Are you searching for fun Thanksgiving crafts for kids to make at home or school? Our easy turkey craft is just the activity you need! This project involves creating an adorable rocking turkey using materials you already have.

It’s perfect for preschoolers and kindergartners, helping them develop fine motor skills and color understanding. Let the little ones enjoy a creative and educational experience with this engaging craft. Plus, it’s a great way to celebrate the fall season!

Completed turkey craft made with a folded paper plate and construction paper. White and black text on orange near the bottom says Rocking Turkey Craft.

Quick & Easy Turkey Craft for Kids

This quick and easy turkey craft is the perfect addition to any fall-themed art center and serves as an excellent activity to keep kids engaged during Thanksgiving family gatherings.

The beauty of this craft lies in its simplicity yet creative appeal – kids can personalize their rocking turkeys, making each one unique.

In addition to being fun to make, these adorable turkeys can stand on their own, doubling as cute table decorations.

They can even be used as place cards, adding a personal touch to your Thanksgiving table.

More Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids

There are countless other Thanksgiving craft ideas that your kids can explore alongside this rocking turkey.

These crafts can range from simple decorations to more complex projects, each offering its unique fun and learning experience.

These activities not only keep your little ones engaged but also stimulate their creativity, imagination, and motor skills.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a participant in other affiliate programs, we earn a commission on qualifying purchases.

24 Sets Fall Turkey Headbands Fall Craft Kits WorldBazaar Thanksgiving Photo Frame Craft Kits for Kids KATOOM 12 Pack Wind Chime Kit for Kids,chiazllta 30 Pcs Fall Thanksgiving Craft Kits DIY Scarecrow Craft

What Skills Does This Easy Turkey Craft Help Kids With?

This easy turkey craft is not only a fun and engaging activity, but it also brings a bunch of amazing benefits for your child!

They’ll improve their fine motor skills while cutting shapes with scissors, coloring the paper plate, and using glue to stick pieces together.

Plus, they’ll get to explore different colors as they choose paper for the turkey’s feathers and practice counting while they count the feathers.

And the rocking nature of the turkey craft will even introduce them to basic principles of physics, sparking curiosity and a love for learning.

With all these benefits combined, this craft is a fantastic holistic developmental activity for your little one!

Rocking turkey plate craft standing up. Decorative fall leaves and pumpkins in the background.

Why Are Fine Motor Skills Important for Preschoolers?

Fine motor skills are essential for preschoolers as they lay the foundation for daily activities such as tying shoes, buttoning clothing, and writing.

These skills involve the coordination of small muscles and movements in the hands and fingers, in sync with the eyes.

Engaging in simple craft projects, like this rocking turkey craft, helps kids work on these skills in a relaxed and enjoyable setting.

They get to grasp tools, manipulate different materials, and make precise movements, all of which strengthen hand-eye coordination and dexterity.

Plus, these activities foster creativity, encourage self-expression, and can boost their confidence as they see their beautiful creations come to life.

Ticonderoga My First Short Triangular Wood-Cased Pencils JuneLsy Pencil Grips for Kids Handwriting Pencil gripper Pencil Holder Posture Correction Training The Pencil Grip Original Pencil Gripper, Universal Ergonomic Writing Aid For Righties And Lefties Fiskars Training Scissors for Kids 3+ with Easy Grip Scissor Skills Preschool cut & paste cats activity pad for kids: Cat Coloring Book & Scissor Activity Book Ticonderoga Wood-Cased Pencils, Pre-Sharpened, 2 HB Soft, Yellow, 12 Count

Rocking Turkey Craft Supplies

We love how fun simple craft projects can be. This one is easy to do anytime with a small group of children whether at home or in a classroom. It’s affordable and uses supplies you likely have on hand already.

Supplies for making the rocking turkey: construction paper feathers, googly eyes, small paper plate, brown crayon, scissors, and a bottle of glue.

For the paper plate, you can opt for a small one, although any size will work just fine. Coloring the paper plate is a breeze with crayons, but feel free to use markers, colored pencils, or even paint for added creativity.

To bring the turkey to life, provide an assortment of construction paper in various colors for the feathers and facial features.

