Discover how to create a paper bag turkey, an enjoyable and simple Thanksgiving craft for preschoolers and older children! You’ll only need a few basic materials. It’s an excellent activity for home or the classroom.
Skills Needed: None. Children will work with scissors and glue. I’ve included a template, making the pieces easy to cut out!
Thanksgiving is nearly here, so it’s time to discuss turkey – paper bag turkey, that is! Before you begin searching through the refrigerator, let me explain: we aren’t preparing a holiday meal.
Rather, we’re exploring a cheerful and effortless Thanksgiving craft for kids that may be so much fun, they could momentarily forget about the pumpkin pie.
This turkey project requires no lengthy preparation and won’t leave behind a cleanup resembling a scene from an action-packed disaster film.
Exactly, we’re making everything easy, tidy, and wonderfully amusing with this paper bag turkey activity.
Although it’s ideal for preschool children, let’s be truthful—even the ‘big kids’ (yes, adults, that includes you) will enjoy this charming feathered project.
You’ll need a standard paper lunch sack, several pieces of craft foam in a variety of Thanksgiving-inspired colors, scissors, and glue.
Plus, there’s a handy printable template for direction, ensuring your turkey doesn’t accidentally resemble a peacock or, even worse, a flamingo.
This activity offers more than a creative pastime; it creates special time with your children and brings out the Thanksgiving mood without demanding flawless pie crusts or immaculate table arrangements.
Picture your children’s expressions glowing as they turn their paper bags into lively turkeys, adding colorful feathers and sweet faces. These are the moments that give the holiday season its charm.
Gather your materials, bring the kids together, and let’s begin creating! This turkey project is a wonderful way to occupy little hands while giving them pride in their holiday artwork.
Prepare to gobble up plenty of creative enjoyment! This turkey definitely won’t gobble at you. 😀
Collect These Materials
Helpful Ideas and Notes for This Craft
I purchase many of the materials for this project from the dollar store, especially the paper bags! You can buy a large bundle and use them for numerous paper bag creations.
If craft foam is new to you, I selected it because it helps the feathers stay firm. Construction paper or cardstock can be substituted, though neither is as sturdy as craft foam.
Children enjoy turning these into puppets! Another option is to tie them to string and display them.
When you’re ready to make this project, you’ll find the printable instructions below:
Paper Bag Turkey
Find out how to make a paper bag turkey with children this Thanksgiving! This project is suitable for preschoolers and older kids.
Makes: 1 puppet
Price: $1
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Print the template showing the pieces needed to build the turkey, then gather the scissors.
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Trim out each piece and arrange them over craft foam in whichever colors you prefer.
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From the craft foam, cut all the turkey parts: fifteen feathers (I chose three from every foam color), the chest, feet, beak, and wattle.
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Position the beak and wattle pieces on the bag’s bottom, where folding creates a flap, and glue them in place.
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Glue the eyes in position, placing one on each side of the beak and wattle.
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Below the face flap, secure the brown chest piece to the paper bag.
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As the final step, fasten the feathers to the back of the bag behind the head. Fan out the feathers, apply glue to them, and press the bag onto them. Allow everything to dry before use.
If you notice that a few feathers are not completely secured
If this adorable Thanksgiving craft brought you joy, I’d be happy to hear from you in the comments. Be sure to take a look at these additional posts: