.
3. Let the child decorate the turkey with their name or something they’re thankful for on each finger-shaped feather.

Bonus Tip: Turn these handprints into place cards for the table on Thanksgiving.

Paper Bag Turkey

The paper bag turkey is a fun and easy centerpiece that doubles as a treat bag or puppet.

Supplies:

• Small paper bag
• Colored paper
• Glue, tape, and pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes and construction paper for the beak

Stuff the paper bag, fold the top, and decorate it with paper feathers, a face, and even a headband. The best part? You can fill it with candy or notes of gratitude.

Pumpkin and Leaf Projects for the Dinner Table

Crafting a pumpkin or leaf project is a great way to teach children about Thanksgiving-themed symbols while decorating your space.

DIY Leaf Suncatchers

A seasonal hit, these suncatchers are adorable in windows and teach color recognition and fine motor skills.

Supplies:

• Wax paper
• Glue or clear contact paper
• Tissue paper in fall colors
• Leaf-shaped template

Kids cut small bits of tissue, stick them onto wax paper, then trim into leaf shapes. It’s a simple craft that adds charm to any room.

Pumpkin Jar Lanterns

Turn a mason jar into a glowing pumpkin decoration with this cozy project.

Instructions:

1. Coat the outside of the jar with orange paint.
2. Add a face or leaf details using black or green paper.
3. Insert an LED candle and watch it glow on the dinner table.

This craft is safe for children and adds a festive touch to your Thanksgiving decor.

Helpful Link: PBS Parents Thanksgiving Crafts – great craft ideas and printables for holiday fun.

Gratitude and Thankful Crafts for a Meaningful Holiday

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and give thanks. These craft ideas help children understand the value of gratitude while using their hands and hearts.

Gratitude Tree

A perfect DIY centerpiece and family activity.

Instructions:

• Use a jar, twigs, or brown paper shape for the tree.
• Cut leaf templates from colorful paper.
• Each guest or child writes something they're thankful for and attaches it.

This can be a growing project throughout the week and makes a wonderful dinner table conversation starter.

Thankful Pumpkin

Instead of carving, have children write blessings or what they’re thankful for directly on a pumpkin using markers or paint.

• Keep it on the table to celebrate the season.
• It also works well as a place setting idea.

Beads, Corn, and Candy: Fun Thanksgiving Crafts for Little Hands

Crafts that use beads, string, and food items help kids strengthen motor skills while creating festive keepsakes.

Beaded Corn on the Cob

This colorful DIY craft is great for fine motor development and seasonal décor.

Supplies:

• Yellow and orange pony beads
• Brown pipe cleaners
• Green construction paper for husks

Wrap pony beads onto the pipe cleaner to form a cob shape, then fold paper over the top for the husk. This thanksgiving-themed activity is easy to do independently or as a group.

Candy Corn Necklaces

Use pony or round beads in orange, yellow, and white to create adorable necklaces that mimic candy corn colors.

• String them onto yarn or elastic.
• Add a printable thanksgiving tag to make it a sweet place setting gift.

These are excellent activities for kids that combine crafting and gifting.

Headbands, Balloons, and Apple Fun

Incorporating wearable craft items and seasonal foods brings more excitement to the day’s thanksgiving activities.

DIY Thanksgiving Headband

Let kids make a headband with feathers and printable messages of gratitude.

Supplies:

• Strips of paper or felt
• Glue, scissors, template feathers
• Markers for writing thankful words

Once assembled, children can wear them during Thanksgiving dinner or a classroom celebration.

Apple Turkey Snack Craft

Combine food and fun with this craft using a real apple as the base.

• Insert pipe cleaners or toothpicks for tail feathers
• Add marshmallows, raisins, or mini chocolate chips as decorations
• Use candy corn for the beak

These turkey crafts are both edible and adorable—a guaranteed hit that kids will love.

Thanksgiving Balloon Turkey

If you're hosting a party, this large-scale turkey craft can serve as a fun decor centerpiece.

