How to Make a Stuffed Paper Bag Turkey Craft

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks but also a time for having fun. There are many Thanksgiving kids’ crafts to keep you and your kids happy for hours. Get into the spirit of the up coming holiday by making a stuffed paper bag Turkey. This paper bag craft is easy, fun and inexpensive. Thanksgiving just isn’t the same without some cute and friendly turkeys gobbling around the house.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dinner sized paper plate
• Brown lunch bag
• Old newspaper
• Colored paints, crayons or markers
• String, pipe cleaner or rubber band
• Red, black and orange (or yellow) construction paper
• Black marker or wiggle eyes
• Stapler
• Scissors
• Glue

1. Take your lunch bag and stuff it with newspaper (only stuff partially big enough for the turkey's head). Tie it off with string, pipe cleaner or rubber band.
   
   Stuff the remaining portion of the bag leaving enough room at the bottom to staple shut. This is the turkey's body.

2. Using the dinner sized paper plate, cut off 1 1/2 to 2 inches off one end. Using the bigger portion of the plate, cut rounded edges on the ridged part of the plate. This is your turkey's feathers. Tip: Don't cut all the way through the plate but rather just round the edges. This way the plate is in tact and will be easier to staple to the paper bag.
   
   Color each feather a color of your choice. Mix and match the colors to give your turkey a little character and your special touch.

3. Using the colored construction paper, you now need to cut out some arms (with the yellow or orange), two feet (with the black), a beak (orange or yellow) and a wattle, the loose looking skin under the turkey's chin. For the wattle use red construction paper and make it wavy.

4. Now glue on each turkey piece to the paper bag. Here's some quick tips on the gluing. For the beak, fold over a slight flap to use to glue to the turkey's head. This way the beak will stick out. Glue the wattle to the side and slightly under the beak. For the feet, cut big enough feet to help hold up the turkey (but not too big) and glue where it will give your turkey the most balance. You can either draw the turkey's eyes with the black marker or glue on some wiggle eyes.

5. Lastly you need to put the turkey's feathers on. Take your colored paper plate and place it behind your turkey. Once you have the right position, staple the feathers on your turkey. You can use glue if you want just be sure to use enough glue and you may have to hold it on for awhile.

Tips & Warnings

• You can give your paper bag turkey craft a little added touch by adding a pilgrim's hat, pilgrim's bonnet or an Indian headband. Or if you want, make one paper bag turkey for each hat.
• Let an adult do the stapling and cutting (unless the child is big enough)
• For the little kids I find that crayons work best for the feathers on the paper plate. Paints get a bit wet and make the paper plate a big soggy.

Resources

• Here are more Thanksgiving paper bag crafts and instructions on how to add a hat to your stuffed turkey.