Holidays & Entertaining Thanksgiving 35 Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids Try our favorite kid-friendly crafts while prepping for this year's Thanksgiving feast. By Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for more than 10 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process and Claire Hoppe Claire Hoppe Claire Hoppe is an editorial apprentice for Better Homes and Gardens who has a passion for making others feel at home in their space. She is currently a senior at Iowa State University studying journalism with a minor in criminal justice. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on October 4, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Brie Passano Celebrate the season with Thanksgiving crafts for kids. They'll love to lend a helping hand when decorating the table with handmade Thanksgiving crafts. These easy-to-make Thanksgiving traditions keep the spirit of the season front and center for children of all ages (and help hungry kids stay occupied until dinner is on the table). These easy crafts for kids will prepare your home for the big day with place cards, centerpieces, decor, and more. 01 of 35 "Thanks" Garland Get the FREE garland Andy Lyons Dress any mantel or doorway with this quick and easy Thanksgiving craft for kids. Just cut leaves from our free template, then glue them to ribbon or string along with store-bought glitter letters. 02 of 35 DIY Busy Bags Alice and Lois These adorable drawstring goodie bags keep kids entertained before, during, and after dinner. Have your Thanksgiving helpers paint designs onto small muslin bags using acrylic paint, then fill them with small toys like crayons, a deck of cards, or stickers and place them on the kids' table before dinner. Then, while you're preparing the meal or chatting with guests, the kids have plenty of goodies to keep them occupied. 03 of 35 DIY Thanksgiving Pie Boxes Package up a sweet slice of the holiday with this easy Thanksgiving craft for kids. Made with our free template and construction paper, these DIY pie boxes are easy to assemble and perfect for sending home Thanksgiving leftovers. 15 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes Even Better Than the Holiday Meal 04 of 35 Family Gratitude Jar Courtesy of Alice and Lois This adorable thankfulness jar is the perfect way to celebrate Thanksgiving as a family. Download and print the free printables and attach them to a Mason jar. Pass out paper cards and pens, and have members of your family write down what makes them feel grateful. Then, at Thanksgiving dinner, take turns reading the cards aloud for a meaningful way to remember life's blessings. 05 of 35 Cootie Catcher Kids' Game Get the FREE game Marty Baldwin Remember playing this as a kid? We've remade it, Thanksgiving-style. Instead of a fortune, receive a holiday-related question or suggestion. This is the perfect family activity to keep little ones entertained before the big meal. 06 of 35 Leaf Garland Marty Baldwin This leaf garland is colorful and classic. Have your little helpers collect and flatten leaves from outside, or cut leaf shapes out of colored paper. To add dimension, glue small twigs to the center of each leaf. Attach the leaves to a piece of twine and display the garland at your Thanksgiving celebration. 07 of 35 Paper Bag Turkey Adam Albright Have little ones practice gratitude with this easy Thanksgiving craft for kids. Start with a brown paper bag for the turkey's body and strips of colored paper for its feathers. On the tailfeathers, write down what you're thankful for, then fold the strips and staple them to the side of your paper bag. Use felt or colorful paper and googly eyes to give your turkey its face and wattle. Set out for a cute Thanksgiving party favor that reminds you of the reason for the season. 08 of 35 Owl Centerpiece Laura Johansen This Thanksgiving craft for kids is fun to make and display all season long. To create these paper owls, stack and glue cupcake liners to form the owl's body. Next, cut a liner in half and glue the pieces to the back of the body to make wings. Finally, cut out eyes and nose shapes to finish off your darling centerpieces. 09 of 35 Handprint Table Runner Andy Lyons This handprint Thanksgiving table runner not only is a blast for your kids to craft, but it's also a functional way to decorate for the holiday. Plus, this easy Thanksgiving craft for kids can be stored and used again year after year. 10 of 35 Painted Leaf Garland Dana Gallagher You can't go wrong with leaf decor for the Thanksgiving season. Use paint markers and leaves found outside to let your kiddos create fall masterpieces. Once decorated, scatter the leaves down the middle of a table or string them together to create a DIY fall garland. 