Thanksgiving Crafts For Kids Ages 8-12: Inspiring Creativity for the Holiday
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for family, food, and reflection. It’s also a fantastic opportunity for kids aged 8-12 to engage their creativity with festive crafts. Keeping busy hands active and minds engaged can make the holiday even more special.
Finding the right activities for this age group can be a challenge. They are past simple toddler crafts but might not be ready for highly intricate projects. This list focuses on the best Thanksgiving crafts for kids ages 8-12, offering options that are both fun and suitably challenging.
We’ve curated a collection of top Thanksgiving craft kits and supplies available on Amazon. These selections cater to different interests and skill levels, ensuring there’s something for every young crafter. Whether you’re looking for a quick activity or a more involved project, you’ll find great choices here.
From budget-friendly options to more premium craft experiences, this roundup presents a variety of ways to celebrate the season. Each item is chosen for its quality, engagement factor, and ability to inspire holiday cheer. Get ready to explore some truly delightful ways to create lasting memories.
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The Best Thanksgiving Crafts For Kids Ages 8-12
1. Melissa & Doug Decorate-Your-Own Wooden Thanksgiving Turkey
This classic wooden craft kit allows kids to personalize their own Thanksgiving turkey. It includes a sturdy wooden turkey, paint pots, a paintbrush, and glitter glue. It’s an excellent way to encourage artistic expression.
The pre-assembled wooden figure provides a solid base for creativity. Children can experiment with colors and textures to bring their unique vision to life. This craft is perfect for adding a personal touch to your holiday decorations.
It’s a mid-range option that offers great value for hours of creative fun. The finished turkey can serve as a festive centerpiece or a cherished keepsake. This kit is ideal for kids who love painting and decorating.
2. Baker Ross Autumn Leaf Suncatcher Kits
These suncatcher kits bring the beauty of fall leaves indoors. Each kit typically includes multiple leaf-shaped frames and transparent colored paper or cellophane. Kids can cut and glue the materials to create vibrant designs.
Once completed, these suncatchers beautifully catch the light, adding a warm glow to any window. It’s a slightly more intricate craft that helps develop fine motor skills and an understanding of color. The resulting decorations are truly stunning.
This budget-friendly option is great for group activities or a quiet afternoon project. It’s perfect for children who enjoy detailed work and seeing their creations displayed. The finished suncatchers are a top way to celebrate autumn.
3. Klutz Make Your Own Mini Erasers Kit (Food/Fall Themed)
While not exclusively Thanksgiving-themed, many Klutz mini eraser kits include food or fall-related molds and clay. Kids can sculpt tiny turkeys, pumpkins, or autumn leaves from special eraser clay. Then, they bake them to set.
This kit provides a unique creative experience, blending sculpting with a practical outcome. Children love designing their own erasers and showing them off at school. It’s a fun project that yields tangible, usable results.
As a mid-range choice, it offers a distinct crafting adventure. It’s perfect for kids who enjoy hands-on sculpting and creating miniature items. This is one of the best kits for combining fun with functionality.
4. Creativity for Kids Hide & Seek Rock Painting Kit – Gratitude Rocks
This kit encourages kindness and creativity by having kids paint rocks with positive messages or fall designs. It typically includes rocks, weather-resistant paint, brushes, and design transfers. The idea is to hide them for others to find.
For Thanksgiving, children can paint gratitude-themed rocks to leave around the house or neighborhood. It promotes thoughtfulness and artistic expression. This activity is a wonderful way to spread holiday cheer.
This budget-friendly kit is great for encouraging outdoor activity and community engagement. It’s ideal for kids who enjoy painting and sharing positive messages. The act of giving is a core part of the Thanksgiving spirit.
5. DIY Felt Fall Garland Kit
Creating a felt garland is a tactile and rewarding craft project. These kits often include pre-cut felt shapes like leaves, pumpkins, and acorns, along with string and needles (child-safe or blunt). Kids can string them together.
The soft texture of felt makes this a pleasant sensory experience. Children can arrange the shapes in any order they like, practicing design and sequencing. The finished garland makes a beautiful, rustic decoration.
This mid-range kit is perfect for decorating a mantelpiece or doorway for the holiday. It’s a great choice for kids who enjoy sewing-like activities and creating home décor. This is a top pick for festive adornment.
6. Suncatcher Painting Kit with Fall Designs
Similar to the leaf suncatchers, these kits feature specific fall and Thanksgiving designs, such as pumpkins, turkeys, or cornucopias. They typically include clear plastic shapes, special paints, and brushes. Kids paint directly onto the plastic.
The paints are designed to dry translucent, mimicking stained glass when held up to the light. This provides a vibrant and colorful result. It’s an engaging activity that allows for detailed color work.