We personally used small googly eyes to give our turkey a cute look, but you could also use paper googly eyes or simply draw them on.

As for adhesive, both liquid school glue and glue sticks will do the trick. And of course, don’t forget the kid-safe scissors for safe and enjoyable crafting!

Shop some of my favorite craft supplies on Amazon!

How to Make An Easy Rocking Turkey Craft

Begin by folding the paper plate in half, creating a rounded shape by trimming the sides. Unfold the plate and color it brown to serve as the turkey’s body.

Small paper plate cut and folded open to color with a brown crayon. It is halfway colored.

Next, cut out approximately 10 feathers in various vibrant colors. Overlap the feathers slightly and affix them to the back of the turkey’s body using glue.

The back of the rocking easy turkey craft to show how the paper feathers are glued on.

For the turkey’s facial features, cut out a small orange triangle for the beak and a skinny red triangle for the snood. Attach these pieces to the front of the folded turkey body using glue.

Finished easy rocking turkey craft made with paper plate and construction paper.

Above the beak, either attach or draw the eyes. Allow the glue to thoroughly dry before displaying the turkey. When gently tapped, the turkey will rock from side to side, adding an extra touch of whimsy.

More Turkey Learning Activities for Kids

In addition to our rocking turkey craft, consider creating a comprehensive turkey-themed learning unit that involves a variety of hands-on activities to captivate your preschoolers’ interest.

For example, our turkey name craft can be a fun way for the children to practice spelling their names. This project can be personalized with feathers representing each letter of their name, providing a delightful, hands-on spelling exercise.

For writing practice, these turkey line tracing worksheets can be a valuable resource. With engaging turkey clip art and a variety of line shapes, kids will unknowingly be improving their handwriting while having fun.

Finally, consider constructing a turkey life cycle lapbook. This project can offer an engaging, interactive method to learn about the growth stages of a turkey.

Through these varied activities, your child will enjoy a well-rounded and immersive turkey-themed learning experience.

Turkey Books for Kids

Pairing a themed read-aloud with your craft activity is a brilliant way to enrich the learning experience of young children. Books about turkeys can be a delightful addition to your turkey-themed unit.

By integrating a read-aloud session with the rocking turkey craft project, you can stimulate the curiosity of children, provide context for the activity, and enhance their understanding of turkeys and Thanksgiving.

Reading also helps in language development and comprehension skills, while the craft activity aids in motor skill development.

Thus, such a combination fosters both cognitive and physical growth in children, making learning a fun and holistic experience.

Turkey Claus (Turkey Trouble)A Plump and Perky Turkey Turkey Goes to School (Turkey Trouble)How to Catch a Turkey There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey!Never EVER Tickle a Turkey : A Funny Rhyming, Read Aloud Picture Book

More Fun Turkey Crafts for Kids

Fall is the perfect time of year for making easy turkey crafts for kids. There are countless creative ways to bring turkeys to life through arts and crafts.

These ideas encourage creativity and imagination in young learners but also provides an enjoyable hands-on learning experience about this iconic Thanksgiving bird.

We hope you find this easy turkey craft serves as a platform for children to express their creativity, learn about the world around them, and develop critical skills. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or caregiver, these fun turkey crafts for kids are sure to keep little ones entertained and engaged this fall.

Easy Turkey Craft

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $5 or less

Get your kids excited about Thanksgiving with a fun and easy turkey craft they can make at home or school. Preschool and kindergarten children will love making these rocking paper plate turkeys and working on their fine motor skills.

Materials

1 Small Paper Plate
Crayons
Construction Paper
2 Small Googly Eyes
Glue

Tools

Scissors

Instructions

Start by folding your paper plate in half. Then trim the sides to create a rounder shape. Unfold to color the plate brown. This will be the turkey's body.
Cut out about 10 feathers in a variety of colors. Glue them onto the back, with the feathers slightly overlapping each other.
Cut out a small orange triangle for the beak and a thinner red triangle for the snood. Glue them onto the front of the folded turkey body.
Attach or draw the eyes above the beak. Allow the glue to dry completely before standing up for display. Gently tap the turkey to see it rock side to side!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.