Have you ever made a turkey handprint craft before? They make the cutest keepsakes and gifts for family members and friends. Inside this post we have all the details for this darling Thanksgiving craft for kids.
What can kids make for Thanksgiving? You need to try this turkey handprint craft for kids!
Turkey crafts are fun to make around Thanksgiving! I love a good keepsake craft to help capture a child's handprint for history! They are so fun to look back at as kids grow.
Turkey painted handprints are one of my favorite classic art activities for toddlers and preschoolers because they think they're so funny!
Scroll down for all the details on how to make this turkey craft for kids!
RELATED: Not interested in Thanksgiving activities? Skip to Toddler Christmas Activities.
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Materials Needed:
- Baby wipes
- Beads (variety of colors)
- Cardboard
- Glue
- Marker
- Paint brush (one for each color of paint)
- Pipe cleaners
- Plate
- Scissors
- Washable paint
- White paper (we used watercolor paper)
- (Optional) Craft tray
Prep Ahead
- Cut a piece of cardboard into a rectangle frame (4.25 x 5.5 inches, or measure to the size of the child's hand to make sure the cardboard will fit a handprint).
- Cut a piece of watercolor paper so that it's a tiny bit smaller than the cardboard, and equal on all sides.
- Make two small holes at the top of one side of the cardboard to hold the handle.
- Stick a pipe cleaner into one hole and twist it to attach it to the cardboard.
- Plate a small blob of each color of paint that you plan to use on a plate.
Thanksgiving Craft Instructions
Grab your cardboard frame, pipe cleaner, and beads! You're ready to get started!
- First, give each child a piece of cardboard with a pipe cleaner attached to it. Encourage kids to use the beads and thread them onto the pipe cleaner until they're about 3/4 across. Pro Tip: Do beading over a craft tray for easy clean up!
- Next, loop the other end of the pipe cleaner into the empty hole in the cardboard. Twist the pipe cleaner around itself to attach it to the cardboard and make a looped handle (see photo below).
- Now you're ready to paint! Paint each child's hand to look like a turkey. Paint the palm and thumb brown and then have kids choose a different color of paint for each finger.
- Once the hand is painted, take it and press it down onto the watercolor paper and press it.
- Pull off the child's hand from the paper and clean with a wipe.
- Let dry
- Have the child glue the handprint paper to the cardboard.
- Let dry.
- Use colorful markers and quickly draw a beak, gobbler, and eye once the handprint is dry.
- Display!
How do you do a toddler handprint with paint?
Making a handprint craft can be tricky with toddlers! Here are my best tips for success when making a toddler handprint with paint!
- Make sure all your materials are laid out and ready to go. Get paint squeezed out and have your paintbrushes and paper ready.
- For ease, have a different paintbrush available for each color of paint that you plan on using.
- Have your child come and sit next to you. Make sure they're at a good level to reach the table and place their hand flat.
- Have baby wipes nearby for quick clean up.
- Paint your own hand with the paint and show your child how it works. Demonstrate how to hold your hand flat and spread out.
- Now it's their turn! Paint their palm and thumb brown with the paint.
- Next, ask them what color they want each finger to be painted and paint each finger quickly and carefully.
- Hold the child's hand carefully and guide it to the paper, palm facing down. Press. Hold the hand in place on the paper for a few seconds and then pull it up.
- Let the handprint dry.
What if kids don't want their hand painted?
If kids don't want to participate in this hand painting activity, there are several options!
- They can paint their own hand
- They can use the paintbrush to paint their own picture (and not do a handprint)
- They can just skip this activity!
Sometimes kids don't like to get messy or unsure of this activity the first time.
To help them get comfortable, I usually try and demonstrate it a few times while they watch.
Often, once they've seen friends try it, they're often ok trying it too!
Some kids just don't want paint on their hands. That's totally fine.
Not all activities are for all kids!
You can check out all of our other turkey activities and try one of them instead.
More Thanksgiving craft ideas for kids
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