This budget-friendly craft is excellent for a quiet afternoon activity. It’s perfect for children who enjoy painting and creating decorative items. The finished pieces can brighten any window for the holiday season.
7. Model Magic Clay Kit with Fall Colors
Model Magic is a lightweight, air-dry clay that is easy to sculpt and doesn’t crumble. Kits often come with various colors, including shades suitable for autumn. Kids can sculpt turkeys, pumpkins, fall leaves, or entire Thanksgiving scenes.
This open-ended craft encourages imaginative play and three-dimensional artistic skills. The clay is soft and pliable, making it easy for kids to manipulate. Once dry, their creations are surprisingly durable.
This mid-range option is fantastic for fostering unrestricted creativity. It’s ideal for kids who love to sculpt and bring their ideas to life. The ability to create anything they imagine makes this a best-seller.
8. Scratch Art Thanksgiving Scenes
Scratch art kits reveal vibrant colors or metallic foils beneath a black coating. Thanksgiving-themed kits feature outlines of turkeys, fall leaves, or harvest scenes. Kids use a stylus to scratch away the black surface.
This activity is incredibly satisfying and provides instant gratification as colors emerge. It helps with precision and fine motor control. The finished pieces are bright and festive, perfect for display.
A budget-friendly choice, scratch art is great for keeping kids engaged for extended periods. It’s perfect for children who enjoy detailed work and discovering hidden patterns. These kits are a fun and mess-free option.
9. Make Your Own Gratitude Journal Kit
This thoughtful craft encourages reflection and thankfulness, aligning perfectly with the spirit of Thanksgiving. Kits typically include a blank journal, decorative papers, stickers, pens, and embellishments. Kids can personalize their journal.
Children can write down things they are grateful for each day leading up to Thanksgiving. This promotes mindfulness and appreciation. It’s a meaningful project with a lasting impact.
As a mid-range option, it offers a blend of creativity and personal development. It’s ideal for kids who enjoy writing, journaling, and expressing their thoughts. This is a top way to cultivate a thankful heart.
10. Wood Slice Painting Kit – Fall/Thanksgiving Designs
These kits include natural wood slices, acrylic paints, brushes, and sometimes stencils or design guides. Kids can paint fall landscapes, turkeys, pumpkins, or gratitude messages directly onto the rustic wood.
Painting on wood offers a unique texture and feel compared to paper. The finished pieces have a charming, rustic appeal. They make lovely coasters, ornaments, or small decorative plaques.
This mid-range kit is great for a more “grown-up” crafting experience. It’s perfect for kids who enjoy painting and creating natural-looking décor. The natural elements make these a best choice for fall.
11. Thanksgiving Foam Sticker Scene Kits
For a simpler yet engaging activity, foam sticker scene kits are excellent. They come with background scenes (like a farm or fall forest) and various foam stickers (turkeys, pumpkins, corn, leaves) to populate the scene.
These kits allow for creative storytelling and arrangement without the need for glue or scissors. They are mess-free and easy to set up. Kids can create multiple scenes or one large, detailed tableau.
This budget-friendly option is great for younger kids in the 8-12 range or as a quick activity. It’s ideal for children who enjoy creating scenes and imaginative play. These provide immediate gratification and fun.
12. DIY Friendship Bracelet Making Kit (with Fall Colors)
While not strictly Thanksgiving-themed, a friendship bracelet kit with fall-colored threads can be a wonderful activity. Kids can make bracelets for family members or friends, symbolizing gratitude and connection.
These kits often include various colored threads, beads, and instructions for different knotting techniques. It’s a fantastic way to develop fine motor skills and patience. The finished bracelets are wearable gifts.
As a mid-range choice, it offers a practical craft with a personal touch. It’s perfect for kids who enjoy intricate handiwork and making gifts. This is a top choice for creating thoughtful presents.
13. Paper Plate Turkey Craft Kit
The classic paper plate turkey gets an upgrade with these kits, designed for older kids. They might include pre-cut feathers, googly eyes, glitter, and other embellishments to create more elaborate turkeys.
This craft is versatile, allowing kids to make silly, elegant, or colorful turkeys. It’s a familiar concept with room for personal flair. The simplicity of the paper plate makes it a forgiving medium.
This budget-friendly kit is great for a nostalgic and fun crafting session. It’s ideal for children who enjoy a mix of traditional and creative elements. It remains one of the best simple Thanksgiving crafts for kids ages 8-12.
14. Autumn Leaf Rubbing & Art Kit
This kit brings nature directly into the craft experience. It typically includes various real or imitation leaves, paper, and crayons or art pastels. Kids place paper over the leaves and rub with crayons to capture their textures.
This activity teaches about nature’s patterns and textures while creating beautiful art. Children can then color or embellish their leaf rubbings. It’s a simple yet effective way to appreciate fall.
