Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids

The holidays are not only times for family gatherings but great craft ideas. Creating these crafts need not be expensive. Most people have everything needed just lying around the house. Let your kids use their imaginations and bless your family with these craft ideas.

Hand Turkey Place Cards

This craft is a small twist on an old classic. When I was in elementary school, we used to make "hand turkeys" out of colored construction paper. Each child would trace their hand with a magic marker. We would draw a face on the thumb and add feet. These new puffy turkeys can be used as funny place cards for the Thanksgiving table.

You will need:

Colored construction paper
Markers
Scissors
Cotton balls
Glue sticks
Popsicle sticks (optional)

1. Have the kids trace each hand two times. One tracing from each hand will create a complete hand turkey place card.

2. Using safety scissors have each child cut out their hand turkey tracings.

3. Using the markers, decorate the hand turkeys. Create faces and decorate the "feather" fingers.

4. After decorating, place the hand turkeys decorated side down. Apply a thin layer of glue around the outer edges of both turkeys.

5. Place about four or five cotton balls in the palm portion of one of the hand turkeys in each pair.

6. If you like, glue a Popsicle stick at the bottom of the hand turkey so it sticks out like a post.

7. Now, place the other hand turkey on top of the first and press the edges together to seal it. If the hand turkey won't press and stay together, you may need to remove a couple of the cotton balls.

To use these funny hand turkeys as place cards, have the children write the name of a guest on the belly with a marker. Your friends and family will be tickled when they look for their seat at the table and find these handcrafted turkey place cards.

Harvest Refrigerator Picture Frames

Children can create their own picture frames to display Thanksgiving holiday photos. You provide the photos and they'll supply the decorative frames. The items needed to create this craft can be purchased at any craft store.

You will need:

Poster board in autumn colors
Foam decorations in harvest and Thanksgiving designs
Scissors
Glue sticks
Magnet strips
Ruler
Pencil
Markers

1. With your parents' help, draw a 7" x 8" rectangle on the poster board. Cut it out.

2. In the center of the rectangle, draw a 3" x 5" rectangle. Cut it out. This will be your window to display your picture.

3. Open your foam decorations. Place them on the picture frame where you want them.

4. Apply a thin layer of glue to the back of each decoration. Stick them to the picture frame.

5. Choose the picture you want to display in the frame. Put a small circle of glue on each corner of the front of the picture. Turn over your picture frame and glue your picture to the back of the frame over the opening.

6. Last, glue a piece of the magnetic strip to the top and bottom of your picture frame.

7. You are ready to decorate the refrigerator with your artwork!