How to Make a Handprint/Footprint Turkey

   I just want to start by saying that I did not invent this project. I saw it done somewhere else a long time ago (although I can't remember where) when I was teaching preschool and thought it was a cute project to do with my school kids and son. I am simply sharing it!

   I love to decorate the house for the holidays! Thanksgiving, however, is just one of those holidays that I don't have a whole lot of decorations for. That's why I LOVE stumbling across paper craft projects like this one! You need very little supplies to make it, you don't feel bad about throwing it away after the holiday, and it's easy to make again next year! I'm going to show you how to create a festive construction paper turkey using your child's handprints and footprints. 

Things you will need:

Four different colored sheets of construction paper (I used brown, orange, red, and yellow)
Pencil 
Scissors
Glue stick
Googly eyes (optional)

Directions:

1. To make the feathers, place both of your child's hands on one of the sheets of construction paper and trace around them. Cut both handprints out (I layered the 3 sheets and cut them all at once so that I wouldn't have to retrace his hands on each sheet OR you can use the first handprint and trace it). You will have 6 handprints total when you are done. 

We're only tracing one hand in this picture but you get the idea!

2. To make the body of the turkey, have your child stand on the brown construction paper and trace around both feet. Cut them out.

3. Glue the two footprints together at the heels so that the top part of the body is smaller and the bottom part is larger.

4. Using the orange paper, cut out two feet and a beak. 

5. Use the red paper to cut out a wattle.

6. Glue the feet, beak, wattle and googly eyes onto the body.

7. Glue the handprints on the back of the body, alternating colors so that they look like feathers sticking out. 

Now you have a fancy Thanksgiving turkey to hang in your home or in your classroom!