This Thanksgiving, let your preschoolers explore the true meaning of thankfulness through creativity and play with engaging Thanksgiving projects for preschoolers. Using simple materials like paper, leaves, and paint, these hands-on crafts help children express gratitude, develop fine motor skills, and strengthen social-emotional learning. Each project encourages imagination, teamwork, and joyful discovery while celebrating the warmth of the season. Keep reading to explore 10+ fun, educational Thanksgiving projects perfect for your classroom or family activities this fall.
10+ Thanksgiving projects for preschoolers
Explore fun and creative Thanksgiving projects for preschoolers that inspire gratitude, imagination, and hands-on learning this festive season.
1. Thankful turkey feathers
Turn a simple turkey craft into a beautiful gratitude activity where preschoolers reflect on what makes them happy and thankful. As they color, cut, and glue each feather, they’ll practice fine motor skills and emotional expression while creating a classroom display full of positivity and warmth.
Materials needed:
- Construction paper (brown, red, orange, yellow)
- Scissors and glue
- Markers or crayons
Instructions:
- Cut out a turkey body and multiple feather shapes.
- Have children decorate each feather and write or draw something they’re thankful for.
- Glue feathers behind the turkey to make a bright “thankful turkey” wall display.
2. Pumpkin seed counting art
This playful math-meets-art activity turns ordinary pumpkin seeds into creative counting tools. Children can paint and glue seeds into fall shapes or numbers, reinforcing early math and color recognition while engaging their senses through texture and touch.
Materials needed:
- Cleaned, dried pumpkin seeds
- Paint or markers
- White glue and thick paper
Instructions:
- Color or paint the pumpkin seeds.
- Draw shapes or numbers on paper, then glue the seeds to trace the outlines.
- Use this as a sensory math craft to reinforce counting and pattern skills.
3. Leaf printing with paint
Invite preschoolers to explore nature through art by transforming real fall leaves into colorful paint stamps. They’ll discover patterns, textures, and color mixing while creating vibrant leaf prints that celebrate the beauty of autumn and the Thanksgiving season.
Materials needed:
- Real fall leaves (various shapes)
- Washable paints
- Paintbrushes and white paper
Instructions:
- Brush a thin layer of paint onto the back of each leaf.
- Press the leaf onto paper to reveal a colorful leaf print.
- Experiment with color mixing and overlapping prints.
4. Corn kernel sensory bottle
This relaxing sensory project lets kids explore sound, movement, and texture while learning about the harvest season. As they fill bottles with corn kernels, glitter, and tiny decorations, they practice coordination, focus, and self-regulation in a calming, creative way.
Materials needed:
- Clear plastic bottles
- Dried corn kernels
- Glitter, sequins, or fall confetti
- Hot glue gun (for sealing caps)
Instructions:
- Fill bottles halfway with corn kernels and add decorative items.
- Seal tightly and let children shake or roll the bottles to observe textures and sounds.
- Use as a quiet sensory tool in the classroom.
5. Paper plate pumpkin pie
Turn snack time into craft time with this adorable pretend pumpkin pie project! Preschoolers cut, glue, and layer paper to make realistic slices while practicing scissor skills and shape recognition, making it a fun and low-mess activity inspired by everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving dessert.
Materials needed:
- Paper plates
- Orange and brown construction paper
- Cotton balls (for whipped cream)
- Glue and scissors
Instructions:
- Cut a paper plate into triangle “pie slices.”
- Cover each slice with orange paper for filling and brown strips for crust.
- Add a cotton ball on top to make it look like whipped cream.
Got little learners who love hands-on crafts? Try this Cut & Paste Thanksgiving Worksheet
to let them build and decorate their own festive turkeys and pies.
6. Handprint corn craft
Preschoolers will love seeing their tiny hands turn into corn husks in this charming fall keepsake craft. It’s a tactile, colorful way to celebrate the harvest season while helping children strengthen fine motor coordination and creativity.
Materials needed:
- Yellow, green, and brown construction paper
- Glue, scissors, crayons
Instructions:
- Trace each child’s hand on green paper and cut it out (the husks).
- Cut an oval corn cob shape from yellow paper.
- Glue the corn between the handprint husks and draw dots or stickers as kernels.
