Thanksgiving Crafts for Seniors (aka Turkeys, turkeys, and even more turkeys!)

By Anna Hazard

While many of the general autumn craft ideas already mentioned in our previous blog post would also work as Thanksgiving decorations, here are a smattering of art & decor projects specifically tailored for this food heavy holiday (including a large collection of turkeys to be chosen from, both edible and not).
 
Projects range from the simple to the relatively complex (which may require extra prep or helpers for your seniors) and use a wide variety of supplies that can be picked up from the local craft store, scavenged during a nature walk,  or scrounged from around the house.

Thanksgiving Leaf Garland

• Another fun decoration that can use supplies from a leaf-viewing expedition with your senior. Requires dried leaves, a branch, markers, string & ribbon, and gold paint (if you decide to gild the leaves) as well as tacks and tape for hanging the garland up.
• Check out more detailed instructions at The Sweetest Occasion

Confetti Stuffed Turkey

• Easy to create craft using paper bags, scissors, glue, and confetti (or tissue paper). Fun to make and fun to decorate (and play with afterwards). Maybe not so fun to clean up afterwards with all that confetti (until you devise a fun new confetti picking-up game).
• Check out detailed step by step instructions for making a confetti stuffed turkey at Studio DIY

Thankful Pinecone Turkey

• What's Thanksgiving without the requisite gobbler? Another craft whose supplies can be scavenged while leaf viewing or provided beforehand for those seniors with mobility issues.
• There are a wide variety of Pinecone Turkey tutorials ranging from simple to more complex and using a large array of different supplies. Find and tailor the best variation based on your seniors crafting ability and the supplies you have on hand.
• Check out the various tutorials at Better Homes & Gardens, Crafts for All Seasons, Fireflies + Mudpies, and Lia Griffeth

Wood Slice Turkey Placecard Holder

• Rather than a pinecone or paperbag, this particular turkey uses a small slice of wood as its main body. Other supplies include glue, wire, the omni-present googley eyes, and washi tape (or other suitable decorate tape or stickers. Can double as a placecard holder on the Thanksgiving table by attaching names to the feathers.
• For more detailed instructions check out The Craft Patch

Dried Gourd Turkey

• If you've got more leftover gourds from Halloween than you do pinecones, woodchips, or leaves, try this simple turkey craft than only requires a gourd, hot glue, felt or paper (or googly eyes), and a napkin.
• Check out this craft at Better Homes and Gardens

Q-tip Placecard Turkey

• This particular style of turkey decoration makes an excellent placecard holder by threading the name cards through the cotton swab tail feathers. It requires a bit more specific craft supplies (including cork, nail, wooden ball, and foam sheets) and may need to have some elements pre-made (such as cutting the cork in half and nailing a hole for the turkey head) before handing the finishing touches off to your seniors.
• Check out step-by-step instructions at Crafts for All Seasons

Light Bulb Turkey

• If the hardiness of your decor isn't a concern and if you've got more than enough burnt-out lightbulbs to spare, have your seniors try their hand at this particularly festive turkey.
• The basic version only requires a lightbulb, feathers, glue, felt, and paint, but feel free to go wild with flowers, mini-hats, and wooden hearts as well.
• Check out more detailed instruction at Crafts by Amanda

Paper Cup Turkey

• For those searching for a simpler turkey to craft without having to stock up on more specialized supplies, here's a gobbler that only requires a paper cup, construction paper, a pompom, glue, and markers or paint. If you're feeling wild (or have some left over from all the other crafts that use them, sub in googley eyes for paper eyes)
• Check out this turkey at Parenting.com

Turkey Lollipop

• One last turkey craft and this one more delicious. Have your seniors create this gobbler using Hershey's kisses, a lollipop (brown wrapped Tootsie Pops are recommended), glue, felt, black beads, and a leaf.
  
• Originally devised at Tippy Toes & Tantrums
  

Thanksgiving Napkin Holders

• Easy-to-do napkin holders for the Thanksgiving table whose supplies can be subbed in for whatever you might have already on hand. Have your seniors make them from toilet paper rolls (or paper towel rolls for those who like to keep their crafts away from the toilet), glue, burlap ribbon (or whatever decorative cloth you might have at hand), pinecones & acorn tops or other decorative items.
• For more detailed instruction check out Stone Gabble

Mini Cornucopia

• There's an easy-to-do simple version featuring felt and a more complex version featuring jute (that will probably require helpers and some pre-planning). Both versions look lovely when stuffed with candy corn, nuts, dried & candied fruits, and other seasonal goodies.
• Check out step-by-step instructions for both versions of the cornucopia at Holiday Crafts

Cup of Corn on the Cob

• Another goodie-bag type decor that will make a cute guest gift to take away from the Thanksgiving table. Requires a snack bag full of popcorn, green crepe paper, yellow construction paper, and a paper cup.

• Check out more detailed instructions at Parenting.com

Stenciled DVD/CD Coasters

• Leftover CDs and DVDs can be easily turned into Thanksgiving coasters using paint and stencils of leaves, flowers, or other seasonal items. Feel free to free hand the drawings or trace the outline of actual leaves and flowers instead.
• Check out more pictures of the coasters in varying stages of production at Crafts by Amanda