Easy Paper Turkey Crafts for Thanksgiving

Using construction paper and recycled materials, you and your kids can make attractive and easy turkey crafts for Thanksgiving. You can use paper plates, paper cups, paper bags and other materials in these turkey craft projects. These crafts make great decorations for around the house during Thanksgiving. Try one of these turkey craft projects with your kids this holiday season.

Paper Cup Turkey

Paint a paper cup brown with acrylic craft paint. Cut several tail feather shapes from construction paper in fall colors such as brown, red, yellow, orange and green. Turn the paper cup upside down. Attach the tail feathers to the back of the paper cup with craft glue. Attach a small pom pom in any color you like to the bottom of the cup. Cut out a small triangular beak from orange or yellow construction paper and make a turkey's snood from red construction paper. Attach these to the front of the pom pom with a pair of wiggle eyes. Cut out two feet from yellow or orange construction paper and attach them to the front of the rim of the paper cup.

Paper Plate Turkey

Get a basic white paper plate and paint the bottom side brown using craft paint. Cut out a long piece of brown construction paper with a bulb shape at the top to create the turkey's head. Attach wiggle eyes and cut and attach a yellow or orange construction paper triangle to make the beak. Cut out a small red piece of construction paper to make the turkey's snood and attach it right above the beak. If you like, you can also make a heart-shaped red caruncle to place below the beak. Attach the turkey's head to the painted bottom of the paper plate with craft glue. Cut out some tail feather shaped pieces from multi-colored construction paper. Use craft glue to adhere the feathers to the top side of the paper plate. Cut small feet from yellow construction paper and attach them to the lower part of the turkey craft.

Paper Bag Turkey

Find a lunch-sized brown paper bag. Stuff it about halfway with newspaper and twist the top of the bag near the opening to create the turkey's neck. If necessary, use some brown twine or raffia to hold the twisted paper bag section in place. Cut out a turkey head from brown construction paper. Cut out a triangle from yellow or orange paper to make the beak. Also make a red paper wattle or caruncle. Attach these with a pair of wiggle eyes to the front of the turkey's face. Attach the turkey face to the neck of the paper bag turkey. Have your kids trace their hands over construction paper and cut them out. Attach the handprints to the back of the paper bag to make the turkey craft's tail feathers.

Tin Can Turkey

Thoroughly wash a tin can and remove the paper label. Wrap a piece of brown construction paper around the can. Cut the paper to fit the can, then attach it to the can with craft glue. Also cut out some turkey tail feathers from brown, red, orange, yellow and white construction paper and attach them to the back of the can with glue. Cut out a piece of brown construction paper to make the turkey's neck and head. Attach two wiggle eyes to the turkey's face. Cut a red heart-shaped caruncle and a yellow triangle beak and attach them to the turkey's face, as well. Glue the turkey's head to the rim of the tin can and attach two small yellow or orange construction paper feet to the bottom of the can.

For more information on this topic, read Thanksgiving Craft: Pine Cone Turkey and Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids: Handprint Turkey.