One of our favorites when my kids were in early elementary was the Paper Plate Turkey Craft. It’s a fun and colorful project that doesn’t take too much prep time but still gives kids a chance to get hands-on and express their creativity.

If you’re looking for more fun ways to teach about turkeys, check out this list of Turkey Activities for Kids. You’ll find easy ideas that can fit right into your lessons at home.

See how we made our turkeys, what your kids can learn from the process, and some simple ways to extend the activity afterward.

The finished Paper Plate Turkey Craft on a table.

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Why do kids need to learn about turkeys?

Learning about turkeys goes beyond Thanksgiving traditions. It’s a great way to teach kids about farm animals, nature, and life cycles in a way that feels relevant to the season. Turkeys are also an easy topic to connect with science and literacy lessons.

When my kids were younger, they loved learning about animals that were part of our holidays. It helped them make real-world connections and understand where food and traditions come from.

Recommended Turkey Books

Reading about turkeys before or after this craft makes the activity even more engaging. You can choose picture books or early readers that share fun turkey facts or holiday stories.

A Plump and Perky Turkey Turkey Claus (Turkey Trouble)Thanksgiving Turkey Trouble (Ready, Freddy! #15)Turkeys on the Family Farm (Animals on the Family Farm)Turkey: Fun Facts on Farm Animals for Kids #10 Turkeys in Disguise

The final result of the Paper Plate Turkey Craft

What lessons are connected to this topic?

This activity ties into several subjects. Here are some simple lessons you can connect:

Science: Kids can learn about animal life cycles and habitats by discussing where turkeys live and what they eat.
Art: This project helps children explore color, shapes, and design while building fine motor skills.
Language Arts: Have kids write a short story about their turkey or describe the steps they took to make it. It’s a natural way to build writing and sequencing skills.

My Recommended Thanksgiving Printable Packs

If you’d like to add more learning fun to your Thanksgiving theme, check out my recommended Thanksgiving printable packs. They include hands-on print-and-go pages that make learning engaging for kids at different grade levels.

Little Learners Print & Go Activity Kit: Thanksgiving

pages of Junior Scientist Science Study: Turkey Life Cycle

What skills can kids learn from this Thanksgiving Craft?

This project helps children build essential skills without them even realizing it. Here’s what they’ll practice:

Creativity: Choosing colors and arranging the feathers encourages self-expression.
Following Directions: Kids learn to follow multi-step instructions as they assemble their turkeys.
Fine Motor Skills: Cutting, gluing, and painting help strengthen hand muscles and coordination.

Recommended Turkey Toys

You can continue the fun by adding some turkey-themed toys to your learning space. I’ve found that turkey puzzles and turkey-themed board games are a great way to make learning playful while reinforcing turkey facts in a hands-on way.

PLUS PLUS – Mini Maker Tube – Turkey – 70 Piece, Construction Building Stem Toy, Interlocking Mini Puzzle Blocks for Kids Mud Pie Kids Turkey Shaped Floor Puzzle, 21 Thanksgiving Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles 100 Pieces for Adult Kids – Thanksgiving Turkey Wood Puzzle Fall Harvest Autumn Pumpkin Puzzle Flower Garden Sunflower Puzzle Fun Educational Toy Y-FABKKI Thanksgiving Wooden Blocks Stacking Games, Turkey Theme Tumbling Tower and Balance Game for Adults, Kids, and Family Party, Stacking Board Toy with Storage Bag, Fall Party Activities Gifts Mud Pie Turkey Toss Plush VioraWhite 30 Sets Thanksgiving Games Kits – 30 Game Cards & Dice, Roll a Turkey Theme, Family & Classroom Friendsgiving Activities

Materials needed for the Paper Plate Turkey Craft

Supplies Needed for this Paper Plate Turkey Project

Printer for the template (I have this one)
Paper
Paper plate
Brown paint
Scissors
Marker
Construction papers

I have the HP printer 8710, but it’s no longer available. It’s been running well for years now. Consider 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.

A collage of steps to make the Paper Plate Turkey Craft

Making the Turkey Craft

When we did this activity years ago, my daughter loved picking bright colors for the feathers. My older son helped with tracing and cutting, which made it a fun teamwork project. Even though it’s designed for younger kids, my teens still enjoyed helping their siblings with the painting and gluing.

It’s a creative way to slow down and enjoy some time together while making something that brings seasonal cheer to your home. We ended up using our paper plate turkeys as table decorations that year.

How to Extend the Activity

You can keep the turkey fun going with a few more learning projects. Try these ideas:

Turkey Lapbook: A great follow-up project that lets kids organize what they’ve learned about turkeys.
Turkey Activities for Elementary Students: Simple printables that work perfectly with your Thanksgiving lessons.
Write a short turkey poem or story to display with the craft.
Create a “Thankful Turkey” by writing things your kids are thankful for on each feather.

The final Paper Plate Turkey Craft placed on a table.

More Turkey Activities to Try

If you want more fun ideas for Thanksgiving learning, try these:

Fun Turkey Crafts for Kids
Turkey Activities for Kindergarten
Turkey Word Search Printable
Fairy Turkey Disguise Craft by Simple Everyday Mom
Thanksgiving Turkey Cookies using Pudding Cups by Crystal and Comp.