Making Memories Together: 7 Thanksgiving Crafts to Enjoy with Your Kids
Thanksgiving, a time for gratitude and togetherness, is just around the corner! And what better way to celebrate this joyful season than by creating lasting memories with your little ones? Whether you're looking to keep them entertained during the holiday break or searching for fun activities to bond over, we've got you covered. In this blog post, we'll dive into seven delightful Thanksgiving crafts that are sure to bring joy and laughter into your home. From adorable handprint turkeys to festive centerpiece ideas, get ready to embark on an artistic adventure with your kids as you create meaningful mementos that will be cherished for years to come. So gather up some craft supplies and let's make this Thanksgiving extra special as we embark on a creative journey together!
1. Introduction: Importance of Quality Time with Kids during Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a special time of the year when families come together to express gratitude and create cherished memories. It's a holiday that is not just about delicious food, but also about spending quality time with loved ones. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be easy to get caught up in our busy schedules and overlook the importance of spending quality time with our kids. However, Thanksgiving provides the perfect opportunity to slow down, disconnect from technology, and truly bond with your children.
In today's fast-paced world, where everyone is constantly connected to their devices, carving out quality time for your kids becomes even more crucial. Research has shown that spending meaningful one-on-one time with children has numerous benefits for their emotional and mental well-being. It helps strengthen family bonds, build self-esteem, develop communication skills, and create lasting memories.
As parents or caregivers, we all want what's best for our children. We want them to feel loved, valued, and have happy childhood memories to look back on. That's why making an effort to spend quality time with them during Thanksgiving can have a significant impact on their overall development.
Not only does this dedicated bonding time benefit children; it also has positive effects on adults too. Taking some time off from work or other responsibilities can help reduce stress levels and improve overall mental health. Moreover, being fully present in the moment while engaging in activities with your kids can bring joy and happiness.
Craft 1: Handprint Turkey Placemats
Thanksgiving is a time for gathering with loved ones and expressing gratitude for all of life's blessings. And what better way to celebrate this special holiday than by creating beautiful Thanksgiving crafts with your kids? In this section, we will guide you through the steps to make one of our favorite Thanksgiving crafts - Handprint Turkey Placemats.
Materials:
- Colored construction paper (brown, red, orange, yellow)
- White paper or cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue stick or craft glue
- Markers or crayons
- Clear contact paper (optional)
Step 1: Trace Your Child's Handprint
Start by tracing your child's hand on a piece of brown construction paper. You can either trace their whole hand or just four fingers for the turkey feathers. Make sure to trace enough handprints so that each placemat has at least 4 feathers.
Step 2: Cut Out the Feathers
Once you have traced enough handprints, carefully cut them out using scissors. This step may require adult supervision for younger children.
Step 3: Create the Turkey Body
Next, take a piece of red construction paper and cut out a small circle for the turkey body. Then use orange and yellow construction paper to cut out a small triangle for the beak and an oval shape for the feet.
Step 4: Assemble the Turkey
Now it's time to put all the pieces together! Using a glue stick or craft glue, attach the turkey body to the construction paper. Once the body is glued attach the hand prints. Finger pointing out to look like feathers.
Step 5: Optional
Laminate your turkey so you can enjoy this placemat for years to come.
Craft 2: Thankful Tree Centerpiece
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all the things we are grateful for, and what better way to celebrate than by creating a beautiful centerpiece that will remind your family of all the blessings in their lives. The Thankful Tree Centerpiece is not only a fun craft to enjoy with your kids, but it also serves as a meaningful decoration for your Thanksgiving table.
Materials:
- Small tree branches or twigs (about 12 inches in length)
- Vase or jar
- Construction paper or cardstock in fall colors
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Glue stick
- Markers or pens
- Optional: glitter, stickers, and other embellishments
Instructions:
1. Gather small tree branches or twigs from your backyard or local park. Make sure they are about 12 inches in length and have multiple smaller branches coming off of them. If you can't find any suitable branches, you can purchase artificial ones at a craft store.
2. Place the branches in a vase or jar to create the base of your centerpiece.
3. Cut out leaf shapes from construction paper or cardstock in fall colors such as red, orange, yellow, and brown.
4. Have each family member write down something they are thankful for on each leaf with markers or pens. Encourage them to be creative and specific with their responses (e.g., "I am thankful for my best friend who always makes me laugh").
5. Attach the leafs to the tree using glue, string, hot glue, or however you'd like
Craft 3: Pumpkin Spice Playdough
One of the best parts about the fall season is all things pumpkin spice, from lattes to candles. And what better way to incorporate this beloved autumn flavor into your Thanksgiving activities than with pumpkin spice playdough? Not only is it a fun and engaging craft for kids, but it also doubles as a sensory activity that will stimulate their senses.
Materials:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup salt
- 4 tablespoons cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Orange food coloring
- Pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg)
- 2 cups boiling water
Instructions:
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and cream of tartar. Mix well.
Step 2: Add in the vegetable oil and stir until well combined.
Step 3: In a separate small bowl, mix together the food coloring and pumpkin pie spice until you achieve your desired color and scent.
Step 4: Slowly pour the colored mixture into the dry ingredients while stirring continuously.
Step 5: Gradually add in the boiling water while continuing to stir until a soft dough forms.
Step 6: Once cool enough to handle, knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and pliable.
Now comes the fun part – playing with your pumpkin spice playdough!
Craft 4: Paper Plate Pilgrim Hats
Thanksgiving is a time to honor tradition and remember the pilgrims who first settled in America. What better way to celebrate this holiday than by making paper plate pilgrim hats with your kids? This craft is not only fun and easy, but it also serves as a great opportunity to teach your children about the history of Thanksgiving.
