Thanksgiving Toddler Crafts

Hand Turkey

Supplies Needed * Paper * Crayons
Thanksgiving is a great holiday to include a craft project for your toddler. By making a hand turkey you as the helper will get to have similar fun with making your own hand turkey.
Step 1: Show your toddler how to trace around their hand while laying it flat on the paper with their fingers stretched out. If this proves to be too difficult for your toddler have fun with the arts and crafts project. Have your toddler trace around you hand as best they can you do the same for them. Sometimes this is the best thing to do.
You'll still get a chance to have a piece of art with the size of their hand on it even if they did not trace it.
Step 2: Show your toddler how to make the key distinction of a turkey by drawing a beak and wattle on the turkey's face (the thumb on the picture). You can have a profile of a turkey, drawing the beak off of the thumb, or have it so your turkey is turning their head facing you, drawing the beak in the center of the thumb.
Also have your toddler make one eye for a profile turkey or two for a turkey facing you.
Step 3: Now help your little one draw the turkey's feet on either side of the bottom of the palm on the picture. A turkey's feet are very simple, a long line with a diagonal line at mid point on both sides pointing down makes a good and simple turkey foot. You can let your toddler practice a bit on some scrap paper first if you like.
Remember that there are no rules in art and toddler art is no exception, you and your toddler should have fun with all of the drawing that you do.
Step 4: Lastly your toddler can color the feather area any way they want. They can also draw around the turkey, perhaps placing them in the forest or on a farm. It is totally up to your little one what their work art looks like. The best part of this project is that you will have something to show their hand size and how they drew at their age.
This arts and crafts project makes a great thing for your own keepsakes or to give to as a present.

Apple Turkey

Supplies Needed * Apple * 5 Tooth Picks * Small Edibles (olives, rasins, Cheeriro, berries, etc.)
During Thanksgiving there is lots of food and this fun project allows your toddler with the help of mom or dad to make a simple dish that they can enjoy as a snack before the big meal.
Step 1: Wash an apple, it doesn't matter what color or flavor as long as it is one that your toddler will enjoy. Dry and de-stim the apple. You can put it on a plate or tray along with 5 toothpicks and the small food items that you plan to use, such as berries, rasins, olives and Cheerios, or work on the table keeping the toothpicks out of your child's reach.
Make sure that the edibles are things that your toddler can eat. It can be a good idea to use edibles that will compliment one another in taste.
Step 2: Help you little one place the small food that you have chosen to use in your apple turkey on to the toothpicks. You can let your toddler choose which one randomly or you can set up a pattern, such as berry, Cheerio, berry, Cherrio, etc. Leave enough room at the bottom of the toothpick to poke into the apple.
This step can prove to be hard sometimes and if you may need to have your toddler pick out the food to put on and you put it on the actual toothpick.
Step 3: Place 4 of the toothpicks in the back of the apple. These will represent the tail feathers of the turkey and place the last toothpick in the the front of the apple, representing the turkey's head and neck. You may consider using an olive for the head of your turkey and smaller food pieces to make up the neck.
Now your apple turkey is done and your little one can carefully eat it. Have them take the toothpicks out first and consider taking everything off the toothpicks so they aren't tempted to put any in their mouth.