It’s that magical time of the year again—fall has arrived in all its colorful glory. And you know what that means? Yes, it’s nearly Thanksgiving time! But while the turkey is cooking and the pumpkin pies are baking, why not spend some quality craft time with your little ones?
Today, I’m going to share an adorable, easy-to-do, Turkey Handprint Craft that’s perfect for keeping the kiddos entertained. Plus, it’s a lovely keepsake to look back on.
How wonderful would it be to compare those little hands from year to year and see how much they’ve grown? Not to mention, it’s a fun, festive project that is sure to add some pizzazz to your Thanksgiving decor.
Why You’ll Love This Fun Thanksgiving Craft
- It’s Super Simple: No complex instructions, no weird materials. I promise.
- It’s Quick: You can complete it in under 30 minutes (not counting the drying time)!
- Family Fun: Get everyone involved—this isn’t just for kids!
- Seasonal Colors: This craft is bursting with the fall colors we all adore—think oranges, browns, and reds.
- Keepsake Material: Because who doesn’t want to remember how tiny those hands once were?
Excited? Me too! I even have a PDF template for you to download at the end of this post, along with example images to guide you through each step.
What You’ll Need For the Easy Handprint Turkey Craft
While we do offer affiliate links for some craft supplies you might not have at home, chances are you already have most of what you’ll need: white cardstock paper, a paper plate to pour the paint on, and, of course, those tiny hands ready for action.
- My downloadable PDF template (grab at the end of this blog post)
- White card stock
- Non-toxic paint in three fall shades such as light orange, medium orange, and brown. You can use ready mixed washable paint, or mix your own shades using a combination of colors which is a great way to add a layer of learning on color mixing.
- Paintbrush
- Paper towels or baby wipes (for any mess!)
- Your child’s adorable hand
Step-by-Step Instructions
Get ready for a fun and easy Thanksgiving craft perfect for younger kids! This colorful Turkey Handprint Craft is a classic, but with a twist—download our free turkey template and follow the simple tutorial to make this festive keepsake in no time.
Follow along below with the easy step by step guide on how to use the printable turkey handprint template to add the handprint turkey’s feathers to the turkey’s body and create a great keepsake for kids of all ages.
All you need is some simple supplies like white cardstock paper, a few different colors of paint, and your child’s adorable hand. Gobble gobble!
Easy Turkey Handprint Picture with Free Printable Template
Get ready for a fun and easy Thanksgiving craft perfect for younger kids! This colorful Turkey Handprint Craft is a classic, but with a twist—download our free turkey template and follow the simple tutorial to make this festive keepsake in no time.
All you need is some simple supplies like white cardstock paper, a few different colors of paint, and your child's adorable hand. Gobble gobble!
Materials
- My downloadable PDF template
- White card stock or a piece of white paper
- Non-toxic paint in light orange, medium orange, and brown shades
- Paintbrush
- Paper towels or baby wipes (for any mess!)
- Your child’s adorable hand
Tools
- Printer for the template
Instructions
- Step 1: Print the Template
After downloading the PDF template linked at the end of this blog post, go ahead and print it out. I recommend using a sturdy paper like cardstock, but regular printer paper will do the trick as well.
- Step 2: Paint Your Child's Hand
So, once you've grabbed your piece of white paper or card stock with the template printed, Select your lightest shade of paint—let’s start with light orange. Using a paintbrush, gently coat your child's hand with the paint. Make sure to cover the palm and each finger, but don’t glop it on too thickly. Older kids can manage this step independently
- Step 3: Place Down Carefully on the Template to Create a Handprint
Guide your child’s hand to the top part of the turkey tail template. Gently press down, making sure all fingers touch the paper. Lift their hand straight up to avoid smudging. You'll be left with a beautiful handprint feather! - Step 4: Repeat Until You Have 3 Handprints to Complete the Turkey's Tail
Now let’s move on to medium orange for the middle feather. Once the first handprint is somewhat dry, repeat Steps 2 and 3. Finally, use brown paint for the lowest feather. Paint the palm of their hand brown along with their fingers, and continue with the process to make your final handprint shape. Make sure to layer the handprints so they start at the top of the tail with the lightest color, and move downwards, one shade darker each time. - Optional: Personalize Your Turkey!
