By the time November rolls around, the little ones have heard the word thankful more times than they can count. It’s on the paper turkeys coming home from school and in the prayer before supper. But saying it and meaning it are two different things.
That’s what I like about this 3D Turkey Craft. It gives them somewhere to put it. Each feather holds one thing they’re thankful for, written in their own hand, and the tail fills out as they go.
By the time the turkey is standing on the table, they’ve named a whole list of good things without anyone asking them to sit still for a lesson.
a little about this craft
Children color and cut out a round little turkey in a pilgrim hat, holding a sign that reads “Thank You God For…” Every feather they add finishes that sentence, so the thanks has somewhere to go, and it goes to God.
Then they glue the feathers into a fan behind the turkey, and the strip at the bottom folds into a ring so it stands up on its own.
That sign says plainly what Psalm 107:1 says.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1)
The standing part is what the children love. It isn’t a picture taped to the fridge. It’s a small figure they can set right on the supper table, with all their thankful words fanned out behind it. There are fifteen feathers, which is plenty for one child or enough to pass around a whole table.
what you’ll need
There’s nothing fancy here, and you probably have most of it already.
- The free printable (you’ll find it near the end of this post)
- Cardstock or regular paper. Cardstock is worth it here, since the base has to hold the turkey upright.
- Crayons, colored pencils, or markers
- Scissors
- A glue stick
- A pen or fine marker for writing on the feathers
The printable comes in two versions, one already colored and one in black and white. If you’re short on time or working with the littlest ones, print the color set and go straight to cutting. If you’d like the coloring to be part of the afternoon, the black and white set gives them more to do.
If you’d like a few more ideas along these lines, take a look at these easy thanksgiving crafts for kids.
how to make the 3d turkey craft
The steps are simple enough for a child to follow with a little help.
1. print and color the pieces
Print the pages on cardstock if you have it. If you’re using the black and white version, let the little ones color the turkey, the feathers, and the fan behind it.
Mine tend to reach for the same two or three colors every time, and that’s just fine.
2. cut everything out
Cut out the turkey along with the long strip at the bottom, the rounded fan piece, and the feathers.
The feathers have a few curves in them, so it helps to cut those ahead of time for younger children while they work on the coloring.
3. write what you’re thankful for
This step is the heart of the whole craft. Have them write one thankful thing on each feather. It might be God’s grace, their family, their church, sunny days, or bedtime stories.
Little ones who aren’t writing yet can tell you theirs and let you write it down, or draw a small picture instead. Don’t rush this part, because the list is the whole point of the turkey.
4. glue the feathers onto the fan
Lay the feathers around the curved edge of the fan piece so they spread out like a tail, with the two sideways feathers out at the far edges.
Once you’re happy with how they sit, glue them down and let them dry for a minute.
5. fold the base into a ring
Fold the strip at the bottom along the dashed lines, then bring the ends around and glue them together so the strip forms a ring.
That ring is what holds the turkey upright.
6. put it together
Attach the fan behind the turkey so the feathers rise up like a tail, then stand it on the table and give it a minute to settle.
Then read the feathers out loud together and thank God for each one. That’s a sweet way to finish the afternoon.
simple ways to use this craft
One of the nice things about this craft is how many places it fits.
- On the Thanksgiving table, as a little place setting each child makes for themselves
- In Sunday school or children’s church, as a hands-on way to talk about giving thanks to God
- At home or in your homeschool, as a quiet November afternoon
- As a gift for a grandparent, with the feathers filled in about them
If you’d like more for a Sunday school morning, these thanksgiving sunday school crafts pair nicely with it.
a gentle thought before you go
Gratitude isn’t something we can hand our children. They have to find it for themselves, one small thing at a time, and usually by saying it out loud.
A paper turkey won’t do that work on its own. But it gives them a reason to stop, name a few good things, and remember that every one of them came from God.
If you make this one at home, in a classroom, or with a little group, I’d love to hear how it went. Leave a comment below and tell me what ended up on your feathers.
With love,
Betty
grab the FREE 3D turkey craft
The free printable is yours to download and print as many times as you need for your family, your classroom, or your co-op. Both the color and black and white versions are included, along with fifteen feathers, so you can pick whatever works for the children you’re with.
Get the FREE 3D Turkey Craft
Don’t let your kids just hear that they’re blessed—help them name their blessings one by one.
With this free 3D turkey craft, kids color the turkey and his feathers, then write one thing they’re thankful to God for on each feather. The body wraps around into a base so the turkey stands up on his own, holding a sign that reads “Thank You God for…”
frequently asked questions
what age is this craft best for?
It works well for children around four and up who can manage scissors with a little help. For younger ones, do the cutting yourself and let them color, write, and glue. The color version is especially handy for toddlers, since there’s no coloring step to slow things down.
should I print it on cardstock or regular paper?
Cardstock is better here, friend. The base folds into a ring that has to hold the turkey upright, and regular paper tends to slump. If you only have one sheet of cardstock, use it for the turkey and the base strip.
what if my child can’t write yet?
That’s perfectly okay. Let them tell you their thankful things and write the words for them, or let them draw a small picture on each feather instead. Saying it out loud is the part that matters.
how long does it take to make?
Plan on about twenty to thirty minutes with the black and white version, since the coloring takes a while. The color version comes together faster. It’s also an easy one to split across two sittings if little hands get tired.
can I use this for a Sunday school class or co-op group?
Yes, and it’s lovely for a group. Print as many as you need for your class, and cut out the feathers ahead of time so everyone can keep up. Then let each child read a feather or two out loud at the end.
