Thanksgiving Project for Kids: Make Paper Leaf People

With just a few simple supplies, your children can create this fun project to decorate the Thanksgiving day table. These festive leaf people can also be used to decorate windows, add seasonal color to the classroom or make very unique invitations.

Supply List: Thanksgiving Leaf People
Assorted fall colored construction paper - brown, red, yellow, orange
Scissors
Pencil
Ribbon - about 6 inch length per leaf person
Glue
Wiggle eyes - 2 per leaf person
Punch
Color markers
Real leaves to use as patterns

How to Make Thanksgiving Fall Leaf People
1. Go on a fall walk with your children or grandchildren to gather several different leaves of various shapes and sizes. If the leaves are wet, be sure to let them completely dry before proceeding to the next step.

2. Trace around a leaf using the pencil onto construction paper.

3. Use the scissors to cut carefully around the leaf shape. If there are any pencil marks left on the leaf shape, then flip the leaf over so the pencil marks are on the back.

4. Cut arm and leg shapes out of construction paper. You can make these as short or as long as you want. Be creative! See the article photo for a reference.

5. Glue 2 arms and 2 legs to the leaf body to create your person.

6. Glue 2 wiggly eyes to the leaf person and allow to dry completely.

7. Punch a hole in the top of the leaf person.

8. Tie a length of ribbon through the hole to hang the leaf person around your home on Thanksgiving.

9. Use the color markers to write a message or draw a design, if desired, on the Thanksgiving leaf person.
Be sure to add your child's name, age, and date to the back of the leaf person.

Thanksgiving Fall Leaf People: Embellishment Ideas and Project Options
If you want to jazz up your project, consider adding some fun embellishments or use the paper leaf people to create a larger project.

1. Make a Thanksgiving day countdown by creating 30 leaf people. Number each leaf person on the front from numbers 1-30. Place the leafs on a large piece of paper, starting with the number thirty and counting backwards to number 1.

2. Add glitter or stickers to your project and hand them out to friends at school.

3. Use Thanksgiving fall leaf people to decorate scrapbook pages.

4. Create a Thanksgiving tablemat for kids using multiple leaf people. Layer the leaf people onto an 11x14 inch piece of construction paper. Glue them down. Write the child's name on the tablemat. Once the project is completely dry, take it to a copy center to get laminated. These tablemats will look great around the Thanksgiving turkey this year!