Feel free to add googly eyes, a beak, or even a cute little pilgrim hat to give your turkey its own personality. The sky’s the limit!
Notes
Download PDF template at the end of the blog post
Good news, crafty parents and caregivers! We’ve designed this Turkey Handprint Art to be incredibly accessible and fun for the little ones, right down to the toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarten kids.
This fun project is a great way to entertain young children during the Thanksgiving season and creates a keepsake memory you’ll cherish for years to come.
If you’ve done handprint projects in past years, you’ll find that this is a fresh take on the classic Thanksgiving craft. Our free printable template makes it even easier to get those handprint turkey feathers just right.
For older kids and family members who want to join in, there’s good news: you can personalize your turkey! Add turkey eyes, use a glue stick to attach craft feathers, or write a simple poem to accompany your child’s handprint.
Making a footprint turkey is also a lot of fun, and a beautiful way to complement your handprint turkey keepsake.
If you’re planning on using this as a Thanksgiving decoration or even laminate the finished page and use as placemats for Thanksgiving dinner, the color combination of orange, brown, and red brings a warm, festive atmosphere. This fall craft isn’t just for personal use, either; these handprint projects make great gifts for family members who’d love a handprint or footprint keepsake.
So, grab some finger paint, and let’s make some turkey trouble! With the palm of your child’s hand brown for the turkey’s body and the fingers painted in different colors for the feathers, your little turkey will look fantastic. It’s that time of year again, so let’s make this Thanksgiving extra special with some happy crafting.
Voila! You now have an adorable, festive Handprint Turkey Craft. Hang it on the fridge, use it as a placemat, or even frame it to bring out year after year.
I can’t wait to see how your Turkey Handprint Crafts turn out!
Printable Turkey Handprint Poems
If you want to add a few lines to make this turkey handprint craft even more personal and heart felt, here are a few ideas.
Print these images and stick them on to the back of your turkey handprint craft, or ask your child to copy the sentences in their own handwriting.
This little turkey, cute and small,
Is made from my handprint, fingers and all.
Each year it will show, as I continue to grow,
How I celebrated Thanksgiving, a long time ago.
Gobble Gobble!
This isn’t just a turkey
as anyone can see.
I made it with my little hand,
which is a part of me.
It comes with lots of love
especially to say
I hope you have a very
Happy Thanksgiving Day!
With paint and paper, look what I’ve done,
Created a turkey that’s second to none.
Hold on to this as the years move along,
A reminder of when my hands were so young.
Download Your Free Printable Hand Print Turkey Template PDF
Click below to download your template to make your turkey hand print the easy way. This PDF file contains two printable pages. One blank template and one example of the finished craft.
This free template is for personal use or classroom use.
More Thanksgiving Activities and Crafts
After making this cute turkey handprint craft, if you want to continue with more cute thanksgiving crafts check out some more of our ideas below
- Pumpkin seed pumpkin craft
- Turkey coloring pages
- Easy and Cute Pumpkin Turkey Craft
- Dig into the Benefits of Gratitude: Teaching Children to Be Grateful
More Handprint Project Ideas
- Easy Handprint Acorn Craft with Printable Template
- Handprint Shamrock Craft Easy St Patrick’s Day Idea for Kids
- Handprint Reindeer Christmas Craft for Kids
- Handprint American Flag 4th of July Craft
- Father’s Day Superhero Handprint Craft (Free Printable Template)
- Easy Handprint Thing 1 or Thing 2 from Dr Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat
- Snowflake Handprints
Happy crafting, everyone, and may your Thanksgiving be filled with love, laughter, and lots of turkey!
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
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