Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, so it’s time to make some cute holiday crafts.
We recently made this toilet paper roll turkey craft in our home, and it was a huge hit!
It is a great way to get rid of those empty toilet paper rolls you’ve always saved up, and it’s a fun activity for kids of all ages.
If you want a simple and quick Thanksgiving craft with your kids or students, read or watch how to make this cute craft!
Try this fun toilet paper turkey craft, then check out our turkey activities for kids for even more ideas.
Turkey Toilet Paper Roll Craft

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Supplies
- Toilet paper rolls or new cardboard tubes
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Googly eyes
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Turkey template (unlock the free template at the end of the post)
Directions
Start by downloading the template and printing it out. Once the template is printed, gather the materials needed for this fun activity. Get those scissors ready, and let’s help the kids bring this turkey to life!

First, guide your child in cutting your toilet paper roll in half. Take one half and cut 1″ deep slits on each side of the cardboard roll, making sure they are directly opposite from each other.


Glue the smaller feather piece to the larger feather piece.

Insert the turkey feathers as far down into the slit you made in step 2 as they can go.

Glue the gold glitter hat band onto the black hat.

Now, help your child to glue the completed hat onto the top of the turkey’s head.

Right underneath the hat, glue the two turkey googly eyes.

Next, glue the wattle to the back of the turkey’s beak, then glue both of them directly below the eyes.


Finally, encourage your child to take the completed turkey body and place glue along the center of the lower body. Line up the bottom of the turkey’s body and the bottom of the toilet roll and glue it into place.

Thats it! It’s easy and simple to make. Now, your child will enjoy creating their turkey creature. Check out some of our other favorite Thanksgiving crafts for your kids while you’re here!

Easy Turkey Card Craft
Thanksgiving Unit For Kids
Do you want to create an entire Thanksgiving unit study around this turkey craft? If so, keep reading below for our favorite ideas!

Thanksgiving Books For Preschoolers
Reading out loud helps kids’ attention and listening skills, problem-solving, curiosity, and excitement for learning–all of which help children become better readers! That’s why we suggest starting each unit with books.
Below are some of the top Thanksgiving books for kids!
Turkey Trouble – If you’ve never read this book, you have to add it to your holiday collection! It’s so cute and fun and kids just love it! Follow the turkey around the farm as he disguises himself as different animals so the farmer doesn’t catch him for Thanksgiving dinner!
How To Catch A Turkey – Kids who love the How To Catch books will want to see all the crazy contraptions kids make to try to catch a turkey loose at the school!
Pete The Cat: The First Thanksgiving -Every Pete the Cat book is fantastic, but this one takes it up a notch with flaps for the kids to open. It’s a great way to get the kids excited about reading and Thanksgiving!

Kids’ Thanksgiving Crafts
Crafting with kids is a great activity. It helps them practice fine motor skills, exercise creativity, and relieve stress. It’s also fun and allows them to spend quality time with family! Add in some more crafting with these easy projects:
Related: Turkey Connect The Dots
Turkey Headband Craft – This fun Thanksgiving craft is perfect for kids to make from paper or color in the black and white version. The best part is that it only takes a few minutes to make, and your kids will love wearing it! Simply print out the template and get started today.
Paper Plate Pilgrim Craft– Grab the paint and the rest of the craft supplies so kids can make these adorable pilgrims! They’re helpful for practicing fine motor skills and scissor skills.

Ballerina Turkey Disguise Craft – Ms. Turkey is a crafty bird. Each year, she avoids being the main course at Thanksgiving by disguising herself. This year, she is wearing a pink tutu and leotard.
Her feathers have been brushed and styled into a perfect bun. And she’s even wearing ballet slippers! Make this cute craft and keep her safe this Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Paper Craft – This pumpkin paper craft is the perfect activity for kids to do leading up to Thanksgiving. It’s simple enough for even the youngest crafters to handle, and it’s a fun way to get them into the Thanksgiving mode!
Thanksgiving Kids Activities
Our Thanksgiving I Spy printables are the perfect activity for younger children to do at the Thanksgiving dinner table! While you’re getting dinner ready or need a few minutes to relax after eating all that yummy food, these printables will keep your little ones entertained.
Even older family members can join the fun and see if they can find all the items!
Try this Turkey Paper Cup Craft
These turkey coloring pages are so much fun! Your child can color each page in traditional Thanksgiving colors or use their imagination to create a colorful little turkey! It’s a great way for kids to express their creativity and practice fine motor skills.

