Turkey Crafts for Preschoolers – Feather Counting Activity and Handprint Turkey
We’re back with another collaborative preschool learning post! This week’s theme is Thanksgiving and Fall. We are sharing turkey crafts for preschoolers that work on many different skills (hands-on learning) and foster creativity. Be sure to check the bottom of the post to see what our blogging friends are sharing for this week’s theme. They include activities for counting, sorting, alphabet matching, gratitude, and art.
Turkey Crafts for Preschoolers
Fine Motor Activity: Counting Turkey Feathers
Pre-cut 20 small circles using brown paper with half of them being smaller for the turkeys head. I cut one long strip and folded it a few times to cut several circles at once.
Cut long strips up different colored construction paper – we used a strip of orange, brown, blue, and green. It should be about a half inch wide. Have the child cut tiny strips from those. Sometimes I hold the paper for my 3 year old to cut since she is still getting used to holding the scissors. The tiny strips will be the turkey feathers.
Take a sheet of light-colored construction paper and fold it so that when you open it back up, you have twelve squares.
Since my daughter is learning to write, I wrote the numbers 1-10 in the top-left of each box and the word ‘TURKEY’ in the last two boxes. She traced back over everything.
Add a dab of glue in the bottom center of each box. To make it easier for younger preschoolers to know exactly where you mean since you will need to add feathers on top of each circle, you could draw an ‘x’ where you would like them to place the glue. Have them place the larger of the two circles on to the glue.
Have the child make another dab of glue on the bottom of those circles. Then they can add the smaller circles which will be the turkey heads.
The next part was my daughter’s favorite – adding the feathers! Using the tiny colored strips you made earlier, have them make the turkey feathers by gluing on the number of strips that corresponds with each box. We counted as she placed each feather on the turkeys.
Add eyes, beaks, and wattle/snood.
Skills Practiced:
- scissor skills
- gluing
- number recognition
- counting
- fine motor skills (placing on the circles and tiny strips)
- pre-writing/tracing
Handprint Turkey
Did you know that we have an ENTIRE BLOG dedicated to handprint art?!
Yup, we LOVE handprint crafts! They are a popular preschool craft. Head on over to see all our Thanksgiving handprint crafts here.
I helped my daughter make this handprint turkey. We actually attempted to make 2 but one got a bit smeared. I squeezed brown paint in the palm of her hand and had her rub her hands together until they were completely covered. When she made her prints, she moved her left hand a little which is why I usually just make 2 prints right away even if I only need one. On our other blog, I often share how we always pick a number to count to before lifting the hand (or foot) up to reveal the print. This has always proved to be fun for both my kids and doubles as a counting activity for them.
My daughter usually likes to draw the faces on things, but she wanted me to do it for these crafts. Draw a beak and feet with yellow or orange. Draw on a red wattle/snood and eyes.
Optional: Glue on feathers.
Turkey Counting Book Suggestions:
Here are a couple of cute picture books about turkeys that incorporate math and are perfect to read along with these projects!
*As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
1. 10 Fat Turkeys
This post is also part of a collaborative series with 4 other crafty bloggers. Twice a month we will be sharing ideas for the same preschool theme. This weeks creative learning theme is FALL/THANKSGIVING. We would love for you to check out their awesome preschool posts!
- I Heart Crafty Things – Free Printable Alphabet Turkey Matching Activity
- A Little Pinch of Perfect – Turkey Feather Counting & Sorting Game
- Pink Stripey Socks – Fall Craft: Puffy Paint Leaves
- Handmade Kids Art – Thankful Turkey Corkboard
Come back two weeks from today for our next preschool theme: FOOD-THEMED CRAFTS & ACTIVITIES!
What a wonderful creative activity to help teach number concepts! 🙂
Thanks! It goes perfectly with your turkey feather counting printable <3
I never thought of adding feathers to our hand print turkeys. Great idea.
What a cute idea with the turkeys! We’re definitely doing this!
She did an amazing job with her writing. These are such sweet ideas – I am featuring them on this weeks Kids Co-op