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 for Thanksgiving is a fun family tradition. Turning a pumpkin into a cute turkey makes for a creative centerpiece or outdoor decoration. With some simple craft supplies, you can easily transform a plain pumpkin into a fabulous fall turkey.
I’ll explain how to make an adorable pumpkin turkey step-by-step. These instructions are great for doing with kids of all ages. Follow along to learn how to paint, embellish and customize your pumpkin to create a one-of-a-kind Thanksgiving decoration.
Supplies Needed
To make your pumpkin turkey, you’ll need:
- Small pie pumpkin or mini pumpkin
- Acrylic craft paint in orange, brown, yellow, black, red
- Paintbrushes
- Hot glue gun
- Washi or masking tape
- Felt or construction paper for eyes, wattle, beak
- Fake leaves, feathers, raffia (optional)
Step 1: Paint the Pumpkin
Start by painting your pumpkin in fall colors
- Spread out newspaper or a plastic bag to protect your work surface.
- Squeeze orange, yellow and brown acrylic paint onto a plate or palette.
- Use a wide brush to completely cover the pumpkin in swirls of orange, yellow and brown.
- Really load up the paint and apply in thick, textured strokes.
- Let the painted pumpkin fully dry before moving to the next steps.
Step 2: Add the Head and Feet
To make your pumpkin look like a turkey
- Cut three kidney bean shapes from brown felt or construction paper for the feet.
- From brown paper, cut a large oval for the body and a smaller upside down heart for the head.
- Glue the head and feet onto the pumpkin with hot glue.
Step 3: Make the Face
To create your turkey’s cute face:
- Cut an orange triangle for the beak and glue to the center of the head.
- Glue on two googly eyes or circles of black felt.
- Cut a red wattle shape and glue under the beak.
- Draw pupils on the eyes with a black marker.
Step 4: Attach the Tail
Now it’s time to finish with feathers:
- Cut feather shapes from brown, orange and yellow paper.
- Arrange the tail feathers in a half circle and tape together at the bottom.
- Tape the tail feathers to the back of the pumpkin.
Step 5: Add the Wings
To complete your turkey
- Cut slightly curved feathers from patterned scrapbook paper for wings.
- Tape or glue the wings on each side towards the top.
Decorating Ideas
- Insert real leaves or fake leaves into the pumpkin by their stems.
- Wrap raffia around the base for “legs.”
- Add longer real feathers to the tail for extra flair.
- Get creative with colors, textures and embellishments!
Displaying Your Pumpkin Turkey
Showcase your pumpkin turkey:
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On the Thanksgiving table as a centerpiece. Raise up on a cake stand or platter.
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Outdoors by the front door or patio.
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With a “Thanks” sign or note about what you’re grateful for.
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With battery operated tealights inside for a fun glow.
Making Turkeys from Other Vegetables
You can turn all kinds of vegetables into turkeys using the same method:
- Mini pumpkins or ornamental gourds
- Acorn squash
- Butternut squash
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Beets
- Onions
- Apples
Any round or oval shaped vegetable can become a turkey with paint, feathers and facial features! Follow the instructions above.
Tips for Success
Here are some helpful tips for making a pumpkin turkey:
- Use a smooth, round pie pumpkin for the best shape.
- Clean and let dry before starting.
- Do 2-3 coats of acrylic paint for good coverage.
- Glue gun works best for adhering parts – hold 30 seconds while glue cools and sets.
- Insert real feathers into small slits made with a craft knife.
- Display indoors 1-2 weeks to prevent molding.
Fun for Kids
Making a pumpkin turkey is a great family project. Here’s how kids can help:
- Paint the pumpkin in bright, bold colors.
- Cut out paper feathers and collage fun patterns.
- Arrange and attach the tail feathers.
- Glue on the eyes, beak and wattle.
- Add embellishments like leaves or feathers.
- Write their name and what they’re thankful for.
With a little parental guidance, kids will have a blast crafting their own unique pumpkin turkeys for Thanksgiving!
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.