7. Fall playdough turkeys
Encourage imagination and sensory exploration by letting children sculpt their own turkeys out of soft, squishy playdough. This open-ended activity boosts creativity, strengthens hand muscles, and provides endless ways to experiment with colors, shapes, and textures.
Materials needed:
- Brown playdough
- Googly eyes, craft feathers, and mini craft sticks
Instructions:
- Roll playdough into small balls for turkey bodies.
- Stick feathers or craft sticks around the back to form tails.
- Add googly eyes and a small beak using paper or modeling clay.
8. Thankful bracelet beading
A mindful and meaningful project where each bead color represents something the child is thankful for. As kids string the beads, they reflect on gratitude, practice patience, and develop fine motor skills, creating a beautiful, wearable reminder of thankfulness.
Materials needed:
- Yarn or elastic string
- Colorful beads (different meanings: family, friends, food, nature…)
Instructions:
- Assign a meaning to each bead color.
- Have kids string the beads while talking about what each represents.
- Tie the ends and let them wear their “thankful bracelets” proudly.
9. Turkey color match game
This bright, hands-on color game challenges preschoolers to match feathers to the right turkey, building visual recognition, sorting, and focus skills. It’s perfect for small group play or a Thanksgiving-themed learning station.
Materials needed:
- Printable turkey templates or cutouts
- Colorful feathers or paper feathers
- Glue
Instructions:
- Give each turkey body a specific color label.
- Ask kids to glue matching feathers to each turkey.
- This activity strengthens visual discrimination and fine-motor control.
10. Apple stamping cornucopia
Mix art and sensory play as children use halved apples as paint stamps to fill a paper cornucopia with colorful prints. This creative process encourages pattern-making, coordination, and sensory discovery, creating a perfect blend of learning and Thanksgiving joy.
Materials needed:
- Apples (halved)
- Washable paint
- Paper and paint trays
Instructions:
- Dip apple halves into paint and stamp onto paper to form a cornucopia shape.
- Add stems and leaves with paintbrushes or markers.
- Let dry and hang as fall classroom art.
11. Gratitude sun catchers
A heartwarming art project that brings light, color, and thankfulness together. Preschoolers design colorful tissue-paper sun catchers that sparkle in the sunlight, reminding them daily of what they’re thankful for while strengthening fine motor and design skills.
Materials needed:
- Contact paper
- Tissue paper in fall colors
- Scissors and markers
Instructions:
- Cut out leaf or heart shapes from contact paper.
- Let kids place torn tissue paper pieces inside the shape.
- Seal with another layer and hang it on the windows to catch the sunlight.
FAQs
1. How to make preschool turkey crafts?
There are plenty of easy and fun ways to make turkey crafts that preschoolers will love. Here are some simple ideas to try:
- Paper plate turkey: Paint a paper plate brown, add colorful feathers, googly eyes, and a paper beak.
- Handprint turkey: Trace each child’s hand on paper and decorate it as a turkey with crayons or paint.
- Feather collage: Glue real or paper feathers onto a turkey template to create a bright tail.
- Cupcake liner turkey: Flatten a cupcake liner for the body, add paper wings and feathers for texture.
2. What are some ideas for art projects for preschoolers on Thanksgiving?
There are many fun and meaningful Thanksgiving art ideas for preschoolers. Try a Thankful Tree where children write what they’re grateful for on paper leaves, or a Leaf Printing project using real leaves and paint. Pumpkin seed mosaics, corn crafts, and apple stamping cornucopias are also great ways to explore textures, colors, and the fall season. Each activity encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and a sense of gratitude.
Final thoughts
Thanksgiving projects for preschoolers are a wonderful way to blend creativity, gratitude, and hands-on learning. Through these engaging crafts, children explore colors, textures, and teamwork while developing fine motor and social-emotional skills. Whether they are making turkeys, leaf prints, or thankful trees, each project helps preschoolers celebrate the true spirit of Thanksgiving by learning, sharing, and giving thanks in joyful ways.
Bring the holiday spirit into your classroom or home with our Thanksgiving worksheets — packed with crafts, coloring pages, and hands-on activities that help preschoolers learn while they celebrate.
