Kids in grade school usually spend some of the art lesson periods making holiday kid’s crafts projects, directed by their teachers. However, there’s always room for a few more decorations, right? On a blustery, rainy fall Saturday, why not let the kids get creative with some simple and inexpensive materials, adding a few more holiday decorations for the home? Here we have four Thanksgiving kid’s crafts which are easy, fun and keep the kids happily occupied for an afternoon.

Some of these Thanksgiving kid’s crafts do require some supervision by an adult or older child.

1.Thanksgiving wreaths are fertile ground for kid’s imaginations. The raffia or straw wreath forms make a nice base for the Thanksgiving theme. The neutral color accommodates all the traditional fall colors. Have the kids collect brightly colored fall leaves. Lay the leaves out on some newspaper and spray them with a clear acrylic coating. When the leaves are dry, turn them over and spray the other side. The acrylic spray seals out the air, so the leaves retain their bright colors for years. You’ll be surprised at the number of ‘found’ objects right in your back yard. With a little glue to attach these objects and a bow-tied ribbon, you’ve got a front door wreath the kids will be proud to hang.

2.All (I think) kids love making things out of Play-Dough(TM). Ask them to make small figurines of anything associated with Thanksgiving. Pumpkins, pilgrims, gourds, a miniature Mayflower or Native American figurines are just a few ideas. Give them a big can of Play-Dough(TM) and see what an interesting assortment they put together. You might find anything from a gobbler to a loaf of bread and beyond! Let the figures dry overnight. Hand out paintbrushes and a set of small jars of acrylic paint. When it’s time to set the table for Thanksgiving dinner, let the kids place a grouping of figures in front of each place setting. A small mirror under each group makes each stand out beautifully. (This Thanksgiving kid’s crafts project was a big hit in our household every year.)

3.Our next Thanksgiving kid’s crafts project dovetails nicely with the one described above. Too often, the holiday season is so heavily commercialized that we, along with our kids, tend to forget what we’re supposed to be celebrating. Thanksgiving is no different. Lots of people think of the Thanksgiving holiday as a day of extraordinary feasts, football and a long weekend. One way to teach kids the meaning behind this holiday? Get a few sheets of heavy paper and have each of the kids write a ‘Thanksgiving prayer’, naming the things they’re thankful for and their hopes for the future of humanity. Fold them in half and lay them like place cards on each family member’s dinner plate. Before you begin eating, go around the dinner table, reading each aloud.

4.Making a paper mache fruit bowl is a little messy, as Thanksgiving kid’s crafts go, but cleanup is easy and the kids end up with a stunning centerpiece for the table. Lay out plenty of newspaper and supervise this project when younger children are involved. If you’ve got older teens, delegating the supervision of the project gets them involved and they usually enjoy helping the kids learn this art. Use a lightly oiled plastic bowl, turned face down, and let them go for it! When the paper mache has dried, it easily slips off the bowl. With a pair of scissors, snip off any excess paper around the rim. Get out those acrylic paints! When the bowl is decorated to the kid’s satisfaction, seal their painting with a couple of coatings of clear acrylic spray. Load the bowl with fruit. Beautiful!

All of these Thanksgiving kid’s crafts projects help spark those creative juices, build fond memories, beautify your home and make a fun, rainy afternoon.