Felt finger puppets placed atop candy sticks and arranged in containers make a sweet and simple Thanksgiving centerpiece that will keep kids entertained long after the meal ends.

Print out Turkey and Pilgrim Hat and Bonnet templates; trace them onto felt, and cut out. Use contrasting colors for pilgrim hats and bonnets and their decorative bands. For the turkeys, you'll need at least four colors: two for the tail feathers and wattle, one for the body, and one for the beak. Use pinking shears or scallop-shaped craft scissors for the scallop-edged turkey pieces.

Pilgrim Hat How-To
Glue a thin band to the longest edge of a trapezoid; roll the trapezoid into a cylinder shape, and glue the seam. Brush the bottom edge of the cylinder's wider, banded opening with glue, and affix it to the inner edge of the doughnut-shaped brim; to create the top of the hat, glue the small circle to the other end of the cylinder.

Bonnet How-To
Glue contrasting trim to the long edge of a T-shaped felt piece. Make tiny holes in the T-shaped piece as indicated on the template. Fold the T-flap down, and pull the side flaps in. Glue the edges together to form a bonnet. Use a needle to thread 1/8-inch-wide ribbon through the holes, and knot them at the center.

Turkey How-To
Glue the small tailpiece to the larger one with the straight edges flush. Hand-sew the long edge of the completed tailpiece to the center of the back of the body. Glue the wattle to the front of the body, and stitch the beak just above the wattle. Sew on seed beads for eyes. Stitch the body halves together to form a tube, leaving the straight bottom edge open.

Turkey and Pilgrim Hat and Bonnet Templates