11 of 35 Splatter Paint Pumpkins Carson Downing Splatter painting is a foolproof way to express creativity and let kids have fun while doing it. Before painting mini pumpkins, thin acrylic paint with a small amount of water, and set the pumpkins inside a large cardboard box to keep cleanup hassle-free. 46 Easy Painted Pumpkin Ideas for Halloween and Fall Decorations 12 of 35 Felt Fall Pendant Jason Donnelly This DIY Thanksgiving pendant requires just a few affordable craft supplies. Cut leaf and pumpkin shapes out of felt and adhere with fabric glue. Attach pom-poms for added texture and the appearance of faux mums, then connect twine to hang your creation. 13 of 35 Place Card Pumpkins Erin Scott These place cards are a mess-free way to get kids involved in the Thanksgiving prep. Write the names of your Thanksgiving guests or words of gratitude on leaves with a paint marker. Then use hot glue to attach them to real or faux mini pumpkins and place them on the dining room table for a festive, and functional, touch. 14 of 35 Felt Pie Banner Brie Passano This pie-inspired banner looks good enough to eat. Create slices of your favorite pie using felt, scissors, and glue. When finished, attach them to a ribbon and hang the DIY garland from a countertop, mantel, or above a window to display your delicious Thanksgiving craft. 15 of 35 Wool Pumpkins Jacob Fox This DIY Thanksgiving craft for kids is easy to make and can be used to decorate your home for years. Have your kiddos pick fall-themed colors of wool, and with an adult's help, use felting needles to create a pumpkin shape. Accentuate your pumpkin with twine, a wool stem, and felt leaves. 16 of 35 Gratitude Tree Display Courtesy of Alice and Lois Share thankfulness with your kids this year by crafting this cute gratitude tree. Build a miniature "tree" by putting a small branch into a vase. Ask your kids to write down what they're thankful for on paper leaves and tie them to the branch for a meaningful Thanksgiving decoration. 19 Gorgeous Fall Centerpiece Ideas that Are Easy to Re-Create 17 of 35 Thanksgiving Calendar Marty Baldwin Thanksgiving is a great time to celebrate what you and your kids are grateful for, and an easy way to do so is with a do-it-yourself daily thanks calendar. Attach mini craft envelopes to a painted piece of foam core and place it in an inexpensive picture frame. Each day, have each family member write a note about what they are thankful for. Place in that day's envelope, then open the envelopes during Thanksgiving dinner. This family craft makes a special yearly Thanksgiving tradition. 18 of 35 Fall Leaf Crown Dana Gallagher Thanksgiving crafts for kids don't have to be complicated! This fun take on the flower crown showcases the beauty of fall foliage. To make, measure a 1-inch-wide ribbon around the child's head, and add 20 extra inches to tie it. Cut the ribbon and hot-glue dried leaves in a crown shape to the ribbon. Cut the bottom of the leaves flush with the ribbon and dress up your Thanksgiving littles. 19 of 35 Downloadable Placemats Get the FREE placemats Marty Baldwin Looking for an easy Thanksgiving craft for kids? Just hit print. These activity-filled printable Thanksgiving placemats feature a bracket-style vote-off of holiday favorites. Have the table shout out their favorite for each head-to-head. The winning food advances! 20 of 35 Marshmallow Treat Turkey Dessert View Recipe Hannah Bigot This delicious dessert doubles as a fun Thanksgiving craft idea. Prep the base of these marshmallow treats ahead and let each child decorate their own little turkeys. Set out bowls of supplies like candy corn, candy eyes, and candy-coated chocolate pieces. 21 of 35 Cupcake Liner Turkeys Ryan Liebe These turkey crafts are oh-so-easy to make! Use a mix of white and patterned cupcake liners to form the turkey's body, adding cut paper embellishments to finish off the paper bird. This cute Thanksgiving craft also doubles as a quick place card idea! 22 of 35 Printable Thanksgiving Placemats Get the FREE printable placemats Adam Albright Placemat crafts make Thanksgiving Day dinners much less stressful! Print our free template and let each child decorate their own. It keeps them busy during dinner prep and gives them something to show off after dinner. 23 of 35 Thanksgiving Bingo Get the free Bingo sheets Marty Baldwin Same Bingo rules, new Thanksgiving game twist. Print this easy Thanksgiving game and use candies or nuts for the kids to mark their spots. 24 of 35 Turkey Placemat Kathryn Gamble Lozier A great way to lure kids to their seats while Thanksgiving dinner is being prepared is to offer them a fun activity. To make this fun Thanksgiving craft, cut out two circles from construction paper for the body and head, and accent them with paper to create the eyes, beak, and feet. Ask each child to create feathers and other details from paper scraps, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and other small crafts items. Then use the decorated turkeys as charming placemats. 