Thanksgiving is the perfect time to spark excitement in young learners, bringing them into the warmth and spirit of the season through creative preschool thanksgiving crafts! In the classroom, these Thanksgiving-themed activities are a fantastic way to introduce preschoolers to the important values of gratitude and togetherness while giving them the chance to explore their creativity in fun, hands-on ways.
And parents, don’t worry! Many of these preschool thanksgiving crafts can be easily adapted for at-home Thanksgiving fun, so you can keep the holiday spirit alive beyond the classroom. Whether it’s a lively project at school or a cozy activity at the kitchen table, these preschool thanksgiving crafts are sure to fill your child’s day with joy, creativity, and a whole lot of festive cheer.
Get your kids’ arts and crafts materials ready so we can make the festive holiday unforgettable with these easy, delightful preschool thanksgiving crafts that children will treasure and proudly share with family and friends!
20 Preschool Thanksgiving Crafts
Imagine a room filled with little hands painting, gluing, and laughing while they have fun creating colorful turkeys, fall decorations, and more—they’ll absolutely love every second! Not only will they enjoy every second of the process, but they’ll also be learning important skills like teamwork, fine motor development, and the joy of giving thanks.
So, gather your supplies and get ready for a Thanksgiving filled with creativity and joy!
- Handprint Turkeys
Create a turkey keepsake with your own handprint! Dip each child’s hand in washable paint, using brown for the palm and fingers. Press their hand onto paper or cardstock to create a “turkey” with the fingers as feathers. Once dry, let kids add googly eyes, an orange triangle beak, and a red wattle near the thumb for the turkey’s face. This cute keepsake can be saved as a memento or turned into a Thanksgiving card to share with loved ones. - Paper Plate Pumpkins
Turn a simple paper plate into a festive pumpkin! Preschoolers will love transforming an ordinary paper plate into a bright orange pumpkin, perfect for classroom or home decoration. After painting, they can add a green pipe cleaner or paper strip at the top as a stem and decorate with stickers, glitter, or leaf cutouts for extra flair. - Pine Cone Turkeys
Bring the outdoors inside with these fun pine cone turkeys! Start by gathering pine cones. Let children glue colorful feathers onto the back of the pine cone as the turkey’s tail. Add googly eyes, a small paper beak, and a red wattle to the front to bring their turkeys to life. These make adorable table decorations for Thanksgiving! - Thankful Trees
Show what you’re thankful for with a beautiful Thankful Tree! Draw a large tree trunk on paper or use a paper towel roll as a base. Cut out colorful paper leaves, and encourage kids to write or dictate something they’re thankful for on each one. Glue or tape the leaves onto the branches, creating a gratitude tree. This project helps children reflect on things they appreciate and can be a great group activity. - Pumpkin Stamps
Stamp your way to a pumpkin patch! With just an apple and some paint, kids can create their own patch of pumpkins, perfect for decorating any Thanksgiving project. Cut an apple in half, dip it in orange paint, and stamp it onto paper multiple times. Once dry, let them add green stems and vines with a brush or marker. - Paper Bag Turkeys
Turn a paper bag into a turkey puppet! Start with a small brown paper bag and stuff it lightly with paper to give it shape. Fold over the top to close. Let children glue colorful feathers on the back and add googly eyes, an orange beak, and a red wattle to the front to create a cute turkey puppet. Kids can use these puppets for storytelling or a mini Thanksgiving play! - Corn on the Cob Craft
Make your own corn on the cob using bubble wrap! Cut a piece of bubble wrap and dip it in yellow, orange, and brown paint. Kids can press it onto paper, leaving a cob pattern. Once dry, they can cut the shape out and glue on green paper leaves for the husk. This textured craft mimics real corn and is fun for sensory play. - Pilgrim Hat Headbands
Dress up as a pilgrim with your own handmade hat! Cut black construction paper into a headband strip and a large square for the hat. Add a yellow paper buckle and glue it to the front of the headband. Measure the headband to each child’s head for a perfect fit. They’ll love wearing these hats during story time or Thanksgiving celebrations. - Leaf Collage
Create a fall masterpiece with beautiful leaves! Take children outside to gather a variety of colorful leaves. Back inside, let them glue the leaves onto a sheet of paper, arranging them as they like. Provide stickers, crayons, or markers to add more details. This activity helps preschoolers connect with nature and learn about fall. - Mini Pumpkin Pies
Make a mini pumpkin pie (without the mess)! Hand out small paper plates, and let kids paint the center orange to look like pumpkin filling. Once it’s dry, they can glue on cotton balls as “whipped cream” and decorate the edges with markers or stickers. These mini pies are adorable decorations and can be used to decorate the classroom “Thanksgiving table.” - Feathered Headbands
Become a festive Thanksgiving guest with a feathered headband! Cut a strip of construction paper to fit each child’s head and let them decorate it with crayons, markers, or stickers. Attach colorful feathers to the back of the band, and staple or tape it closed. Kids will love wearing their festive headbands for Thanksgiving festivities. - Gratitude Jars
Collect things you’re thankful for in a special jar! Give each child a small jar and some slips of paper. Throughout the week, let them draw pictures or write down things they’re thankful for and place them inside the jar. They can share these notes with family on Thanksgiving Day, creating a meaningful and lasting keepsake. - Turkey Hats
Wear your turkey pride on your head! Using a paper headband, attach bright paper feathers to the back. Draw or glue a simple turkey face with eyes, a beak, and a wattle on the front. Kids can wear these hats all day, and they’re perfect for Thanksgiving songs or activities. - Pumpkin Seed Mosaics
Use colorful pumpkin seeds to create a masterpiece! Collect and clean pumpkin seeds, then dye them with food coloring in fall shades. Once dry, kids can use these seeds to create mosaics on construction paper, forming images like pumpkins, leaves, or turkeys. This activity promotes fine motor skills and creativity. - Footprint Cornucopia
Turn your footprint into a bountiful cornucopia! Paint a child’s foot brown and stamp it onto paper to create the cornucopia shape. After it dries, they can draw or add stickers of fruits and vegetables spilling out of the cornucopia. This unique project is a fun keepsake and a great way to introduce the idea of harvest. - Acorn Painting
Roll acorns in paint to make a fun, fall-inspired artwork! Gather acorns and place them in a shallow box with a sheet of paper at the bottom. Dip each acorn in a different paint color, then let kids roll the acorns around by tilting the box, creating unique patterns on the paper. This craft allows children to create abstract art while exploring motion and color. - Thankful Placemats
Make your own Thanksgiving placemat filled with gratitude! Let kids decorate construction paper with drawings of things they’re thankful for. Laminate the paper to create personalized placemats that can be used at the Thanksgiving table. This craft helps them reflect on gratitude and adds a personal touch to the celebration. - Turkey Spoon Puppets
Another good preschool thanksgiving craft project is a little turkey puppet to play with! Use plastic spoons as the turkey body, gluing colorful feathers to the back and adding googly eyes, a beak, and a wattle to the spoon’s bowl. Kids can use these puppets for storytelling or as Thanksgiving table decorations. - Harvest Necklace
Create a fall necklace with colorful beads and pasta! Provide dyed pasta, fall-colored beads, and yarn. Kids can string the beads and pasta onto the yarn to create harvest-themed necklaces they can wear proudly. - Handprint Wreaths
Make a festive wreath with your own handprints! This simple preschool thanksgiving craft lets your child trace their hands, cutting out the traced paper, and decorating the paper, where they can create a beautiful autumn wreath to hang up in celebration of Thanksgiving. This fun craft is not only fun but also a wonderful way for kids to express their creativity.
Make this Thanksgiving a Fun, Crafty One!
As we wrap up our collection of fun and festive preschool thanksgiving crafts this 2024, we hope you’re inspired to create lasting memories with your little ones. Each craft not only adds a touch of holiday spirit but also encourages creativity, gratitude, and togetherness. So, gather those art supplies and let the crafting begin!
Warm holiday wishes from Clever Bee Academy! May your Thanksgiving be filled with love, laughter, and lots of crafty fun!
