Create the cutest keepsake for Thanksgiving with this Handprint and Footprint Turkey Craft. Kids paint their hands for colorful feathers and use a painted footprint for the turkey body, then glue on eyes, beak, and a wattle. It’s quick to set up, low-mess, and perfect for classrooms, parties, or cozy craft time at home.

Two completed turkey crafts displayed on red and orange paper backgrounds, each made from colorful handprints for feathers and a brown footprint for the turkey’s body, decorated with googly eyes, a beak, and a wattle.

Does anyone else melt at crafts made with kid’s handprints and footprints? They are so adorable and special. I always make sure to tuck them away for memories!

Handprint and footprint turkeys are a great craft when the weather turns a bit cold and the kids are stuck inside. Plus it is a great way to get everyone into the Thanksgiving spirit! With a few different tasks like painting, cutting and gluing, kids have a chance to work on fine motor skills and no matter their age, there is a job for everyone.

Plus, why make just a handprint turkey when you can get the feet involved! This Thanksgiving turkey craft is so much fun for everyone and looks great no matter where you hang it.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Craft

Handprint and footprint crafts are a great keepsake to remember how much the kids grow each year. Make them every Thanksgiving to compare!
There are a number of steps with this craft but it doesn’t take too long. In only about 40 minutes you’ll have an adorable turkey.
This craft is made with supplies you most likely already have in your craft cupboard so you don’t need to make any extra trips to the store.

Handprint and Footprint Turkey Craft Supply Image

Supplies For Hand and Footprint Turkeys

Cardstock – White cardstock provides a nice sturdy background for the painted turkeys. Regular copy paper wrinkles or even rips when wet with paint so I don’t recommend using that.
Craft paint – Brown, orange, yellow and red are the best warm fall colors for the turkey’s body and feathers.
Paintbrush – You will be using a paintbrush to paint the hands and feet of each child. If you don’t have one, you can also just dip their hands and feet into the paint that has been poured onto the paper plate.
Paper plate – Use this as a paint palette and to make the paint easily accessible for kids.
Craft glue – This is the best way to attach the beak, gobbler and googly eyes. A glue stick will work well too.
Scissors – Cut out the shapes for the orange beak and red gobbler. Smaller kids might need help with this part.
Construction paper – Use a piece of orange paper to cut out the beak and red for the gobbler. If these colors aren’t available to you, use white paper and color it.
Googly eyes – Make a cute, animated turkey! Small googly eyes will fit best but have fun with different sizes. Use a black marker to draw the eyes on if you don’t have googly eyes on hand.

How To Make Handprint And Footprint Turkeys

Prepare your workspace by laying down some newspaper or a plastic tablecloth. Squirt each paint color onto paper plate.
Choose one of your child’s hands (or yours) and paint it red. Press the painted hand on the cardstock or construction paper. Repeat this step, alternating between yellow and orange paint, so the overlapping handprints form a bright colored “fan” of turkey feathers. Allow at least 5 minutes for the paint to dry.
Choose one of the child’s feet (or yours) and use a paint brush to cover it in brown paint. Press the painted foot, toes pointing downward, onto the cardstock in the middle of the “feathers”. That becomes the turkey’s body. Let it dry for about 5 minutes.
Cut a triangle for the beak from the orange construction paper. From red paper, cut a wiggly gobbler (wattle) and glue it to the beak.
When the paint is dry, glue the beak/wattle to the body of the turkey. Glue googly eyes above the beak. Allow the craft to dry completely before hanging your turkey masterpiece.

A white sheet with overlapping red, yellow, and orange painted handprints forming a fan shape, representing the turkey’s feathers, with paint bottles and a brush nearby.

A painted turkey craft in progress — colorful handprint feathers in the background and a brown footprint added on top to form the turkey’s body.

Pro Tips

Keep some wipes or a damp cloth nearby for easy cleanup while the kids are painting.
Everyone is different! If you’ve got kiddos who do not like the feeling of paint on their skin, use brown, orange, yellow and red construction paper to trace their feet and hands instead. Cut out each shape and glue them to the cardstock before adding the googly eyes, beak and wattle for the finishing touches.
Encourage kids to press firmly but gently when stamping, so the paint transfers well onto the cardstock or construction paper.
If the paint is thick, thin it slightly with a drop of water so it spreads better on hands and feet.
Make sure the paint is completely dry before gluing your beak, wattle, and googly eyes. If you’re short on time, use a hair dryer on the cool setting to speed up the drying process.

A completed Thanksgiving turkey craft made with colorful handprints in red, yellow, and orange for feathers, a brown footprint for the body, and added googly eyes, an orange beak, and a red wattle on white paper.

Get everyone into Thanksgiving spirit with these cute turkeys. The kids are going to love painting their hands and feet plus this adorable turkey craft is a bonus, too.

Handprint and Footprint Turkey Craft

Adorable handprint and footprint turkey craft for kids! Easy Thanksgiving keepsake with simple supplies—perfect for classrooms, parties, or family craft time.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Servings:

Ingredients

cardstock or construction paper
craft paint brown, orange, yellow and red
paintbrush
paper plate
craft glue
scissors
construction paper orange and red
googly eyes

Instructions

Prepare your workspace by laying down some newspaper or a plastic tablecloth. Squirt each paint color onto the paper plate so kids can dip easily.
Choose one of your child’s hands (or yours) and paint it red. Press the painted hand on the cardstock or construction paper. Repeat this step, alternating between yellow and orange paint, so the overlapping handprints form a bright colored “fan” of feathers. Allow at least 5 minutes for the paint to dry.
Choose one of the child’s feet (or yours) and paint it brown. Press the painted foot, toes pointing downward, onto the cardstock in the middle of the “feathers”. That becomes the turkey’s body. Let it dry for about 5 minutes.
While the paint dries, cut a triangle for the beak from the orange construction paper and a wiggly wattle from the red construction paper. Glue the wattle onto the beak.
Glue the beak/wattle to the body of the turkey. Glue googly eyes above the beak. Allow the craft to dry completely before hanging your turkey masterpiece!

Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

More Great Fall Activities

Nothing like a Color By Number to pass the time between school and supper. Kids can practice color and number recognition by coloring pictures of apples, squirrels, pumpkins and more!
You only need to get a few basic supplies out to make adorable Paper Bag Scarecrows. Line them up on a string to make a fall inspired garland.
The only thing better than collecting pine cones, is collecting them to use for arts and crafts! Get out the paints and let the kids a create Pine Cone Painted Fall Tree.
It’s not fall until there are pumpkins everywhere! This Handprint Pumpkin Craft is a great way for kids to practice their fine motor skills with cutting, glueing and tracing.