Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to slow down, spend time together, and let kids get creative.
However, this is also a good opportunity for us, parents, to teach our little ones the importance of thanksgiving. Especially, thanksgiving to God.
The best way to make it fun and memorable with our kids is by creating Thanksgiving crafts while slowing down in a table. But what crafts are you going to create?
Fret not, I have prepared 18 easy Thanksgiving crafts that are simple enough to make at home. Most of these crafts use basic supplies you may already have, such as paper, crayons, glue, leaves, paper plates, and cardboard.
And because Thanksgiving is about more than crafts and decorations, I’ve included a few ideas that give children a chance to think about thankfulness, gratitude, and God’s goodness along the way.
Let’s get crafting!
18 Easy Thanksgiving Crafts
1. Paper Plate Turkey
A paper plate turkey is a classic Thanksgiving craft that’s easy for young children to make.
What You’ll Need
- Paper plate
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Crayons or markers
How to Make It
- Paint or color the paper plate.
- Cut feathers, eyes, a beak, and a turkey wattle from construction paper.
- Glue the pieces onto the plate to create your turkey.
Make it meaningful: Ask your child to name one thing they’re thankful for while they decorate each feather.
2. Handprint Turkey
Turn your child’s handprint into a cute Thanksgiving turkey.
What You’ll Need
- Construction paper
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Glue
- Crayons or markers
How to Make It
- Trace your child’s hand onto a piece of paper.
- Cut it out and turn the fingers into the turkey’s feathers.
- Add eyes, a beak, legs, and a wattle.
- Let your child decorate the feathers with different colors.
Make it meaningful: Write one thing your child is thankful for on each finger.
3. Thankful Tree
A thankful tree is both a craft and a simple gratitude activity.
What You’ll Need
- Brown paper
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Markers
How to Make It
- Cut a tree trunk and branches from brown paper.
- Cut several leaves from red, orange, yellow, and green paper.
- Write something you’re thankful for on each leaf.
- Glue the leaves onto the tree.
Make it meaningful: Add a new leaf every day during the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.
4. Gratitude Leaf Garland
Create a colorful Thanksgiving decoration filled with things your family is thankful for.
What You’ll Need
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Markers
- String or yarn
- Hole punch
How to Make It
- Cut leaf shapes from colored paper.
- Have each family member write something they’re thankful for on a leaf.
- Punch a small hole in each leaf.
- Thread the leaves onto string or yarn.
- Hang your gratitude garland somewhere your family can see it.
Make it meaningful: Read the leaves together on Thanksgiving Day.
5. Thanksgiving Paper Pumpkin
Paper pumpkins are simple to make and can be used as Thanksgiving decorations.
What You’ll Need
- Orange construction paper
- Green construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Markers
How to Make It
- Cut several orange strips of paper.
- Glue or staple the ends together to create a pumpkin shape.
- Add a green stem and leaf.
- Write a word of gratitude on the pumpkin.
Make it meaningful: Write “Thankful,” “Family,” “God’s Love,” or another word that reminds your child of something they’re grateful for.
6. Thankful Paper Chain
Turn a traditional paper chain into a Thanksgiving gratitude activity.
What You’ll Need
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
- Markers
How to Make It
- Cut paper into strips.
- Give each family member several strips.
- Write something you’re thankful for on each strip.
- Connect the strips together to create a paper chain.
- Keep adding links throughout November.
Make it meaningful: See how long your family can make the chain before Thanksgiving.
7. Pinecone Turkey
If you have pinecones available, turn one into a fun Thanksgiving turkey.
What You’ll Need
- Pinecone
- Construction paper
- Googly eyes or paper eyes
- Glue
- Scissors
- Crayons or markers
How to Make It
- Cut several colorful feathers from construction paper.
- Glue the feathers to the back of the pinecone.
- Add eyes, a beak, and a wattle to the front.
- Let your child decorate the feathers.
Make it meaningful: Ask your child what they would put on a “thankful feather.”
8. Paper Bag Turkey Puppet
Make a turkey puppet that children can use for imaginative play after the craft is finished.
What You’ll Need
- Brown paper bag
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Markers
How to Make It
- Use the bottom flap of the paper bag as the turkey’s face.
- Cut feathers, eyes, a beak, and a wattle from construction paper.
- Glue the pieces onto the bag.
- Once it’s dry, use the turkey puppet to act out a Thanksgiving story.
Make it meaningful: Have your child make the turkey say what it’s thankful for.
9. Thanksgiving Place Cards
Let your children help decorate the Thanksgiving table with handmade place cards.
What You’ll Need
- Cardstock or construction paper
- Markers
- Crayons
- Stickers
- Scissors
How to Make It
- Cut paper into small rectangles.
- Write each guest’s name on a card.
- Let your children decorate the cards with leaves, pumpkins, turkeys, or other Thanksgiving designs.
- Place one at each seat.
Make it meaningful: Add a short message such as “We’re thankful for you!”
10. Thankful Turkey Craft
Create a turkey whose feathers represent the blessings your child is thankful for.
What You’ll Need
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Markers
- Googly eyes, optional
How to Make It
- Cut out a turkey body.
- Create several colorful feather shapes.
- On each feather, write something your child is thankful for.
- Glue the feathers behind the turkey.
- Add eyes, a beak, and a wattle.
Make it meaningful: Encourage your child to think beyond toys and treats. Talk about people, nature, family, food, God’s love, and other blessings.
11. Fall Leaf Suncatcher
Bring some of the colors of fall indoors with a simple leaf suncatcher.
What You’ll Need
- Clear contact paper
- Tissue paper
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Tape
How to Make It
- Cut a leaf outline from construction paper.
- Place a piece of clear contact paper behind the outline.
- Let your child fill the inside with small pieces of colorful tissue paper.
- Cover the back with another piece of contact paper.
- Hang it near a window.
Make it meaningful: Talk about the beautiful things your family sees in God’s creation during fall.
12. Thanksgiving Wreath
Make a simple wreath to hang on your door or wall.
What You’ll Need
- Paper plate
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Markers
How to Make It
- Cut out the center of a paper plate.
- Cut leaves from different colors of paper.
- Write words of gratitude on the leaves.
- Glue the leaves around the paper plate.
- Hang your finished wreath.
Make it meaningful: Write a Bible verse about thankfulness in the center of the wreath.
13. Paper Corn Craft
Create a colorful paper corn craft that’s perfect for a Thanksgiving table or classroom display.
What You’ll Need
- Yellow construction paper
- Green construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Markers
How to Make It
- Cut an oval shape from yellow paper.
- Cut small circles or shapes to represent the corn kernels.
- Glue them onto the corn.
- Add green leaves around the sides.
Make it meaningful: Talk about the food God provides and why we can be thankful for our daily meals.
14. Gratitude Jar
A gratitude jar is one of the simplest Thanksgiving crafts and can become a family tradition.
What You’ll Need
- Clean jar or container
- Paper
- Scissors
- Markers
- Ribbon or stickers, optional
How to Make It
- Decorate the outside of the jar.
- Cut paper into small pieces.
- Throughout November, have family members write down things they’re thankful for.
- Place the notes inside the jar.
- On Thanksgiving Day, open the jar and read the notes together.
Make it meaningful: Start your Thanksgiving meal by reading a few of the notes and thanking God for those blessings.
15. Thanksgiving Table Centerpiece
Let your children create a simple centerpiece for the Thanksgiving table.
What You’ll Need
- Small paper cups or containers
- Construction paper
- Leaves
- Crayons or markers
- Glue
- Optional fall decorations
How to Make It
- Let children decorate the container.
- Fill it with paper leaves, handmade flowers, or other fall decorations.
- Add a sign that says “Give Thanks” or “Thankful Hearts.”
- Place it in the center of your table.
- Make it meaningful: Let your children choose a Bible verse about thankfulness to display alongside it.
16. “God, Thank You For…” Craft
This simple craft gives children a chance to think about their blessings while creating something they can display.
What You’ll Need
- Construction paper
- Crayons or markers
- Scissors
- Glue
- Stickers, optional
How to Make It
- Write “God, Thank You For…” at the top of a piece of paper.
- Let your child draw pictures of the things they’re thankful for.
- They can also write simple words underneath each picture.
- Decorate the page with leaves, hearts, pumpkins, or other Thanksgiving designs.
Make it meaningful: Finish the activity by praying together and thanking God for the things your child drew.
17. Bible Verse Thanksgiving Craft
Combine Scripture with creativity by making a Thanksgiving Bible verse craft.
What You’ll Need
- Construction paper or cardstock
- Crayons or markers
- Colored pencils
- Scissors
- Glue
- Stickers, optional
How to Make It
- Choose a short Bible verse about thankfulness.
- Write or print the verse on a piece of cardstock.
- Let your child decorate around the verse with leaves, pumpkins, turkeys, or other Thanksgiving designs.
- Display it somewhere your family can see it.
Make it meaningful: Read the verse together each day during Thanksgiving week.
18. Thankful Handprint Tree
Combine a handprint craft with a gratitude activity to create a keepsake your family can save.
What You’ll Need
- Construction paper
- Paint or crayons
- Scissors
- Glue
- Markers
How to Make It
- Trace your child’s hand and arm to create the trunk and branches of a tree.
- Cut out or draw colorful leaves.
- Write one thing your child is thankful for on each leaf.
- Attach the leaves to the tree branches.
- Add your child’s name and the year.
Make it meaningful: Save the finished tree and make another one next Thanksgiving. Over the years, you’ll have a collection of your child’s growing list of blessings.
Simple Ways to Make Thanksgiving Crafts More Meaningful
Crafting is already a fun way to spend time together, but you can easily turn these activities into opportunities for faith and conversation.
As you craft, ask questions such as:
- “What are you thankful for today?”
- “What is something God made that you’re thankful for?”
- “Who is someone you’re thankful for?”
- “How can we show someone that we’re thankful for them?”
- “What can we thank God for at dinner tonight?”
You don’t need to turn every craft into a Bible lesson.
Sometimes a simple conversation while your child colors, cuts, glues, and creates is enough.
Make Thanksgiving a Time to Give Thanks
Thanksgiving crafts don’t have to be complicated.
A paper plate, some construction paper, and a few crayons can give your children an afternoon of creativity—and maybe even become a family keepsake you’ll treasure later.
More importantly, these simple activities can create opportunities to slow down and talk about gratitude.
As your family prepares for Thanksgiving, remember that thankfulness isn’t only something we practice on one day of the year.
We can teach our children to notice God’s blessings, appreciate the people around them, care for others, and give thanks in everyday moments.
So pick a craft, gather the kids, and enjoy some creative time together.
And don’t worry if the turkey has crooked feathers or the leaves aren’t perfectly placed.
The memories and the moment of talking about God matter more than the finished craft.
Happy Thanksgiving!