Learn how to make a cute handprint turkey using a toilet paper roll and colorful paper. This easy Thanksgiving craft is a fun way for kids to get creative with their own feather designs.
Thanksgiving crafts are a fun way to turn simple household and craft supplies into something children can make with their own hands. This handprint turkey uses an empty toilet paper roll for the body and colorful paper handprints for a bright feather display.
The cardboard tube gives the turkey a simple three-dimensional body, while the handprints create the large feather fan behind it. Because the feathers are made by tracing a child’s hand, each turkey can look slightly different depending on the colors and arrangement chosen.
There are a few places where a little attention makes the finished turkey much neater. The face needs to be positioned where it can be seen clearly on the tube, and the handprint feathers need to be layered without hiding too much of one another.
The easiest way to avoid a messy feather fan is to arrange all the handprints first and check how their sizes and colors look together. Once the arrangement works, the layers can be glued in place and the cardboard body added to the center.
Things that you need before crafting:
- Empty toilet paper roll or small cardboard tube
- Brown craft paper
- Red, yellow, and orange craft paper
- Googly eyes
- School glue or a glue stick
- Pencil
- Scissors
How To Make:
Place the empty toilet paper roll upright and decide which side will become the front of the turkey.
The tube is used as the body, so keeping it upright while working makes it easier to judge where the face should go. You do not need to cover the entire tube for this version; the cardboard roll itself provides the main body shape.
Why this step matters
The face will be attached to the upper front of the tube. Choosing the front before adding the facial details helps prevent the eyes, beak, and wattle from ending up on different sides.
If the tube keeps rolling while you work, hold it gently between your fingers or place it on its side temporarily while attaching the small pieces.
Add the Turkey’s Eyes
Glue two googly eyes onto the upper front portion of the cardboard tube.
Leave enough room underneath them for the beak and red wattle. Try to place the eyes at roughly the same height so the turkey has an even facial expression.
If the eyes are uneven
If one eye is noticeably higher than the other and the glue has not dried yet, gently lift it and reposition it. It is much easier to correct the placement before the glue sets.
Make the Beak and Wattle
Use yellow paper to cut a small triangle for the beak.
Then cut a small red teardrop or curved shape for the turkey’s wattle.
Glue the red wattle onto the front of the tube first. Place the yellow beak beside or slightly over the upper portion of the wattle, depending on the look you want.
Why add the wattle first?
The wattle sits underneath the beak in the finished face. Attaching it first makes it easier to position the beak without accidentally covering too much of the red shape.
Keep the paper pieces small enough that they do not spread across the entire front of the tube. The eyes, beak, and wattle should read as one compact face.
Trace and Cut the Handprint Feathers
Choose the colors you want to use for the turkey’s feathers.
Place a hand on the colored paper and trace around it with a pencil. Repeat this with the other colors until you have enough handprints to form a full feather fan.
Carefully cut around each traced handprint.
The fingers become the individual feather tips, so cutting smoothly around them helps the finished turkey look more defined.
A useful cutting check
Do not worry if the handprints are not perfectly identical. Slight differences in size can make the feather fan look more natural. What matters most is that the fingers remain recognizable and the outer edges are cut cleanly enough for the layers to be seen.
If a younger child is making the turkey, an adult can help with tracing or cutting while the child chooses the colors and helps arrange the feathers.
Arrange the Feather Fan Before Gluing
Lay the handprint feathers on the table without glue.
Start with the larger or darker handprints toward the back and place the other colors in front so their fingers remain visible. Overlap the palms slightly to create a fan shape.
Now look at the entire arrangement before attaching anything.
Check the size and color balance
This is the point where you can easily change the turkey’s appearance without having to pull glued pieces apart.
Check whether:
- The handprints spread wide enough to form a feather fan.
- The colors are distributed rather than concentrated on only one side.
- The fingers of each layer remain visible.
- The center is large enough for the cardboard body to cover it later.
If one side looks heavier, move one handprint toward the opposite side. If a smaller handprint is hidden, bring it slightly forward.
Once the arrangement looks balanced, glue the handprints together in the same order.
This simple check helps prevent the common problem of discovering after gluing that several feathers are hidden or the turkey looks tilted to one side.
Secure the Handprint Layers
Begin gluing the handprints where their palms overlap.
You only need to secure the overlapping portions rather than covering the entire paper hand with glue. Too much glue can make the layers harder to reposition and may cause the paper to become wet or curl.
Hold each layer briefly after gluing so it stays in place.
If a feather moves while drying
Do not immediately pull the entire fan apart. Gently slide the loose handprint back into its original position and press the overlapping area together again.
Let the glued layers settle before moving the feather fan.
Bring the Turkey Together
Once the handprint fan is secured, place the cardboard body in the center of the feather arrangement.
The body should cover the middle portions of the handprints while leaving the colorful fingers visible around it.
Glue the body to the center of the feather fan.
Why the body goes in the center
The handprints provide the broad feather display, while the cardboard tube becomes the turkey’s body in front. Centering the tube keeps the feather fan visually balanced and makes the turkey easier to recognize.
Before the glue dries completely, look at the turkey from the front. If the body has shifted too far to one side, gently reposition it while the glue is still workable.
Let the Turkey Dry
Place the finished turkey on a flat surface and allow the glued pieces to dry.
Try not to pick it up repeatedly while the handprint layers are still wet. The overlapping paper can shift if it is handled too soon.
Once the glue has dried, the turkey is ready to sit on a table, shelf, or other suitable display surface.
Easy Ways to Personalize It
The basic handprint turkey can be changed simply by switching the paper colors.
You can:
- Use different combinations of autumn colors.
- Make the handprints all one color for a simpler look.
- Add patterned paper to some of the feathers.
- Write short Thanksgiving or gratitude messages on the handprints.
- Let each child choose their own feather colors and arrangement.
For a group of children, using different color combinations can also make each turkey look distinctly different even though everyone follows the same basic method.
Note: If you face any hurdles in creating this project, then you can watch the tutorial here.
Making It Easier for Younger Children
Younger children can take part in the parts that involve choosing colors, tracing their hands, arranging the feathers, and adding the eyes.
An adult can assist with cutting the handprints and the smaller facial pieces when needed.
The most useful part for children to do themselves is the feather arrangement. They can move the handprints around and decide which colors should appear at the front before the pieces are glued permanently.
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