Kelly's Art Easel - Countdown to Thanksgiving Turkey Centerpiece

COUNTDOWN TO THANKSGIVING TURKEY CENTERPIECE

Create a memento of this holiday season, while appreciating with your kids everything they’re thankful for, with this fun centerpiece turkey.



Materials:

• Construction paper
• Cardboard
• 2 styrofoam balls *1 large (cantaloupe size) and 1 small (softball) size
• Scissors
• Elmer’s glue
• Orange pipe cleaner
• Popsicle (craft) sticks
  
  

Directions:

1) Stick a popsicle stick into the smaller of the stryofoam ball. Then stick the other end of the popsicle stick into the larger ball to form the body with the head toward the top.
2) Cut an orange pipe cleaner in half and bend it to look like a turkey foot. I cut a 2 inch piece off each end, formed a letter "V” and then wrapped it around the end to create the three “toes”.

3) Stick the ends into the bottom front of the ball to balance the body upright on the table.

4) Cut out eyes and glue (or glue on googly eyes).

5) To make the turkey’s beak, fold a piece of orange construction paper in half and draw a “tear” shape with the large part of the tear on the folded end. Cut out so the there's a folded beak that opens. Tape a small piece of orange pipe clear to the back and insert into the face of the turkey.

6) Don’t forget the “wattle” that red thingy that hangs from the beak!

7) Fold a piece of cardboard, draw a “wing” shape and cut it out so that you have 2 identical wings. Glue a craft stick to the back of the wings, leaving about an inch of the popsicle stick exposed.

8) Use these ends to insert into either side of the turkey’s body (large Styrofoam ball).

9) Next, fold the yellow, red, orange construction paper (so you can make several at once) and draw a “feather” shape. Cut out at least 25. If you only do one per day till thanksgiving that’s all you need, but feel free to add more! ;)

10) With a thin line, draw a line of glue on a popsicle stick and glue to each feather leaving about an inch of the stick out the bottom.

11) Every night, during dinner, as a family or take turns, write on a feather something that you’re thankful for and then insert into the tush of the turkey. (You can jump start your thankful turkey's feathers on the first night by asking each person at dinner to say something they are thankful for, so you start with multiple feathers instead of just one).

Then, for thanksgiving you have a great centerpiece and also talking piece (of thanks!) for the big feast!

Here are a couple other variations and other directions for this Countdown to Thanksgiving Turkey Centerpiece which I found here, here and here.

And here’s a super cute idea from another mom of twins that I just love: A popcorn turkey centerpiece!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

~ Kelly