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When the air gets crisp and the days shorter, there’s a certain flutter of excitement as we gear up for a season filled with family, feasting, and a whole lot of fun. What better way to welcome the festive vibes of Thanksgiving than with a craft that’s as fluffy as it is adorable? This cotton ball painted turkey craft is an absolute delight, providing a sensory play experience and a chance for kids to flex their creative muscles.

Grab those fluffy cotton balls, and let’s transform them into something to gobble about. This craft is a surefire way to not only decorate your space with a touch of autumn but also to engage little ones in a conversation about what Thanksgiving is all about. So, clear the table, and get ready for some cotton ball dabbing action that will end with a parade of cute turkeys ready to celebrate the holiday in style.

List of Materials

Cotton balls
Clothespins
Washable paints in fall colors
Paper plate
Brown, red, and orange construction paper
Googly eyes
Glue
Scissors
Tray (to contain the mess)

Tips for Making this Craft

Clip a clothespin onto each cotton ball to create a ‘paintbrush’ that’s easier for little hands to grip.
Encourage kids to dab gently with the cotton balls to get a nice texture without squashing them.
Use a fresh cotton ball for each paint color to keep colors vibrant and prevent them from getting muddy.

Full Detailed Instructions

To start, set up your crafting station with the tray to contain any potential paint escapades. Squirt small amounts of paint in bowls or on a paper plate.
Take another paper plate and fold it in half. Stand the plate up so one half is up and another is down. You will paint on one side of the paper plate that is standing up. This way your turkey will be able to stand up once dry.
Cut out a large oval with a smaller oval on top from the brown construction paper for the turkey’s body and head.
Attach cotton balls to the end of clothespins—these are your DIY paintbrush. Dip it into the first color of paint, and press it onto the folded paper plate to start creating the turkey’s feathers. You can use different colors to mimic the beautiful, natural pattern of a turkey’s plumage. Paint on one side of the folded paper plate with the section that is facing up.

Continue dabbing with various colors, layering them slightly for a full-feathered look. Let it dry.
Cut out a small triangle for the beak from the orange paper, and a squiggly shape for the wattle from the red paper. Stick on the googly eyes, glue the beak and wattle in place, and then cut out two little feet from the orange paper to attach at the bottom.
Glue the turkey body to the folded painted paper plate.
Now, step back and admire your turkey, with its own fluffy feathers and charming face.

Skills Learned

Hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills from painting with cotton balls.
Color recognition and mixing when choosing paint colors.
Creativity in designing their turkey, and understanding the concept of layering and texture.

This cotton ball painted turkey craft is not just about making a cute decoration; it’s about diving hands-first into the spirit of the season. It’s about learning and laughing as we talk about why we give thanks and how every little handprint (or cotton ball print!) makes the world a more colorful place. So let’s get dabbing, and may your Thanksgiving be as joyful and heartwarming as the crafts you create!

Age Suitability

This activity is good for toddlers aged children 2 years old and up with adult assistance.

Mess Level

The mess level for this activity is medium.

Difficulty to Create

Easy.

Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!

Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers

There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!

But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.

Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.

Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!

These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!

Click here for more information: Play2Learn

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids

Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.

Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids

Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.

Find out more and grab your copy here.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids

Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.

350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.

Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!

Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.

TV Show: Curious Crafting

I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.

Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!

Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.

In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.

Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.

This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.

The Best Sensory Play Kits for Kids

Play is at the core of learning during the early years and it can take many forms. One of the most important of these is sensory play because it engages all of a child’s senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing) and has a enoumous positive impact on brain development.

Our Sensory Play Kits are some fun and easy ways to keep your child engaged while at the same time using sensory play to nurture their mind!

Shop our ready made play kits here.