• Use a brown balloon for the body
• Add paper feathers, googly eyes, and crayon accents
• Display it near the table on Thanksgiving to wow your guests

Note: This is a great opportunity to gather the children around for a group photo with their handmade balloon turkey.

Creative Thanksgiving Wreaths and DIY Decor

Encourage the whole family to contribute to seasonal decorations with DIY thanksgiving wreaths and simple table pieces.

DIY Thanksgiving Wreath

Use leftover materials or nature finds like pine cones, leaves, and beads to craft a warm wreath.

• Cut a ring from cardboard
• Let kids decorate it with whatever they have—leftover fabric, printable cutouts, or even pie labels
• Write a blessing or give thanks message on the center

Gratitude Jar

A wonderful and ongoing DIY project, the gratitude jar is a place where each family member can drop in notes of appreciation during the month.

• Use a mason jar, ribbon, and paint to decorate
• Provide small slips of paper for everyone to gather thoughts on blessings, big or small
• Read them aloud on Thanksgiving Day

This is a meaningful addition to your dinner table and a great way to keep the kids engaged in the holiday spirit.

Best Thanksgiving Fun for Kids: Creative and Memorable Ideas

Thanksgiving is a time to connect and create special moments with the people you love—and that includes the kids. These fun activities are perfect for entertaining during holiday prep or adding some festive flair to your celebration.

Kid's Table Entertainment Station

Set up a mini craft or coloring station at the kid's table to keep them engaged while adults prep the meal. Include:

• Printable coloring pages with turkeys, pumpkins, or cornucopias
• Crayons, markers, and stickers
• DIY puzzle pieces made from Thanksgiving cards

This is one of the easiest fun activities to pull together and works well for both toddlers and older children’s age groups.

Children’s Storytime and Puppet Craft

Combine storytime with crafting for a fun, educational activity that helps kids understand the meaning of Thanksgiving.

• Read a children’s book like Balloons Over Broadway or Thanksgiving in the Woods
• Follow up with a themed paper bag puppet craft using characters from the book
• Let the kids retell the story with their homemade puppets

Not only are these fun activities educational, they also give kids a sense of ownership in the celebration.

Easy Thanksgiving Crafts With Paint: Simple and Festive DIY Ideas

Want to try something festive but stress-free? These easy thanksgiving crafts using paint are perfect for younger kids and ideal for parents looking for mess-friendly fun. They also double as the best thanksgiving crafts for seasonal decorating.

Painted Leaf Garland

Nature meets art in this easy crafts project that brightens up any room.

Instructions:

1. Collect real leaves or use printable leaf templates.
2. Use fall-colored paint to add texture, dots, or smiley faces.
3. Clip to a string with clothespins to create a banner for the mantel or window.

This is one of the best thanksgiving crafts for letting kids get creative without complicated steps.

Pie Slice Painted Plates

Turn paper plates into slices of pie with triangle shapes and paint. Let the kids pick their flavor: pumpkin, apple, or chocolate.

How-To:

• Cut paper plates into triangle shapes
• Paint them in pie colors and decorate with whipped cream cotton balls or beads
• Label with each child’s name for a cute place setting

These easy crafts are not only fun, they also make adorable keepsakes or table décor for the dinner table.

Final Thoughts: Craft a Meaningful Thanksgiving With the Whole Family

From paper bag turkey puppets to beaded corn, these fun thanksgiving craft ideas are more than just projects—they're memories in the making. Whether you choose a simple craft or a more detailed DIY, these thanksgiving crafts for kids offer an enjoyable way to teach gratitude, enhance fine motor skills, and bring smiles to the dinner table.

• Use these ideas for kids of all ages
• Keep extra supplies like paint, glue, and printables on hand
• Make it a family tradition to gather and craft each year

Helpful Link: Good Housekeeping Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids – a great source for more inspiration and DIY guides.

As you celebrate this season of thanks, let creativity lead the way. With these easy thanksgiving crafts, you’ll not only decorate your home—you’ll fill it with love, laughter, and joyful togetherness.