Materials:
- Paper plates
- Black construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Tape
- Yellow cardstock or construction paper
- Pencil or crayon
Instructions:
Step 1: Begin by cutting out the center of a paper plate, leaving only the outer rim. This will serve as the brim of your pilgrim hat.
Step 2: Cut out a rectangular shape from black construction paper that is slightly smaller than the size of your paper plate brim. This will be the top part of your pilgrim hat.
Step 3: Glue or tape the black rectangle onto the center of the brim.
Step 4: Cut out a small square from yellow cardstock or construction paper. This will serve as the buckle for your hat.
Step 5: Use a pencil or crayon to draw lines on both sides of the square buckle, creating a "belt" design.
Step 6: Glue or tape the buckle onto the front of your hat, right above where the black and white papers meet.
And there you have it – an adorable pilgrim hat
Craft 5: Gratitude Jar
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all the things we are grateful for in our lives. This craft activity is not only a fun way to get creative with your kids, but it also encourages them to express gratitude and appreciate the little things in life.
Materials:
- A jar or container of your choice (can be recycled or repurposed)
- Construction paper or cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
- Markers, crayons, or other art supplies
- Optional: stickers, glitter, ribbon, etc.
Instructions:
1. Begin by discussing the concept of gratitude with your children. Talk about what it means to be thankful and why it's important to express gratitude.
2. Take turns sharing things that you are grateful for as a family. Encourage your kids to think beyond material possessions and focus on experiences, people, and aspects of their life that they appreciate.
3. Once everyone has shared their thoughts, let each person choose a different color construction paper or cardstock.
4. Using scissors, help your child cut out several small rectangles from the paper. These will serve as "gratitude cards" where they can write down what they are thankful for.
5. Have your child decorate their cards using markers, crayons, stickers or any other desired materials.
6. Next, have them fold each card in half and write one thing they're grateful for on each card.
7. Place all the cards in the jar or container
8. Now the fun part. Have fun decorating the jar or container!
9. Every day read one card to remind us how blessed we are.
Craft 6: Leaf Garland Decoration
Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating the changing of seasons and giving thanks for all that we have. What better way to incorporate these themes into your home decor than with a beautiful leaf garland decoration? This simple craft is not only fun and easy to make, but it also provides an opportunity for you and your kids to go on a nature walk together and collect leaves from your backyard or local park.
Materials:
- Assorted colorful leaves
- Twine or string
- Scissors
- Hole puncher (optional)
- Glue (optional)
Instructions:
1. Start by going on a nature walk with your children and collecting an assortment of colorful leaves. Look for different sizes, shapes, and colors to add interest to your garland.
2. Once you have collected enough leaves, lay them out on a flat surface and remove any stems or branches that may be attached.
3. Take your chosen twine or string and measure out the desired length for your garland. Make sure to leave some extra at the ends for hanging purposes.
4. If you have a hole puncher, use it to create small holes at the top of each leaf. If not, you can simply tie the twine around each leaf stem or glue them onto the twine directly.
5. Begin threading the leaves onto the twine in any pattern or order you desire. You can mix up colors, sizes, or even add some additional decorations such as pine
Craft 7: Turkey Handprint Cards for Loved Ones
Thanksgiving is a time to express gratitude and appreciation towards our loved ones. What better way to do so than with a personalized, handcrafted card? This simple yet meaningful craft is perfect for kids of all ages to create and give to their family and friends.
Materials:
- Construction paper or cardstock in fall colors (brown, red, yellow, orange)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- Markers or crayons
- Paintbrushes
- Washable paint (brown, red, yellow)
- Pencil
Instructions:
1. Start by folding a sheet of construction paper or cardstock in half to create the base of your card.
2. Next, have your child dip their hand into the brown paint and carefully stamp it onto the front of the folded paper. This will be the turkey's body.
3. Using different colors of paint on each finger, have your child make five fingerprints above the turkey's body to create feathers.
4. Once the paint has dried, it's time to add details! Use markers or crayons to draw legs and feet on the bottom of the turkey's body.
5. Then, glue googly eyes onto the thumb print "feathers" for a fun touch.
6. Encourage your child to use their creativity by adding other details such as a beak or wattle using additional construction paper cutouts.
7. On the inside write a loving message to someone telling them how thankful you are to have them in your life.
Conclusion: Cherishing the Memories and Traditions
As Thanksgiving approaches, it's important to take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of this holiday. Beyond the delicious food and family gatherings, Thanksgiving is a time to cherish memories and celebrate traditions. It's a time to be grateful for all that we have and to create lasting memories with our loved ones.
Crafting with your kids is a wonderful way to bond and create special memories that will be cherished for years to come. Whether it's making handprint turkeys or creating homemade decorations, these activities give families an opportunity to slow down, be creative, and spend quality time together.
But beyond just making memories, crafting can also help preserve family traditions. Many families have unique Thanksgiving traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. These could include cooking certain dishes together, playing games, or sharing stories about past Thanksgivings.
Involving children in these traditions not only helps them feel connected to their family history but also allows them to contribute in meaningful ways. They can learn the importance of preserving traditions and passing them down to future generations.
Moreover, crafting can also be a great way for parents or grandparents to pass on their skills and knowledge. Teaching kids how to make traditional dishes or showing them how to weave corn husk dolls are valuable lessons that they will carry with them throughout their lives.
Additionally, incorporating crafts into your Thanksgiving celebrations adds an extra layer of personalization and creativity. Instead of buying generic decorations from the store.
