15 Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for Kindergarteners They’ll Love

Kindergarten is such a magical age—kids are eager to learn, full of energy, and always ready to create something with their hands. That’s why Thanksgiving crafts are a perfect fit for the classroom or at-home learning this season. They’re not just fun—they also support important developmental milestones like fine motor skills, shape recognition, and self-expression.

In this post, we’ve gathered 15 Thanksgiving crafts for kindergarteners that are both fun and educational. From simple paper projects to printable pages that combine learning and creativity, these activities are easy to set up and designed with young learners in mind.

🎁 Need a low-prep option for busy days? Our Thanksgiving Activity Pages Bundle is filled with print-and-go crafts that are ideal for centers, early finishers, or last-minute lesson plans. Discover what's included Now.

Let’s jump into the creative fun!

15 Fun Thanksgiving Crafts for Kindergarteners

Kindergarteners thrive when learning feels like play—and that’s exactly what these Thanksgiving crafts for kindergarteners are all about. Each activity below combines creativity, hands-on learning, and festive fun, making them perfect for the classroom, homeschool, or family craft time at home. From painting and pasting to coloring and writing, these crafts are designed to reinforce key early learning skills while helping kids celebrate the season with pride and joy.

1- Paper Plate Thankful Turkey

This creative activity uses a paper plate as the base for a colorful turkey craft. Students decorate paper feathers and write one thing they’re thankful for on each, then glue them to the back of the plate to form the turkey’s tail. The front gets a simple face with a beak and googly eyes. This is one of the best Thanksgiving crafts for kindergarteners because it reinforces gratitude while practicing scissor use, writing, and spatial awareness in a fun, low-prep format.

2- Thanksgiving Cut & Paste (Printable)

With this printable activity, children cut out fruits and vegetables and glue them into a cornucopia outline. It strengthens fine motor skills and gives kindergarteners hands-on experience with cutting and pasting—a classroom staple. The colorful results are perfect for displaying on walls or bulletin boards. It’s one of the most practical thanksgiving crafts for kindergarteners that also supports independence and sequencing. This activity is included in our Thanksgiving Activity Pages Bundle.

Read more about Why Kids Love Thanksgiving Cutting Practice Worksheets.

3- Handprint Turkey with Poem

A Thanksgiving classic with a literacy twist. Kids trace or stamp their handprints to form turkey feathers, then glue on a pre-written or traceable Thanksgiving poem beneath. This keepsake blends art and language development while helping children connect meaning with the holiday. Kindergarteners love the sensory aspect of the handprint and feel proud taking home something they can explain.

4- Torn Paper Pumpkin Art

Children tear up orange and green construction paper and glue the pieces into a large pumpkin outline. The torn edges create texture and offer fine motor strengthening in a fun way. This simple craft also encourages patience and visual planning—both important skills for early learners.

5- Gratitude Turkey Wreath

Students write words or short phrases about what they’re thankful for on pre-cut leaves, then arrange and glue them into a circular wreath. The finished project can be used as a classroom decoration or sent home. It’s one of those thanksgiving crafts for kindergarteners that combines creativity with emotional reflection, making it a win for both parents and teachers.

We’ve done the hard work for you! Read our Ultimate guide where we gathered 32 of the best Thanksgiving crafts for kids—sorted by age, activity type, and prep level.

6- Color by Number Turkey (Printable)

In this activity, kids color in numbered sections of a turkey according to a key. It supports number recognition, color matching, and following directions—all essential kindergarten skills. It also works well for quiet time, early finishers, or morning warm-up tasks. You’ll find it in our Thanksgiving Activity Pages Bundle.

7- Stuffed Paper Bag Turkey

Kindergarteners stuff brown lunch bags with paper or tissue to form a plump turkey body, then decorate it with construction paper feathers and facial features. It’s a tactile craft that strengthens hand muscles and coordination. Plus, it’s just plain fun—students love showing off their 3D turkeys during Thanksgiving week.

8- Thankful Acrostic Poem

Using the word “THANKFUL,” kids write one sentence or phrase starting with each letter. For example, “T is for toys I love.” This craft integrates early writing, spelling, and self-reflection. It’s a great literacy-based Thanksgiving craft for kindergarteners that also makes a thoughtful classroom display.

9- Tissue Paper Leaf Sun Catchers

Children stick pieces of colorful tissue paper onto a leaf-shaped piece of contact paper, then seal it with another layer. When placed in a sunny window, the result is a vibrant, glowing leaf. This no-glue-required craft is perfect for classrooms and helps develop fine motor skills through tearing and placing paper.

10- Turkey Headbands

This fun and wearable craft lets kids create a headband using a paper strip base and colorful feathers. They draw or attach a turkey face at the front, and the result is a festive accessory for Thanksgiving performances or class photos. It’s a quick and cheerful project that sparks pride and creativity.

