Thanksgiving Turkey Craft for Toddlers

As kids, we were always so eager to be in the kitchen with our mom as she was preparing for a holiday. Although she never asked us to leave, we always ended up with boring roles, like cutting cheese or washing lettuce. We always got to help with dessert, but we wanted to get our hands messy into the big meal. But it never happened.

It wasn't until I hosted my first dinner party, that I realized exactly what my mother was trying to do all those years ago, which was one, not hurt our feelings, while two, pull off a successful dinner, kids in tow.

And now that I have kids of my own, I too am faced with the challenge of trying to prepare a holiday meal, while getting my kids semi-involved and keeping them entertained.

So this year, I decided, that my daughter was going to have to cook her own turkey at the same time, I was making mine. Well, sort of. Knowing that my daughter loves to play in her kitchen and imitate me, we felt it was time that she too had her own turkey dinner with all the fixings that she could "make" and serve to her "guests".

For this toddler Thanksgiving craft, you'll need:

2 brown paper sandwich bags
1 newspaper
2 plastic spoons
1 rubber band
1 scissor
1 Tape dispenser
1 roll of Toilet Paper
2 white coffee filters or 2 white cupcake holders
2 sheets of green tissue paper
1 cardboard box
White or silver wrapping paper or aluminum foil
Pretend Play  food and utensils

How to Make a Fake Turkey:

Crumble up newspaper and stuff into 1st brown paper sandwich bag, leaving enough space to wrap end with rubber band.

Using toilet paper start wrapping around spoon from top to bottom with more attention at the top to build the first turkey leg. Secure with tape at the nape of the spoon and at the bottom of the spoon.

Repeat for the second spoon.

Cut the second bag in half lengthwise. Wrap each of the two spoons with the halved brown paper bags. Secure with tape. Add and tighten with extra tape at the nape of the spoon to create contrast.

Lay the coffee filters/cupcake holders flat and make a quarter cut in each. Wrap each around the two turkey legs to make paper frille booties for the turkey legs.

Using tape, attach the turkey legs to the first stuffed brown bag (turkey base).

Cut cardboard in either an oval or rectangular shape to serve as a platter. Wrap the cardboard in either white or silver wrapping paper to dress it up for the holiday.

Crumple green tissue paper and glue onto platter to look like fresh garnish. Secure your turkey onto garnish/platter with tape or glue.

Add additional pretend play food from child’s play kitchen.

So while I am setting my table, my daughter will be setting hers and serving her home-made stuffed turkey on her platter to her guests, again, and again, and again - at least until Christmas!