Easy Clay Pot Turkey For Kids To Make
Hey busy parents, we know how hectic the holiday season can get, but we’ve got you covered with a super Clay Pot Turkey Craft!
Your kids will love this craft, and all the materials can be found at the dollar store. Ready to make some gobble-tastic memories?!
Who says Thanksgiving is only about the food? This season offers a great chance to get creative with your family.
Are you ready? In the past, my boys and I had a blast crafting for Thanksgiving. My kids loved crafting with me, and I found it a great way to connect with them.
Like always, I’ve kept things simple. I’ll show you how to transform a simple Dollar Store clay pot into the cutest Turkey Craft perfect for the Thanksgiving table!
It’s an easy project that takes less than an hour. The longest part is waiting for the paint to dry.
The first step is to gather your supplies. Here’s what you need
Materials Needed
- 5″ Clay Pot
- Colored Jumbo Craft Sticks
- Google Eyes
- Natural Jute Twine
- Craft Felt – Brown, Burgundy, Gold
- Craft Paint: Medium Brown and Pink
- Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
- Black Permanent Marker
- New Pencil with clean Eraser
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Free printable templates
Note: You can use plain crafts sticks, but you will need to paint them. I would suggest the following colors of paint- Burgundy, Bright Orange, and Yellow.
Instructions For Making The Clay Pot Turkey
Step One: Painting
Start by taking off the paper tag from the clay pot. Then, give the pot a basecoat using medium brown acrylic craft paint. Let the paint dry, and if you think it needs it, add another coat of paint.
If you plan to paint the craft sticks, now is the time. You need a total of seven sticks painted in Fall colors. These sticks will probably need two coats as well.
Let all the paint dry thoroughly!
Step Two: Preparing The Feathers
Use scissors and a ruler to cut the craft sticks in half.
Step Three: Making the Feather Base
Let’s bring our clay pot turkey to life by adding some colorful feathers! Print the clay pot turkey patterns. Cut out the turkey feather base template.
Next, grab your brown craft felt and position the turkey feather base pattern on it. Using a black marker, trace the outline of the pattern onto the felt. This will give you the shape you need for the feathers. Now, cut out the traced shape from the brown craft felt.
Step Four: Attaching The Feathers to The Base
It’s time to assemble our turkey’s feathered display! Lay out your jumbo craft sticks, using seven sticks for the bottom and six for the top layers. For the exact placement, take a look at the reference photo provided.
Use hot glue to attach the feathers onto the brown craft felt base. Draw feather markings on the sticks with a black marker. You can do this either before gluing or after – whatever works better for you.
Step Five: Attaching the Feather Base To The Clay Pot
Let’s give our turkey its full plumage! Carefully attach the turkey feather base to the back of the turkey with hot glue.
Step Six: Add Beak and Eyes
Let’s give our turkey some personality with its facial features! Begin by cutting out the turkey beak and waddle from the pattern you printed earlier.
Trace the beak onto the gold and the waddling onto the burgundy craft felt. Cut out both shapes.
Attach two googly eyes with hot glue to bring our turkey to life. These eyes will give our craft a playful and endearing look. Glue the felt waddle and beak directly beneath the googly eyes.
Step Seven: Finishing Up
Add color to the turkey’s face with a pencil eraser and pink acrylic craft paint. Make small dots on each side of the face to create cheeks.
Tie some natural jute twine or a ribbon into a bow and secure it at the base of the clay pot turkey using a hot glue, and you are done! It is that simple!
This post is part of my Thanksgiving Activities collection. You can find all my Holiday & Seasonal Activities here, or head to the Kids Activities resource hub where you’ll find hundreds of fun ideas all in one place.
Some Suggestions For Switching It Up
Here are some substitutions you can make if you don’t have all the materials needed.
- Colored Feathers: Use colored feathers instead of craft sticks for feathers for a more vibrant and textured look. Attach them in a similar arrangement to create a playful and unique effect.
- Paper Feathers: Cut out feathers from colored paper or cardstock if you don’t have craft sticks handy
- Painted Facial Features: Paint the features onto the pot instead of using googly eyes, felt beak, and waddle. Use small brushes and acrylic paint to create a playful face.
- Ribbon Accent: You can use a thin ribbon for the bow if you don’t have natural jute twine. This can add a different pop of color to your creation.
Mix and match these alternates to create a turkey craft that suits your preferences and available materials. Happy crafting!
Try This Craft When
- Thanksgiving Dinner: The craft is perfect as a festive centerpiece or decoration. Why stop at one? Make a whole raft of turkeys.
- Family Gatherings: Whether it’s a family reunion, potluck, or any other gathering, the craft can add a touch of creativity to the ambiance.
- School Thanksgiving Activities: Teachers, why not incorporate this craft into your classroom activities during Thanksgiving?
- Youth Groups: This project would be a fun activity For kids in a youth group.
- Cute Gift: This clay pot turkey makes a cute Thanksgiving gift for neighbors. They will also be the perfect hostess gift if you go to family or friends for a Thanksgiving meal.
The Clay Pot Turkey is a fun Thanksgiving activity for families. This craft is perfect for kids and will keep them entertained while allowing them to express their creativity. With just a few simple materials, you can create adorable turkeys that will add a festive touch to your Thanksgiving decor. So, gather up the supplies and let the crafting begin! Not quite ready? Why not pin this post, so you can find it later? Don’t miss out on this delightful activity that will bring joy to children and adults alike. Happy crafting!