Looking for more fun activities? Our turkey worksheets for kids are full of fun, learning, and, of course, Thanksgiving! From tracing to letter recognition and coloring, these worksheets are an easy way for children to practice their skills while celebrating the holiday.

Try these Thanksgiving preschool color by number printables for a fun and educational activity. Each page has a Thanksgiving theme with numbers and colors for your child to match. Print them out onto white paper or cardstock, and let the coloring begin!
Share With Us
Did you make this activity with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!
For a chance to have your child’s project featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!
More Thanksgiving Ideas

Paper Roll Turkey Craft For Kids
Make this easy and fun paper roll turkey craft for Thanksgiving!
Materials
- Toilet paper rolls or new cardboard tubes
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Googly eyes
- Glue stick
- Turkey template
Tools
- Scissors
Instructions
- Download the turkey template and print it out. Cut all the pieces out.
- Begin by cutting your toilet paper roll in half. Take one half and cut 1" deep slits on each side of the roll, making sure they are directly opposite from each other.
- Glue the smaller feather piece to the larger feather piece.
- Insert the feathers as far down into the slit you made in step 2 as they can go.
- Glue the gold glitter hat band onto the black hat.
- Now, glue the completed hat onto the top of the turkey's head.
- Right underneath the hat, glue the two turkey googly eyes.
- Next, glue the wattle to the back of the beak, then glue both of them directly below the eyes.
- Finish off by taking the completed turkey body and placing glue along the center of the lower body. Line up the bottom of the turkey body and the bottom of the toilet roll and glue it into place.
Get Your Toilet Paper Roll Turkey Craft Template By Signing Up Or Logging In!
Sign up for SEM+ to get this exclusive content. Signing up is 100% FREE. Find out more about SEM+ here.

Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump and more. Read more.
Sheree
Wednesday 20th of November 2024
Yes, please!
Sam
Thursday 21st of November 2024
Of course! To access the template, please follow these steps: 1. Locate Locked Image: Look for the "Login Or Sign Up FREE To Unlock!" button on the locked image. The image will be located under the subheading that starts with “Get Your….By Signing Up or Logging In” 2. Sign Up or Log In: Click the button to create a free SEM+ account or log in if you already have one. 3. Access Content: Once logged in, the image will be unlocked. Click it to go to the download page.
Janette Astacio
Saturday 16th of November 2024
I need the turkey template. Thanks
Sam
Monday 18th of November 2024
Of course! To get the template, you'll need to have a free Grow account. If you are a free SEM+ Grow subscriber, please login (by clicking the “login or sign up free to unlock” button on the image) and it'll unlock the download image. If not, you can sign up for free and it'll also unlock.
Mary
Friday 15th of November 2024
This is great; how do I download the template? THANKS!
Sam
Monday 18th of November 2024
Thanks! To get the template, you'll need to have a free Grow account. If you are a free SEM+ Grow subscriber, please login (by clicking the “login or sign up free to unlock” button on the image) and it'll unlock the download image. If not, you can sign up for free and it'll also unlock.
Kelli
Tuesday 12th of November 2024
Please send
Sam
Wednesday 13th of November 2024
Of course! To get the template, you'll need to have a free Grow account. If you are a free SEM+ Grow subscriber, please login (by clicking the “login or sign up free to unlock” button on the image) and it'll unlock the download image. If not, you can sign up for free and it'll also unlock.
Megan
Saturday 9th of November 2024
Please send template
Sam
Saturday 9th of November 2024
Of course! To get the template, you'll need to have a free Grow account. If you are a free SEM+ Grow subscriber, please login (by clicking the “login or sign up free to unlock” button on the image) and it'll unlock the download image. If not, you can sign up for free and it'll also unlock.