Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Painting for Little Kids
If you’re looking for a fun turkey craft that works for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and kids of all ages, this adorable handprint-and-footprint turkey is always a hit. It’s one of those Thanksgiving crafts that makes you smile every time you see it—and trust me, parents melt when they notice their child’s hand and footprint saved forever in the final masterpiece.
Plus, this project builds fine motor skills, helps kids explore paint colors, and gives younger and older kids a creative easy way to jump into fall crafts without stress. And yes… things might get a little messy with wet paint, but it’s so worth it. Happy Thanksgiving already!
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Why This Makes Such a Great Thanksgiving Art Project
This easy turkey craft checks all the boxes:
- Uses simple, inexpensive materials
- Gives kids a chance to experiment with tempera paint
- Encourages creativity while still having structure
- Works well with younger children, but older kids enjoy adding their own flair
- Results in the cutest little keepsake turkey painting to treasure every November
And did I mention how much fun kids have turning their own hands and feet into adorable turkeys?
Supply List
You only need a few basics:
- Canvas or thick art paper
- Washable or tempera paint: light blue, green, yellow paint, red or orange, and brown
- Sponges or paintbrushes
- Construction paper (yellow + red)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Googly eyes
How to Make Your Handprint & Footprint Turkey
1. Paint the Background
Start by having kids sponge-paint or brush on light blue at the top for the sky and green on the bottom for the grass. This alone is a lot of fun—kids love blending the colors and seeing the canvas transform. You can also make this part into a fun painting activity for this post.
Let the background dry before moving on.
2. Create the First Layer of Tail Feathers
Then, dip the child’s hand in yellow paint and make two handprints on the canvas, spreading them into a fan shape where the turkey’s tail will go.
These yellow prints will peek out behind the next layer of turkey feathers, giving the whole tail some dimension. Let dry.
3. Add the Second Layer of Tail Feathers
Next, use red or orange paint to make two more handprints, slightly overlapping the yellow ones. These become the brighter tail feathers of your handprint turkey.
Once again—dry time!
4. Add the Turkey Body
Next comes the funniest part for kids: the brown footprint. Paint the bottom of the foot, press it in the center of the handprints, and suddenly you’ve got the perfect turkey body.
It always gets giggles—it’s basically a built-in memory of how tiny they once were.
5. Add the Face
Finally, once everything is totally dry, glue on:
- A folded yellow construction paper triangle for the beak
- A little red construction paper “gobble”
- And of course, the sillier the googly eyes, the better
This is when your turkey officially becomes a cute turkey with loads of personality.
Display Your Adorable Turkeys!
Hang them on your wall, lean them on a mantel, or send them home as part of your classroom Thanksgiving art projects. Kids take so much pride in their fun Thanksgiving craft, and families love pulling them out every fall.
It’s colorful, simple, and teaches kids to slow down, explore textures, experiment with colors, and create with both hands and feet. And honestly? It makes “Happy Thanksgiving!” feel just a little more special.
Turkey Craft with Fall Leaves
Another super cute way to make turkeys is with fall leaves! This craft takes minimal prep and supplies, but makes super cute turkeys! Check it out here.
More Handprint Turkeys
Last year we made a similar craft to this one that’s another fun way to make handprint turkeys. Slightly less work, but just as cute turkeys! Check out these cut Thanksgiving decorations.
More Turkey Fun
If you’re looking for an even easier turkey craft, we found this super simple one at the dollar store! It’s great to do on actual Thanksgiving or if you have very young kids. Check it out here!
