Life Cycle of a Turkey Worksheet

Turkeys are everywhere in November, which makes this a natural time to learn how they grow. This Life Cycle of a Turkey Worksheet walks kids through each stage, from egg to poult to young turkey to adult.

For more turkey learning, see my list of turkey activities for kids.

This printable includes a blank turkey life cycle diagram, cut and paste pictures and labels in color and in black and white and an answer key. Kids cut out each stage, match it to its label and glue everything in order.

This post may contain affiliate links meaning I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Read my disclosure policy here.

Who Is This Turkey Life Cycle Worksheet For?

This worksheet is for kids who are learning how animals grow and change.

• Homeschool families adding science to a Thanksgiving unit
• Classrooms comparing the life cycles of different animals
• Kids who like hands-on cut and paste activities

What Are the Stages of a Turkey’s Life Cycle?

A turkey’s life cycle has four stages: egg, poult, young turkey and adult.

• Egg: A turkey starts life inside an egg.
• Poult: A baby turkey that hatches from the egg is called a poult.
• Young turkey: The poult grows bigger and starts to look more like an adult.
• Adult: A fully grown female turkey can lay eggs, and the cycle starts again.

When I first started homeschooling my oldest, I tried teaching science from a textbook, and it just didn’t stick. Science got so much easier once I built lessons around what my kids already noticed, and a turkey at Thanksgiving is an easy place to start.

Recommended Turkey Books

These turkey books pair well with the life cycle worksheet.

Turkey Goes to School (Turkey Trouble)This Turkey Wants To Hide – A Fun-Filled Early Reader Story Book for Preschool, Toddlers, Kindergarten and 1st Graders: An Interactive, Simple, Easy to … Tale for Kids ages 2 to 5 (This Book 17)Turkey TroubleA Plump and Perky TurkeyTurkeys on the Family Farm (Animals on the Family Farm)Turkey: Fun Facts on Farm Animals for Kids #10

 

What Will Kids Learn?

Kids practice early science and fine motor skills with this worksheet.

• Life cycles: Learn the egg, poult, young turkey and adult stages.
• Sequencing: Place each stage in order around the life cycle diagram.
• Science vocabulary: Read and match the labels Egg, Poult, Young turkey and Adult.
• Fine motor skills: Cut out circles and labels and glue them in place.

What Supplies Are Needed?

You’ll need a printer, paper and a few basic school supplies.

• Printer (I have this one)
• Paper
• Crayons (for the black and white pictures)
• Scissors
• Glue

I have the HP printer 8710, but it’s not available anymore. It’s been running well for years now. Look for another HP Instant Ink-ready printer so that you can use their program to send you ink cartridges whenever your printer gets low on ink.

Recommended Turkey Toys

These turkey figures and building toys give kids something hands-on to play with alongside the worksheet.

Schleich Farm World, Animal Toys for Boys and Girls, Realistic Bird, Turkey Toy Figurine, Ages 3+PLUS PLUS – Mini Maker Tube – Turkey – 70 Piece, Construction Building Stem Toy, Interlocking Mini Puzzle Blocks for KidsMud Pie Kids Turkey Shaped Floor Puzzle, 21100 Piece Jigsaw Puzzles for Kids & Adults Happy Thanksgiving Turkey Thanksgiving Day Educational Game Toys,Fun Puzzle Educational Family Game Toys Adults Home Decoration Colorful Puzzle Giftsgarmelon Thanksgiving Wooden Puzzles Gift for Toddler, 6 Pack Puzzles Thanksgiving Autumn Fall Harvest Party Favors for Toddlers 3+ Year Old Boys GirlsCute I Spy Thanksgiving Book for Kids Ages 2-5: An Exciting and Interactive Guessing Game, Turkeys Activity Book and Coloring for Toddlers & Preschoolers

 

What Is Included in the Life Cycle of a Turkey Worksheet?

The printable includes a diagram, two sets of cut and paste pieces and an answer key.

Turkey Life Cycle Diagram

This page has four empty circles connected by arrows, with a line under each circle for a label. Kids glue the pictures and labels here.

Cut and Paste Pictures (Color)

This page has four color pictures of the egg, poult, young turkey and adult turkey, plus four labels. Kids cut them out and add them to the diagram in the correct order.

Cut and Paste Pictures (Black and White)

The same pictures and labels come in black and white, so kids can color each stage before cutting.

Answer Key

The answer key shows the finished life cycle with every picture and label in place, so you can check their work quickly.

How Can You Extend the Activity?

Try one of these simple ideas after the worksheet.

• Act it out: Have kids curl up as an egg, peep like a poult, strut as a young turkey and gobble as an adult.
• Playdough stages: Make each stage out of playdough and line them up in order.
• Compare life cycles: Draw a turkey life cycle next to a chicken or butterfly life cycle and talk about what’s different.
• Bird watch: Take a short walk and look for birds, and talk about which stage each bird might be in.

Keep the Learning Going

If your child wants to keep learning about turkeys, the Junior Scientist Science Study: Turkey Life Cycle from my shop is the next step for a full turkey science study.

For hands-on science all year, the Young Learners Science Club is a monthly science membership for homeschool families. Each month brings a new Science Adventure built around one topic, with hands-on investigations, crafts and games that use common household supplies.

What Other Activities Can You Try?

Here are more turkey activities to add to your lessons:

• Parts of a Turkey Worksheet
• Turkey Word Search Printable
• Toilet Paper Roll Turkey Craft
• Paper Turkey Craft
• Turkey Activities for Kindergarten
• Turkey Preschool Activities
• Thanksgiving STEM Activities
• Turkey Leaf Craft from Simple Everyday Mom

FAQs

This Life Cycle of a Turkey Worksheet gives kids a simple, hands-on way to learn how turkeys grow. Print a set this November and see if your kids can name each stage on their own.

Download the Life Cycle of a Turkey Worksheet Below