How to Make a Pinecone Turkey

You need large, fully opened pine cones for this craft.

This easy pine cone turkey makes a great place card holder for Thanksgiving dinner. Younger children will enjoy cutting out pieces and assembling their creations, then seeing them put to use during the holiday feast. You can also make an entire flock to use as accents around the house or to serve as a holiday table centerpiece.

Things You'll Need

• Construction paper Scissors Modeling clay Tacky glue Googly eyes Large acorn Large pine cone

Instructions

1. Cut out tail feathers in any color construction paper you want. Traditional turkey colors include red, orange, yellow and brown. However, you can make your turkey a rainbow tail if you wish.

2. Stick a small, flattened blob of modeling clay to the bottom of the pine cone. When you sit your turkey on the table, the modeling clay will help steady it so that it does not roll over.

3. Glue googly eyes on the acorn. You may need to hold them in place for a minute or two while the glue sets. The acorn will be your turkey's head.

4. Glue on the head and tail feathers. The tail feathers should be inserted in between the bottom petals of the pine cone, while the acorn will sit atop the smaller end of the cone. Use plenty of glue to make sure that your turkey does not fall apart over time. Fan the feathers out so that your turkey's tail is on full display.

5. Allow the turkey to dry for at least 2 hours. Keep it in a warm, dry place, and enjoy it throughout the holiday season.

Tips & Warnings

• A hot glue gun makes this turkey easier to assemble but also prevents younger artists from building their turkeys on their own.

• Make sure that all pine cones are free of mites and bugs before you use them in indoor craft projects.