This budget-friendly option is perfect for an educational and artistic experience. It’s great for kids who enjoy nature and observational drawing. This craft provides a unique sensory exploration.
15. Paint Your Own Ceramic Pumpkin/Turkey
For a more substantial painting project, ceramic painting kits are excellent. They include a bisque ceramic pumpkin or turkey figure, acrylic paints, and brushes. Kids can paint intricate designs or bold colors.
The ceramic surface offers a smooth canvas for detailed artwork. Once painted, these figures make charming, durable decorations. They can be proudly displayed year after year.
This premium craft kit provides a lasting keepsake and a satisfying artistic challenge. It’s ideal for kids who love painting and creating holiday décor. This is a top choice for a memorable craft.
16. DIY Fall Coaster Kit
Creating personalized coasters is a practical and fun craft project. Kits might include blank coaster bases (wood, cork, or ceramic), paints, decorative papers, or mosaic tiles. Kids design their own fall-themed coasters.
The finished coasters can be used on the Thanksgiving table or given as gifts. This craft combines artistic design with a functional outcome. It’s a great way to make something useful.
This mid-range kit is perfect for kids who enjoy crafts with a purpose. It’s a great choice for developing design skills and creating usable items. The best part is seeing them in action.
17. Felt Pumpkin Pie Craft Kit
This adorable kit lets kids create their own no-bake felt pumpkin pie. It typically includes pre-cut felt pieces for the crust, filling, and whipped cream, along with child-safe needles and thread or glue.
The resulting felt pie is soft, cuddly, and makes a charming decoration or pretend play item. It’s a sweet, mess-free craft that evokes the deliciousness of Thanksgiving. It’s a unique take on holiday crafting.
This budget-friendly option is great for a cozy indoor activity. It’s ideal for kids who enjoy soft crafts and making cute, themed items. This is a top pick for a delightful, tactile project.
18. Thanksgiving Centerpiece Craft Kit
These kits focus on creating a decorative centerpiece for the Thanksgiving table. They might include elements like small wooden bases, fall foliage, mini pumpkins, felt figures, and glue. Kids assemble their own festive display.
Creating a centerpiece involves arranging various components, teaching design and balance. The finished product adds a personal touch to the holiday meal. It’s a collaborative project for the whole family.
This mid-range kit is perfect for kids who want to contribute directly to the holiday décor. It’s a great choice for fostering a sense of accomplishment and pride. This is one of the best ways to get involved.
19. DIY Fall Lantern Decorating Kit
These kits usually provide plain paper lanterns or glass jars and decorative elements like fall-themed cutouts, glitter, and glue. Kids can transform them into glowing autumn lanterns.
When a small LED tea light is placed inside, these lanterns cast a warm, inviting glow. This craft combines artistic decoration with a lovely ambient effect. It’s a beautiful way to light up the holiday.
This budget-friendly kit is ideal for creating atmospheric decorations. It’s perfect for children who enjoy working with light and creating decorative items. These make a top addition to any Thanksgiving display.
20. Stained Glass Effect Fall Window Art Kit
These kits include transparent sheets with fall outlines (leaves, pumpkins, turkeys) and special paints that dry to a vibrant, translucent finish. Kids fill in the sections with color, mimicking stained glass.
Once dry, these art pieces can be stuck to windows, allowing sunlight to shine through and illuminate the colors. It’s a mesmerizing craft that yields stunning visual results. This offers a unique artistic experience.
This mid-range option is great for developing precision and color theory. It’s ideal for kids who enjoy painting and creating eye-catching window decorations. This is a best way to capture the beauty of the season.
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Last Words on Thanksgiving Crafts For Kids Ages 8-12
Choosing the right Thanksgiving crafts for kids aged 8-12 can truly enhance their holiday experience. This age group thrives on projects that are engaging, allow for personal expression, and sometimes even result in a useful item. Our curated list offers a wide array of options to spark their creativity.
From the tactile joy of felt crafts and modeling clay to the artistic challenge of painting ceramic figures or suncatchers, there’s something here for every young artist. These crafts not only provide entertainment but also help develop fine motor skills, patience, and a sense of accomplishment.
Whether you’re looking for a quick activity to keep them busy on Thanksgiving day or a project to work on throughout the fall season, these selections are excellent choices. Each product offers unique benefits, from fostering gratitude to creating beautiful home décor.
We encourage you to consider what best suits your child’s interests and skill level. You can’t go wrong with any of these top Thanksgiving crafts for kids ages 8-12. Explore the options, check out current prices and availability on Amazon, and get ready for a season of creativity and thankfulness!
About the Author
I dig until I hit truth, then I write about it. Diane here, covering whatever needs covering. Rock climbing clears my head; competitive Scrabble sharpens it. My engineering background means I actually read the studies I cite. British by birth, Canadian by choice.
