This easy pumpkin turkey craft will be a hit with kids this Thanksgiving! All you need is a small pumpkin and some fall leaves. This turkey pumpkin craft is perfect for preschoolers or elementary school children. Plus, it makes for a fun Thanksgiving decoration for your dinner table. And your kids will love seeing their beautiful pumpkin craft as a centerpiece!.
Decorating pumpkins into turkeys is a fun Thanksgiving craft that brings festive fall flavor to your holiday table. With simple supplies like paint, glue and craft paper, you can easily transform a pumpkin into an adorable turkey centerpiece. Follow this step-by-step guide to learn how to make a pumpkin turkey from start to finish.
Supplies Needed
- Small pie pumpkin or mini pumpkin
- Acrylic craft paint in orange, brown and yellow
- Paintbrushes
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Felt or construction paper in fall colors
- Googly eyes
- Fake leaves, feathers, raffia (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the Pumpkin
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Clean your pumpkin thoroughly and let it dry.
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Spread out newspaper or a plastic bag to protect your work surface from paint,
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Pour orange, yellow and brown acrylic paint onto a paper plate or disposable palette
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Use a wide paintbrush to coat the entire pumpkin with swirls of paint. Apply 2-3 coats for good coverage.
Craft the Head and Face
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From brown felt or paper, cut kidney bean shapes for feet and an oval for the body. Glue in place with hot glue.
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From brown paper, cut an upside down heart for the head and neck. Glue to the body.
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Cut an orange triangle for the beak, black circles for eyes, and a red wattle. Glue on.
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Use a black marker to add pupils to the eyes.
Add Feathers for the Tail
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From construction paper, cut feather shapes in fall colors.
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Arrange the feathers in a fan shape for the tail. Tape feathers together at the bottom with masking tape.
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Tape or glue the tail feathers to the back of the pumpkin.
Finish with Wings and Embellishments
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Cut curved feather shapes from patterned scrapbook paper for the wings. Tape to sides of pumpkin.
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Insert real feathers into slits made with a craft knife. Wrap raffia around base for legs.
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Surround your pumpkin turkey with leaves, acorns and mini pumpkins. Display on your Thanksgiving table!
Tips and Inspiration
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Use a smooth, round pie or sugar pumpkin for best results.
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Let kids help paint and decorate the pumpkin turkey.
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Get creative with the feathers by using scrapbook paper, tissue paper, foil, fabric scraps, etc.
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Attach extra feathers, leaves, flowers, berries or other embellishments with hot glue.
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Place a battery-operated tealight inside the pumpkin for a fun glow.
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Display your pumpkin turkey indoors 1-2 weeks only to prevent molding.
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Write names or things you’re thankful for on the back of the feathers.
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Try making turkeys out of other produce like butternut squash or onions.
Transforming a plain pumpkin into a fabulous turkey centerpiece is easier than you think. With simple craft supplies and following this guide, you’ll be able to create a charming pumpkin turkey decoration that infuses your Thanksgiving table with autumn spirit.
Materials For Pumpkin Craft
- A small pumpkin
- Brown and yellow foamy
- Red felt
- Fall leaves
- Googly eyes
- Glue gun and glue sticks
We used store-bought leaves only because we don’t have fall leaves available here in Florida. But it would have been much more fun to make these with real leaves. You can also use foam pumpkins for this so that they will last longer. Pick different colors to bring depth and texture to the “feathers. ”.
An Easy Thanksgiving Craft Your Kids Will Love
My little man is really crafty, so I’m always looking for fun craft ideas for kids. Our idea for this Thanksgiving turkey craft came from our search for fun things to do with the kids over the holiday.
We used some mini pumpkins we had leftover from Halloween, and some fall leaves to make these cute little pumpkin turkeys. It is a very easy project to make with the kids. This pumpkin turkey craft would also make a nice decoration for the Thanksgiving table or a Thanksgiving party at school or home.
Turkey Pumpkin for Thanksgiving Craft
FAQ
How do you make yellow pumpkins for Turkey Day?
How do you make a pumpkin hanging?
How do you attach a turkey figure to a pumpkin?
To attach a turkey figure to a pumpkin, you can use foam mounting tape or double stick tape. Download and print out the template on plain paper and cut out each of the shapes. Use these to create the parts of the turkey. Trace around the feather template to create nine tail feathers.
How can one prepare pumpkin to eat?
The pumpkin can be prepared boiled or baked. In both cases, it can be consumed with the peel and the seeds that will provide fiber. It can also be seasoned with oil and other aromatic seasonings, such as rosemary.
How do you make a turkey pumpkin with a snood?
Download the turkey pumpkin template, print, and cut out the pieces you need. Begin making the turkey by gluing the snood to the back of one side of the beak. Set this aside. Glue the eyes in the middle of the pumpkin. Next, take the snood/beak combo and glue it in the middle of the eyes, slightly overlapping the bottom of the eyes.
How do you make a turkey tail with a pumpkin?
Let everything dry for a couple of minutes. Then glue the back of the head to the stem of the pumpkin. Place the turkey facing you and glue the feet to the front of the pumpkin. To create the feathers, glue three to four leaves in the back of the pumpkin to make the tail.
How do you make a pumpkin with a foamy head?
Cut the head and the feet from the brown foamy to create a turkey face and legs. Cut the beak from the yellow foamy and put it on the head along with the googly eyes. Next, cut a little oval using the red felt to make the wattle. Let everything dry for a couple of minutes. Then glue the back of the head to the stem of the pumpkin.
How do you cook pumpkin seeds?
The ideal is to toast it with a little olive oil. Here’s a good recipe: Ingredients 1 cup of pumpkin seeds 1 tablespoon of olive oil (just enough to cover the seeds) 1 teaspoon salt or to taste Directions: Preheat the oven to 180º C and cover a baking sheet with baking paper. Place the pumpkin seeds in a bowl and add enough olive oil to lightly coat them. Add salt and mix again. Spread the seeds in one layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the seeds start to brown and become fragrant. You can also experiment with different variations, such as adding spices like mustard, cumin or paprika.