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30 Creative Thanksgiving Painting Ideas for Kids
Thanksgiving is around the corner. For this special holiday, here are some simple Thanksgiving paintings for kids to enjoy.
Our list includes everything from free Thanksgiving coloring pages, Thanksgiving handprint paintings, paper plate craft ideas, Thanksgiving rock painting ideas, and other fun Thanksgiving painting ideas for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners.
Let’s get started.
Easy Thanksgiving Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Let’s start off with our easy toddler Thanksgiving painting ideas.
These simple toddler painting ideas for Thanksgiving are easy enough for them to manage by themselves and will bring a lot of fun to your home or classroom.
DIY Toddler Thanksgiving Painting Ideas
Let's start off with these adorable apple stamps. I have to admit they are super cute.
All you need to do is to cut an apple in half, use it as a stamp, and add googly eyes and pipe cleaner pieces.
Super simple but adorable for sure!
Did you make your own puff paint yet? Toddlers love it, you should give it a try!
In the link, you will find the full instructions and afterward, your toddlers can make adorable thanksgiving paintings with them. Fun!
My toddlers loved to paint with their hands. Here is a great way they can make their own turkeys with the help of hand and fingerprints.
Who doesn't love mess-free activities with their toddlers?
Toddlers love painting but it always turns out to be a mess to clean up afterward.
To avoid the cleaning and washing try this toddler thanksgiving art activity instead!
Yes, toddlers can also paint with coffee filters.
Give them a coffee filter and some markers, they can easily paint the feathers of the turkey. If they can't cut out the shape yet, simply help them out!
Painting in baggies is a fun activity for toddlers. This Thanksgiving art project uses leaves but can easily be changed up!
Hand and foodprint activities are one of my favorites, especially with little children. They just make the most adorable keepsakes for the family.
Later the kids will see them and realize how much they grew in the meantime.
What shall I say, this is a super easy and fun Thanksgiving painting activity.
Give your toddler a paper plate, liquid colors and a fork and they are good to go!
These cute turkeys are made out of cork and cupcake liners.
Let your students fold the cupcake liner in half and paint each side orange, red, yellow, or light brown.
Attach them to the cork and add the turkey's face.
Easy isn't it?
Well, I didn't get on this idea myself for sure but it is actually pretty cool.
Let your child use an old dish brush and paint their own turkey!
Fun Thanksgiving Painting Ideas for Preschoolers
Time to improve your preschoolers to improve their motor skills. They will enjoy these Thanksgiving art ideas for Preschoolers.
Thanksgiving Preschool Painting Ideas
With this easy fall salt painting activity, let's start our preschool painting ideas for Thanksgiving.
Did you know you can actually paint with salt? It is super easy!
Find out how it works here.
Halloween is over but pumpkins are still very popular till Thanksgiving.
Here are over 15 fun Pumpkin painting activities for you.
Instead of drawing your own pumpkins, you can use a real pumpkin to make this colorful Thanksgiving turkey! What do you think?
I had to share this cool corn-on-the-cob painting idea for Thanksgiving with you.
With the help of real corn on the cob, liquid colors, and two 2 corn holders your children will have a lot of fun this Thanksgiving!
Learn how to paint and cut your paper plate here and make this fun turkey project for this Thanksgiving!
Instead of painting with real corn this time, this Thanksgiving art project is made with paper.
Paint your own corns, cut them, and turn them into a wreath for your front door.
It is still November and technically autumn is not over yet, even if it might be already cold where you are living.
During fall all the leaves turn into pretty colors and fall off the trees.
So why not collect some the next time you are outside and turn them into colorful Thanksgiving paintings?
With the help of tape, you can turn an old paper roll easily in the shape of an apple and create the most wonderful apple artwork out of it.
Find out how it works here.
And of course, these can't be missed at any Thanksgiving painting idea post: Thanksgiving coloring pages.
Simply print them out for your kids and give them crayons, markers, or other art supplies to make their own pictures for Thanksgiving.
If you didn't like the leaf project above you might get inspired by these instead. Go check them out here.
Use some plain paper plates and make these cute turkeys out of them.
It is such a great Thanksgiving art project for your classroom.
Rock paintings are super popular right now and yes even preschoolers can make the most wonderful rock paintings or crafts.
Learn how to paint your own turkeys on rocks here.
This Thanksgiving art idea is made with the help of coffee filters.
Learn in the post below how to create the most stunning artwork with help of watercolors and a simple coffee filter.
Check it out here.
Did you paint with the help of duplo blogs yet? You should give it a try.
It is super easy. This tutorial shows you how it works.