25 of 35 Pilgrim Hat Place Cards Marty Baldwin This family craft will star on your Thanksgiving table. Get to work with the kiddos painting plain terracotta pots to look like pilgrim hats. Add colorful embellishments and finish with a hand-written name. Personalize it even more by letting each child decorate their own with paint markers. How to Paint Terra Cotta Pots 26 of 35 Gratitude Placemat Get the FREE printable place mat Carson Downing Thanksgiving traditions start with you. For a feel-good activity, have each child decorate these gratitude placemats. They can share what they're thankful for during dinner and take home a thoughtful keepsake. Print these placemat crafts and set them at each place setting. 27 of 35 Thanksgiving Coloring Pages Get the FREE Thanksgiving coloring pages Adam Albright Looking for easy crafts for kids that won't break the bank? Print a set of these free coloring sheets, set out crayons, and you're all set. This family craft is perfect for entertaining Thanksgiving guests during the hectic meal prep. 28 of 35 Pom-Pom Acorns Ryan Liebe This Thanksgiving craft idea starts with nature. Keep the kids out of the kitchen by having them search for acorn tops outside. Then add multicolor pom-poms to the tops to make this easy and festive fall craft. Use these as decorations on the table, or get creative by gluing them to ribbons for an acorn necklace or a multicolor garland. How to Properly Set a Table for Thanksgiving Dinner 29 of 35 Mayflower Napkin Clip Get the free pattern Marty Baldwin This cute pilgrim-theme Thanksgiving craft for kids will help them keep the holiday's history in mind. Print the pattern and assemble as shown. Transform the paper craft into a napkin clip by adhering a clothespin (clip side down) to the back of the crafts-stick mast. Clip the paper Mayflower to a bright blue cloth napkin to give the appearance that the ship is sailing. 30 of 35 Glove "Talking" Turkey Kathryn Gamble Lozier The turkey on the table doesn't have to be the only bird present at Thanksgiving. Try making a turkey craft! Use markers to decorate white work gloves with turkey-feather designs. Cut out pieces of felt for the wings and beak. Glue the felt pieces and a button eye on the glove. Too many little ones to provide gloves for everyone? You can use the same technique on white paper turkeys! Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving? 31 of 35 Pilgrim Hat Place Card Get the free pattern Jay Wilde This place card is an easy pilgrim craft for kids that offers adults the perfect opportunity to discuss the history of Thanksgiving. To make it, download and print the pattern. Cut a curved slit in the base of the hat and insert the top to give it dimension. Outline the hatband and buckle using a black pen, and use a silver gel pen to define the curve at the top of the hat. Use the black pen to write each guest's name. 32 of 35 Wreath of Thanks Get the free pattern Marty Baldwin This Thanksgiving craft for kids is the perfect way to be thankful. Wrap a simple foam wreath ($5, Michaels) with brown linen. Fray edges for a rustic tone and secure the linen ends to the back of the wreath with glue or a pin. Print out the leaf patterns on decorative paper. Add each family member's name to a leaf using a printer, rub-on letters from the crafts store, or a marker. Cut out the leaves. Ask the kids to write words of thanks and attach each leaf to the wreath with a decorative pin or a dab of crafts glue. 33 of 35 Turkey Place Card Get the free pattern Jay Wilde Kids will love making this simple and cute Thanksgiving craft. Download and print the pattern and cut out, and assemble as shown. Use dimensional foam for a 3-D effect, and cut with decorative-edge scissors to create feathers with texture. This easy Thanksgiving craft for kids makes the perfect place card when you add each guest's name to the turkey's banner. 43 Gorgeous DIY Thanksgiving Place Cards and Napkin Rings 34 of 35 Paper Turkey Crayon Holder Alexandra Grablewski Thanksgiving arts and crafts starts with paper and glue. Turn cut paper shapes and a festive paper cup into a cute-as-can-be crayon container for the kid's table! Glue cut feathers to the back of the paper cup, and add a circular face to complete the bird. Cover the kids' table with kraft paper and add a few of these cups for an easy Thanksgiving craft for kids that will keep them busy for hours. 35 of 35 Thanksgiving Costumes for Kids Aaron Dyer Creative Thanksgiving craft ideas aren't limited to hands-on activities. Encourage your littlest guests to dress up in honor of the holiday. Paper pilgrim attire is all it takes to start the fun! Cut shapes to fit each child's head and have them assemble their creations. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit