The beauty of fall and the Thanksgiving season offer a tapestry of earthy colors and textures that inspire creativity. Check out these five easy and affordable Thanksgiving crafts for all ages provided by Marcy Fisher, a crafting expert at Our-Kids.com—a comprehensive resource for family fun in the greater D.C. metro area.
Marcy Fisher
Our-Kids.com
Arlington, VA
(703) 473-8696
www.our-kids.com
As a mother of three, elementary school teacher and writer for Our-Kids.com, Marcy Fisher knows a few things about craft time. For over 15 years she has engaged in educational crafting projects with children ranging from ages 1 to 12, and is not afraid of getting messy in the name of creating. Fisher is a proponent of the idea that crafting and art can help children build their fine motor skills, boost their academic performance and, most importantly, impart invaluable skills for life. Here are Marcy’s five fantastic Thanksgiving craft ideas.
Thankful Tree
Help your child reflect on what they are thankful for in their life, then create a tree to document their thoughts.
“Using brown construction paper, cut out the shape of a tree and glue it on a white construction paper background. Next, trace your child’s hand on construction paper in several different fall colors. Cut out the paper hands. Depending on your child’s age, have them write down (or write it down for them) what they are thankful for on each hand. Glue the hands onto the ‘Thankful Tree.’”
Materials: construction paper, pencil, glue, scissors.
Glitter Pumpkins
“What better way to jazz up your home this Thanksgiving season than by creating glitter pumpkins. Set up your space by putting out a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Wipe off a small pumpkin with a wet paper towel. Dry it thoroughly. Using a paintbrush, dip the brush in glue and paint the entire pumpkin with an even coat. Make sure the pumpkin is inside of the baking dish and sprinkle glitter all over the pumpkin. Allow it to dry. Use your glitter pumpkins as table centerpieces during Thanksgiving or as decorations around the house.”
Materials: glitter, glue, paintbrush, small pumpkins, 9″ x 13″ baking dish (optional).
Related: Ask A Washington, D.C. Expert: Easy Crafts To Do With Your Kids
Lego-Stamped Indian Corn
“Using a paper plate, put some drops of paint on it (yellow, orange and brown) and have the kids dip their Legos into it (pronged side into the paint). Next, have the kids stamp their Legos all over white construction paper. Make sure that the painted paper is completely dry, then cut out two corn shapes. Using brown construction paper, cut out a few leaf-like shapes. Glue the leaf shapes onto the back of the corn.”
Materials: white and brown construction paper; yellow, orange and brown washable paint, (3) Legos, glue and scissors.
Festive Pumpkin Planters
“One of my favorite things to do with a pumpkin is to turn it into a festive fall container. Pick the freshest medium-sized pumpkin possible, one without bruises or soft spots. Cut open the top and, using a spoon, scoop out all of the pulp and seeds (bake the seeds for a snack later). Once the inside is completely cleaned out, add potting soil. Loosen a potted mum from its container and place it inside the pumpkin. Add additional soil to the top of the pumpkin.”
Materials: medium-sized pumpkin, potting soil, mum plant, knife, spoon.
Beaded Napkin Rings
“Let your child join in on all of the Thanksgiving preparation with this beautiful napkin ring craft. Put fall-colored beads into a shallow bowl so that they are easy to grab. Next, cut a piece of wire about 6-7 inches long. Twist one end of the wire so that the beads do not fall off. Guide the beads onto the wire in whatever pattern you would like, leaving about 1 inch of space near the ends. Bring both ends of the wire together (forming a circle) and twist the end points. Cut any excess wire. Roll your napkin and place the beaded napkin ring around it.”
Materials: scissors or a wire cutter, thin wire, glass beads in fall colors.
Related: Best Cheap Activities To Do With Kids In Washington, D.C.
Kevin Don Porter is the author of OVER THE EDGE and MISSING—two mysteries available on Amazon.com. Visit his website at www.kevindonporter.com..