Do you enjoy our easy Thanksgiving paint ideas?
Then go check out these popular fall activities. How about our Apple Crafts, Scarecrow Art Projects, or Hedgehog Activities next?
Kindergarten Thanksgiving Painting Ideas
Is your child already in Kindergarten? Then check out the following DIY Thanksgiving painting ideas for Kindergartners.
Fun Thanksgiving Painting Ideas for Kids
The holidays can be stressful.
Let your kindergartners make their own Thanksgiving litter jar and give them a chance to calm down.
All they need to do is to paint a turkey on a recycled jar and put the glitter in with some secret ingredients and their turkey glitter jar is done.
Everything you need to make this work can be found in this article.
This turkey painting is actually made with the help of handprints. It doesn't look like it doesn't it?
Check out how easy it can be to make such a beautiful painting for Thanksgiving here.
Instead of using handprints you actually like to learn how to paint a turkey.
Then this Thanksgiving art tutorial is perfect for you.
The next time you go for a fall walk in the woods collect some pinecones for this adorable Thanksgiving paint idea.
Learn here how to turn them in a colorful turkey and use them as table decoration for Thanksgiving.
Do you still need to decorate for Thanksgiving?
No problem. This leaf garland is a perfect last-minute Thanksgiving art idea.
Simply use old newspapers, color and cut them into leaf shapes, and attach them to a string.
Super cute and a fun recycling Thanksgiving project for kids to love!
Your kindergartners will be excited to get a chance to paint on a canvas with this lovely Thanksgiving painting idea.
After painting a wonderful tree they get the chance to write things they are grateful for on their canvas.
Such a thoughtful Thanksgiving activity for older children.
This Thanksgiving rock painting project is a little bit more challenging but Kindergartners should be able to manage.
Paint them with your kids at home and make them your Thanksgiving table center piece.
Fun Turkey and Thanksgiving Activities
If these weren’t enough DIY kids painting ideas for Thanksgiving go check out these fun Thanksgiving activities instead.
- 60 Funny Turkey Jokes
- Turkey Quotes
- Turkey Crafts
- Pilgrim Hat Template
- Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
- Thanksgiving Bingo
- Friendsgiving Game Ideas
- DIY Thanksgiving Card Ideas
- Thanksgiving Activities
- Acorn Template
- Squirrel Printables
- Pumpkin Outlines
- 15 Easy Pumpkin Art Ideas
- Fall Salt Painting
- Hedgehog Outlines
- Maple Leaf Templates
- Corn Printouts
- Pumpkin Craft Template
- Apple Craft Template
- Hedgehog Craft Ideas
- Scarecrow Projects
- 100 Pumpkin Crafts
- Fall Crafts
- Pumpkin Decoration Ideas
- November Crafts
You loved our Thanksgiving painting art ideas for preschoolers and older children but they like to learn now how to draw a turkey themselves? Then go check out this fun how to draw a cartoon turkey video tutorial with your kids next.
Thanksgiving Books for Kids
Here are some great book recommendations on children’s Thanksgiving books for you:
Taylor the Thankful Turkey is an easy-to-read children’s book about giving thanks and being grateful.
Little Critter is going to have a Thanksgiving he’ll never forget! This 8×8 storybook is perfect for story time and includes a sheet of stickers!
Learn about the true spirit of gratitude and Thanksgiving with a storybook for kids.
From the bestselling How to Catch series comes a festive turkey tale and Thanksgiving book for kids!
Thanksgiving FAQ’s
Why Do We Celebrate Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the USA and Canada to celebrate the harvest and blessings of the past year. In the USA it is always celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November.
This year Thanksgiving is celebrated on Thursday, 23 November 2023.
The History of Thanksgiving
The first American Thanksgiving dates back to 1621 when English colonists (the pilgrims of Plymouth) celebrated with the Wampanoag people.
Colonists in Canada and New England regularly observed “thanksgivings,” days of prayer for such blessings as safe journeys, military victories, or abundant harvests.
Originally Thanksgiving was meant as a day of prayers for blessings such as safe journeys, military victory, or a good harvest. It took till 1841 to become a national holiday in the US.
Canadians on the other side trace their earliest Thanksgiving to 1578 when a Martin Frobisher-led expedition celebrated safe passage. The first national Thanksgiving day was established in 1879 by the Canadian parliament.
How is Thanksgiving Celebrated?
On Thanksgiving day in Canada and the United States, family and friends gather for a Thanksgiving feast. Traditionally the feast includes turkey with gravy, cranberries, and pumpkin pie.
Parades and football games also have long associations with the beloved holiday.
These and more facts about Thanksgiving can be found here.