10 Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids Seated at the Table
It may not have a fancy wine list or heirloom china, but, on Thanksgiving, the kids' table is definitely the best (and most entertaining) seat in the house. With that being said, it can also often become rambunctious as the little ones wait for their food to be served.
When things start to get a little chaotic in the kid's corner, we have a simple solution: Thanksgiving crafts. From pumpkin pie garland and dolls made from cornhusks to homemade turkey hats and leaf-and-pasta necklaces, there are plenty of fuss-free DIY projects that will keep your youngsters happily occupied in the hours leading up to the big family feast.
Want a seat at the best table this holiday season? Unfortunately, it's fully booked. But if you behave, the younger generation just might share their supply of fun craft supplies.
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Thanksgiving Pie Garland
Get your little ones excited for dessert by helping them make this Thanksgiving pie garland. The decorative craft involves cutting pieces of orange and gold cardstock into triangles (you handle that part!) to resemble slices of pie, then gluing strips of crinkled paper on top for the "crust."
For an extra fun touch, kids can glue a pom-pom to the slices of pumpkin pie for a "dollop" of whipped cream.
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Pear Display
Give each kid at the table a pear and have them spell out a harvest-friendly word (we went with "welcome") together. Using a fine-tipped washable marker, each child should write one designated letter on their pear, then press cloves into the outline for a pop of color and fragrance.
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Cornhusk Dolls
Plenty of harvest décor can be fashioned out of cornhusks—a popular Thanksgiving motif—but when it comes to kid's crafts, we much prefer these cornhusk dolls. They're understated and truly ingenious—requiring not much more than some husks, twine, glue, and felt.
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Corn Husk Candy Favors
More fun with corn husks! Kids will love making these take-home favors for dinner guests—plus it gives them an opportunity to sneak a few pieces of candy before the turkey is done. All the youngsters have to do is fill a tamale wrap with candy (try a kid-friendly option, rather than the espresso iterations we use here), then twist the tamale closed and tie it off with a bit of extra corn husk. It's a great chance for them to practice their knotting and bow skills, too.
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Paper Turkey Hat
Get your flock into the festive spirit by making these bright tail feathers. Prep headbands for little ones to color in; older kids can assemble their own before dinner. Download and print the turkey template; cut out from paper using scissors. Trace onto butcher paper and cut out as many as needed for your crew. (Note: Two cut-outs for each person is ideal—gluing two together makes a sturdier headband.)
Cut 12-inch half-circles out of scrapbook paper for tails, and cut notches into edges. Wrap a turkey crown around each child's head to fit, then secure with dots of glue or staples; attach a tail to each the same way.
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Leaf Necklace
Give jewelry an autumnal twist: Embellish string necklaces with paper leaves (cut out a big pile with butcher paper and a craft punch) and colorful organic pasta. Show kids how to sandwich twine between two leaves with glue, and thread twine through pasta or secure it with knots to create this fun and festive look that your little ones can wear all season long.
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Pop-Cornucopias
Occupy kids' hands and mouths until the turkey is sliced by creating these a-maize-ing snack-filled cones from two different colors of butcher paper. Cut two sheets of butcher paper in different colors into fan shapes, one larger than the other; trim edges with pinking shears. Roll each fan shape into a cone and seal it in place with a glue stick. Nest the long cone inside the short cone, bending the horn up at the tip. Fill with popcorn, and let kid crafters munch to their heart's content.
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Coloring Place Mats
The clock is always ticking when kids have to sit down to a holiday meal: How long before those rambunctious cousins stage a kids' table revolt? Luckily, these clip-art place mats will keep them content until dinner is done. To make, trim kraft paper to 11 x 17 inches, and run the sheets through your printer like regular paper. Set the place mats out on the table with some cups of crayons, and let the kids have at it.
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Acorn Dolls
A little crafts project can keep kids entertained while the grown-ups prepare the big meal. This acorn family is fun to decorate and customize—and then just as fun to play with. To make, collect a bunch of acorns in a variety of sizes—turn mini acorns into babies and bigger ones into adults. Pop off each cupule "hat" and hot-glue it to a wooden ball. Then hot-glue the ball to the nut. Have the children use colored pencils or markers to draw on facial features and hair.
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Turkey Place Cards
If your little ones can accordion-fold a piece of paper, they can create these colorful Thanksgiving place cards (plus they'll be helping you out in the process!). Start by printing the turkey template onto colored card stock; cut out and write names. Accordion-fold an 8 1/2 x 3 1/2-inch piece of matching construction paper with 1/4-inch folds (a bone folder helps to crisp, clean lines). Attach the two pieces with craft glue.