11- Pilgrim Hat Crayon Cups

Students wrap black paper around small cups, add a yellow paper buckle and a white band to turn them into pilgrim hats. These cups can hold crayons, pencils, or treats. It’s a versatile craft that doubles as a useful classroom item and gives kids a sense of accomplishment.

12- Dot Marker Thanksgiving Scene (Printable)

Using dot markers, children fill in a Thanksgiving-themed printable scene. The bold designs and marker-friendly layout are perfect for younger learners, especially those still developing grip strength. This low-mess, high-impact activity is included in our Thanksgiving Activity Pages Bundle and works beautifully as a center or take-home project.

Learn more about Why your Kids Love Thanksgiving Dot Markers Printables.

13- Build-a-Turkey Puzzle

Kids receive cut-out parts of a turkey—labeled wings, feathers, beak, etc.—and assemble them on a background page. This activity blends spatial reasoning, vocabulary building, and labeling in a fun, hands-on way. It’s especially helpful for reinforcing direction-following and part-to-whole concepts in kindergarteners.

14- Thankful Tree Classroom Display

As a class, create a large tree trunk on a bulletin board. Each child adds a leaf with a written note or drawing about something they’re thankful for. Over time, the tree fills up with colorful leaves of gratitude, creating a visual reflection of the classroom’s shared values. This collaborative craft builds community and reinforces literacy in a meaningful way. This is one of the best Thanksgiving Crafts for Kindergarteners, as it reminds of what truly matters.

15- “I Am Thankful For” Writing & Drawing Page

This printable invites students to write or dictate a sentence about what they’re thankful for, then illustrate it in the space provided. It’s an open-ended, reflective craft that’s easy to differentiate for students at different writing levels. It makes a great take-home gift for parents.

Thanksgiving Activity Pages Printable Bundle

Need a ready-made solution that saves time without sacrificing educational value? Our Thanksgiving Activity Pages Bundle is designed specifically for busy kindergarten classrooms and homeschool environments. Whether you’re planning a full week of Thanksgiving fun or just need a few quick wins for early finishers, this bundle has you covered.

Here is what’s Included in the Bundle:

1- Thanksgiving Coloring Pages (40 pages)

Fun, festive scenes for kids to color — turkeys, pumpkins, harvest icons, and more.

2- Thanksgiving Mixed Activity Pages (47 pages)

Mazes, word searches, dot-to-dots, tracing, matching, crosswords, and more.

3- Thanksgiving Dot Markers Pages (34 pages)

Big, bold designs for toddlers to enjoy do-a-dot play while building focus and coordination.

4- Thanksgiving Cutting Practice Worksheets (29 pages)

Scissor skill printables for developing fine motor skills with festive cut lines and shapes.

Download the bundle now and make Thanksgiving week a breeze! Easy to print and use with minimal prep, Reinforces fine motor and cognitive skills through cutting, coloring, tracing, and matching, and Perfect for early finishers, quiet morning work, small group centers, or even as emergency sub plans.

Classroom Tips for a Smooth Craft Day

When you’re working with a room full of energetic kindergarteners, a little planning goes a long way—especially when it comes to organizing Thanksgiving crafts for kindergarteners. These simple tips will help you run craft time smoothly, whether you’re managing a whole class or rotating small groups through activity stations.

• Prep stations and rotate: Set up 3–4 simple craft stations around the room, each with clear instructions and all the materials laid out. Rotating students through stations keeps them focused and avoids crowding at any one table.

• Use templates for consistency: Having a visual example or pre-drawn template can help kids know what to expect and reduce confusion. This is especially helpful for crafts that involve cutting, gluing, or sequencing steps.

• Allow for creativity within structure: Give kids a foundation to work from (like a turkey outline or writing prompt), but let them personalize it with colors, shapes, or their own words. The goal is to encourage self-expression while maintaining classroom flow.

• Keep a few printables handy as backup: Sometimes crafts take less time than expected—or some kids finish early. Having a few low-prep printables from our Thanksgiving Activity Pages Bundle on standby ensures no one is left without something to do.

Final Thoughts

Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to blend creativity, gratitude, and learning in the kindergarten classroom. With the right mix of hands-on projects and thoughtful printables, Thanksgiving crafts for kindergarteners can go far beyond just keeping kids busy—they can support essential skills like cutting, writing, sequencing, and self-expression.

Whether you try a few of these crafts or plan a full week of festive fun, remember: the best crafts are the ones that spark joy and build confidence. And when you need a stress-free solution, our Thanksgiving Activity Pages Bundle is always ready to help—no prep required.

FAQs About Thanksgiving Crafts for Kindergarteners