Children love festive days. This easy Thanksgiving potato turkey is always a class favorite. The children are proud to take home a center piece for the Thanksgiving dinner.
Teaching children about gratitude is an ongoing process and Thanksgiving is an excellent time to teach them about being thankful. Model being thankful in your classroom. Let the children hear you saying, “I am so thankful for…” or “I’m grateful that…” and they will notice your actions. If you receive a gift, let them hear your grateful response and see you writing a thank-you note.
When you demonstrate making this kindergarten or preschool thanksgiving potato turkey, ask the children to help you think of something to be thankful for every time you poke a tail feather in your turkey.
Materials per student:
- one small potato (the red ones are the prettiest)
- one photocopied turkey head (Use free tracer)
- two wing feathers (available at craft stores)
- two or three tail feathers
- 3 round toothpicks for legs (I know they only have two but we want them to stand up!)
- name labels to wrap around leg
You will also need:
- orange, red, and yellow felts (I limit the colors or the kids will use black and blue and the turkeys will look bruised!)
- scissors
- some round toothpicks to poke holes
- a knife to cut slit in potato
This kindergarten and preschool thanksgiving craft works well during Center time. Have 6 – 8 children working at tables with a parent helper or teacher while the other students work at learning centers.
Procedure:
- Photocopy the free turkey heads tracer on lightweight card
- Make a slit in the long end of each potato with a knife, removing a thin wedge of potato (this will make it easier for the children to insert the turkey head)
- Give one head to each child and have them color it, then cut it out (you may have to help)
- Encourage the children to color both sides and to add an eye to the side that is blank
- As the children finish their turkey heads put scotch tape on the end that will be inserted into the potato to make it go in easier
- Poke wing feather holes and tail feather holes with a pointy toothpick. Put dots of black felt on the holes or the children will not see them
- Kids choose feather for wings and tail
- Show children how to hold the feathers at the base of the feather when they insert them into the potato
- Demonstrate how the feathers will bend if they hold them higher up
- Insert toothpick legs and one extra to make it stand (you may want to cut the sharp end off the end that does not poke into the potato)
- Wrap name labels around leg
Kindergarten and Preschool Thanksgiving Turkey Poems
Children love this one and love the actions to it…
The turkey is a funny bird,
His head goes wobble, wobble. (some say bobble, bobble)
All he know is just one word,
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble.
Another fun kindergarten and preschool thanksgiving poem. This one is a book, Albuquerque Turkey
Albuquerque, he’s my turkey,
and he’s feathered and he’s fine
and he wobbles and he gobbles
and I’m awfully glad he’s mine.He’s the best pet you could ever get
better than a dog or cat
Albuquerque, he’s my turkey
and I’m awfully glad of that.Albuquerque, he’s my turkey
he’s so cozy in his bed
because for our Thanksgiving dinner
we had scrambled eggs instead.