The turkey disguise project is such a fun Thanksgiving tradition for kids, and this version takes things to the next level. Instead of simply decorating a turkey, children can also complete a writing prompt to go along with their turkey disguise ideas.
It turns a simple craft into a meaningful writing activity, making it perfect for kindergarten and upwards as they practise early writing, storytelling, creativity, and reasoning skills. With cut and paste pieces for crafting and a writing page for the story, this set really makes the whole activity come together in a lovely hands on way.
Turkey in Disguise activities have become a classroom favourite over the years. The idea is that each child helps their turkey hide so it won’t get eaten for Thanksgiving, and the more imaginative the disguise, the better. Kids always come up with such brilliant ideas, and adding the writing page lets them explain their turkey’s clever plan using their own words.
Turkey Disguise Writing Prompt Activity
This set includes a full writing prompt page, so once your child has created their turkey, they can write from the turkey’s perspective and explain why they shouldn’t be eaten.
The directions for the writing page of the turkey project are..
“Disguise the turkey so he doesn’t get eaten for Thanksgiving. Then write a letter from the turkey’s perspective to convince someone not to eat him/her. Make sure to use facts and give reasons why you (the turkey) should not be eaten. Make sure your reasons relate to your disguise! Finally, share your turkey and stories with the class or your family. Display your work as a fun Thanksgiving decoration!”
You can see how easy it is for this to fit into literacy centres, homework assignments, or a fun afternoon project at home. Kids get to be silly and imaginative, but they’re also practising real writing skills at the same time.
Writing from the perspective of the turkey is such a great way to help kids explore point of view, and you can even take it further by encouraging them to try writing from the farmer’s perspective too.
This gives children the chance to compare two completely different viewpoints and understand how the same situation can look very different depending on who is telling the story. It’s a skill that fits beautifully into early elementary grades, especially around first through third grade, when students are beginning to recognise perspective, opinion, and reasoning in simple texts.
By contrasting the turkey’s plea for safety with the farmer’s practical viewpoint, kids naturally learn about empathy, argument structure, and how to think critically about multiple sides of a story.
Turkey Disguise Writing Samples
Here are some examples of what children might write, based on the disguises included in our printable and how you choose to dress up the turkey.
If the turkey is dressed as a police officer:
“I am Officer Turkey, here to keep the neighbourhood safe. You can’t eat me because I am busy protecting everyone on Thanksgiving. If you need help crossing the street or finding your lost hat, I’ll be there.”
If the turkey is dressed as a ballerina:
“You can’t eat me because I am performing in the Thanksgiving Ballet tonight. I’ve been practising my twirls all year. If you eat me, the show will be ruined!”
If the turkey is dressed as a firefighter:
“I’m Firefighter Turkey and I have to help put out fires and rescue pets. I’m too important to be dinner. My fire hat and hose prove I’m ready for action!”
If the turkey is dressed as a chef:
“I am the Thanksgiving Chef, and I’m the one cooking the feast. If you eat me, who will finish preparing the pumpkin pie?”
If the turkey is dressed as a princess:
“I am Princess Turkey and I must attend the royal Thanksgiving celebration. I can’t be eaten because the whole kingdom is counting on me to lead the parade.”
These kinds of stories are always adorable and genuinely fun to read, especially when children pair their writing with their little disguised turkey.
Cut and Paste Turkey Disguise Craft
The craft element of the disguise turkey project is super simple and perfect for young hands. Kids cut out the turkey, then cut out the disguise pieces, and glue everything together to transform their turkey into something completely unexpected.
The instructions are to just…
- Cut out the turkey.
- Cut out the disguise.
- Glue the pants, shoes and shirt.
- Glue the rest of disguise.
This disguise a turkey craft set includes a wide range of disguises such as police officer, chef, firefighter, construction worker, princess, ballerina, and more. It’s very visual, very easy, and very cute, which is perfect for kindergarten, first grade, or any early primary age group.
If your children love this activity, you can also check out our other post with so many extra printable turkey disguises to craft, like santa claus, a football player or a cheerleader giving you even more fun options to mix and match in your turkey craft.
It’s fun to do as a family project, I’ve seen a lot of moms and kids working together to make fun and creative themes like Taylor Swift and Wicked this year too…. diary of a show turkey anyone? If you’ve been given a blank turkey there are so many endless ways you can decorate your turkey template with your own project ideas. And be sure to fill in the writing prompt after wards to get the most from this learning opportunity.
Download the Writing Activity Turkey in Disguise Project Template PDF
You can download the full Turkey in Disguise With Writing Prompt PDF using the link below. Everything prints nicely on standard paper and is ready to cut, glue, and write on, making it a really easy Thanksgiving activity.
Terms of use: Our turkey in disguse project free printable is free for personal use and classroom use. Do not redistribute our turkey in disguise project pdf file.
Turkey in Disguise is already a favourite in classrooms and homes, and making sure to include the writing prompt gives the whole activity a wonderful educational twist. It’s the perfect turkey in disguse project for school. Kids get hands on with crafting while also building confidence in writing and storytelling. It is simple, fun, and full of Thanksgiving charm.
More Thanksgiving Activities for Kids
If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving crafts, printables, games, and hands on learning ideas, we have plenty more to keep little ones busy. These activities fit perfectly into the Thanksgiving theme and are great for home or classroom use.
- What’s Your Turkey Name? Free Printable Thanksgiving Name Game
- Thanksgiving Thankful Tree Printable
- Thanksgiving Candy Dice Game Free Printable
- Thanksgiving Cupcake Liner Turkey Craft for Kids
- Hopping Turkey Paper Cup Craft
If you enjoyed this how to decorate a turkey activity, please share this blog post with friends, teachers, or your Facebook groups. It really helps us grow and lets us keep creating more free Thanksgiving fun for families everywhere.
