Leaf Turkey Craft for Kids

When the autumn leaves begin to pirouette down from the trees in a spectacle of fiery reds, warm oranges, and golden yellows, it’s the perfect palette for some seasonal crafting. And what’s more synonymous with fall than a plump, festive turkey? This leaf turkey craft is a wonderful way to bring the essence of fall indoors and get your kids excited about the changing seasons and Thanksgiving.

Gathering leaves together isn’t just an opportunity to craft; it’s a chance to step outside, breathe in the crisp air, and go on a mini nature scavenger hunt. Once you have your colorful bounty, you can transform it into a charming turkey that’s all feathers and fun. This craft not only celebrates the beauty of fall foliage but also gives kids a hands-on experience with nature’s very own art supplies.

Tips for Making Leaf Turkey Craft

• Leaf Selection: When choosing leaves, look for a variety of shapes and colors, but make sure they aren’t too dry or they may crumble when you work with them.
• Safety First: Use child-safe scissors for cutting any paper parts, and always supervise when the glue is out—it’s sticky business!
• Layering: Show your child how to layer the leaves to create a full feather effect for the turkey’s tail.
• Personal Touch: Let your child pick out the googly eyes and decide on the size and shape of the turkey’s beak and wattle, making their turkey unique.

Materials

• Leaves in different colors
• Brown, red, and orange construction paper
• Googly eyes
• Scissors
• Glue
• Sheet of white paper

Step by Step Instructions for Making Leaf Turkey Craft

1. Begin your crafting adventure with a nature walk to collect your leaves. Look for a mix of colors and shapes to make your turkey’s feathers vibrant and full.
2. Once you’ve collected a good assortment of leaves, it’s time to start assembling your turkey. Cut out a turkey body shape from the brown construction paper. A simple oval or pear shape works great for this bowling pin shape to add the head and body.
3. Take the red construction paper and cut out a wattle—a squiggly shape that hangs from the turkey’s beak. Then, cut a small triangle from the orange paper for the beak. Also cut out feet for the turkey and glue them to the bottom of the body.
4. Glue the googly eyes onto your turkey’s head, then the beak and wattle. Now your turkey has a face!
5. Arrange your leaves in a fan shape on your white paper to create the turkey’s feathers. Once you’re happy with the arrangement, glue the leaves onto the white paper.

1. Once the feathers are complete, glue down the turkey body on top of the leaves.
2. Allow all the glue to dry, and there you have it—a leaf turkey that’s as colorful as autumn itself!

Skills Learned

• Fine Motor Development: Handling delicate leaves and small googly eyes will hone your child’s fine motor skills.
• Creativity: Deciding on the arrangement of leaves for the turkey’s feathers sparks creative thinking.
• Nature Appreciation: Handling leaves and talking about the different trees they come from can foster an early appreciation for nature.
• Seasonal Awareness: This craft is a playful way to discuss the seasons, focusing on the changes that come with fall.

This leaf turkey craft is an excellent opportunity for kids to engage with the tactile joys of the season while learning about the changes that the fall brings. It’s a craft that combines the wonder of the outdoors with the comfort of an indoor activity. Plus, these turkeys make for an eye-catching display on the mantel or Thanksgiving table. So, let the leaf collecting begin, and may your home be filled with the spirit of fall and the gobble of adorable paper turkeys!

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.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

WILL YOU SET UP THIS LEAF TURKEY CRAFT? PIN IT FOR LATER!