Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for celebration, reflection, and, of course, creativity! For middle school students, finding engaging activities that strike the right balance between fun and a meaningful challenge can sometimes be tricky. This curated list focuses on the best Thanksgiving crafts for middle school students, offering a fantastic array of projects.
Whether they’re looking to decorate the home, create thoughtful gifts, or simply enjoy a relaxing artistic endeavor, there’s something here for every interest and skill level. We’ve gathered some top options that are perfect for individual exploration or group activities. From budget-friendly choices to more elaborate kits, these crafts are designed to spark imagination and add a special touch to the holiday season.
These Thanksgiving crafts for middle school students present multiple great options without forcing readers toward a single choice. Each product offers unique features and benefits, ensuring you can find the ideal project for your needs.
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1. DIY Fall Leaves String Art Kit
This beautiful kit allows students to create stunning string art featuring autumnal leaf designs. It typically includes a pre-drilled wooden board, colorful strings, and easy-to-follow instructions. It’s a fantastic way to blend art and geometry.
This project is great for developing fine motor skills and patience, resulting in a lovely piece of fall decor. It’s perfect for students who enjoy detailed work and want to create something decorative for their home. This is a mid-range option. The standout feature is the unique blend of crafting and artistic display.
2. Gratitude Jar Craft Kit
Encourage thankfulness with a DIY gratitude jar kit, a popular choice among Thanksgiving crafts for middle school students. These kits usually come with a glass jar, decorative elements, and slips of paper for writing down blessings. It’s a thoughtful and reflective project.
This craft helps students focus on positivity and appreciation during the holiday season. It’s ideal for those who prefer a more meaningful and less intricate artistic endeavor. This is typically a budget-friendly option. Its key benefit is fostering a spirit of gratitude.
3. Stained Glass Fall Suncatcher Kit
Create vibrant suncatchers with a kit designed to mimic the look of stained glass. Students use special paints or adhesive films on clear acrylic shapes, often featuring pumpkins, leaves, or turkeys. The finished pieces catch the light beautifully.
This kit is awesome for adding a splash of color to any window, celebrating the autumn hues. It’s perfect for students who enjoy painting and seeing their art transform with light. This is a mid-range craft. The stunning visual effect when light shines through is its main appeal.
4. Clay Handprint Keepsake Kit
Capture memories with a clay handprint kit, making a lasting impression of gratitude. These kits typically include air-dry clay, a shaping tool, and often paint for decoration. Students can press their hand into the clay and then personalize it.
It’s a wonderful way to create a personal keepsake or a heartfelt gift for family members. This craft is ideal for students who enjoy hands-on tactile experiences. This is a budget-friendly choice. Its standout feature is creating a tangible, personal memory.
5. Wooden Turkey Decorating Kit
These kits provide pre-cut wooden turkey shapes, along with paints, brushes, and various embellishments like feathers, googly eyes, and glitter. Students can personalize their turkey to create a unique decorative piece. It’s a classic among Thanksgiving crafts for middle school students.
This is a fun and straightforward project that allows for a lot of creative expression. It’s perfect for students who enjoy painting and assembling, wanting a festive item for their Thanksgiving table. This is a budget-friendly option. The ability to customize a traditional symbol is a key benefit.
6. Fall-Themed Tie-Dye Kit
While not traditionally a “Thanksgiving” item, a tie-dye kit with fall colors (oranges, browns, yellows, deep reds) can create unique apparel or fabric decor. Kits include dyes, rubber bands, and gloves, often with instructions for various patterns.
This kit is great for students who love bold colors and unique fashion or home accessories. It’s perfect for creating custom T-shirts, tote bags, or even table runners for the holiday. This is a mid-range price point. The vibrant, one-of-a-kind results are its primary appeal.
7. DIY Autumn Wreath Kit
Assemble a beautiful wreath using a kit that provides a base, artificial leaves, berries, small pumpkins, and ribbons. Students can arrange these elements to create a welcoming door decoration. It’s a great way to celebrate the season.
This craft is excellent for developing an eye for design and arrangement, resulting in a charming piece of home decor. It’s ideal for students who enjoy creating items for display. This is a mid-range to premium option. Its standout feature is creating a festive welcome.
8. Pumpkin Painting Kit with Stencils
A pumpkin painting kit often includes various paints, brushes, and stencils with fall or Thanksgiving designs. Students can use real or faux pumpkins as their canvas, transforming them into festive decorations. This is a less messy alternative to carving.
This kit is awesome for those who love traditional pumpkin decorating but prefer painting over carving. It’s perfect for students wanting to add a personalized touch to their holiday display. This is a budget-friendly option. The ease of creating intricate designs with stencils is a major plus.
9. Beaded Cornucopia Ornament Kit
These kits typically provide wire frames or pipe cleaners, along with various beads in fall colors. Students string the beads onto the frame to create miniature cornucopia ornaments. These can be hung on a tree or used as small table decorations.
This is a delicate and satisfying craft, resulting in charming, sparkling ornaments. It’s perfect for students who enjoy intricate work and creating small, detailed pieces. This is a budget-friendly choice. The creation of a traditional symbol in a new medium is its unique appeal.
10. DIY Wooden Coaster Painting Kit
Personalize wooden coasters with fall-themed designs using a painting kit. These often include plain wooden coasters, paints, brushes, and sometimes stencils or sealant. Students can create a set of functional art pieces for their home.
This kit is great for combining artistic expression with practicality, making useful items for the Thanksgiving table. It’s ideal for students who enjoy painting and want to create something that can be used daily. This is a budget to mid-range craft. The blend of art and utility is its key benefit.
11. Thanksgiving Scratch Art Kit
Scratch art kits reveal vibrant colors or metallic foils beneath a black coating when scratched with a stylus. Thanksgiving-themed kits might include shapes like turkeys, leaves, or pumpkins. It’s a simple yet captivating artistic activity.
This craft is awesome for instant gratification and creating colorful, striking images without needing traditional art skills. It’s perfect for students who enjoy a unique artistic medium. This is a budget-friendly option. The surprising reveal of colors is its standout feature.
12. Felt Autumn Banner Kit
Create a festive banner with pre-cut felt shapes like leaves, acorns, and letters that spell “Grateful” or “Happy Thanksgiving.” Kits usually include felt pieces, string, and adhesive or sewing supplies. It’s a lovely decorative item.
This kit is great for students who enjoy assembling and creating decorative pieces for their home or classroom. It’s perfect for adding a cozy, handmade touch to holiday decor. This is a budget to mid-range choice. The soft texture and customizable message are its main appeal.
13. Macrame Feather Wall Hanging Kit
A macrame kit focused on creating feather or leaf shapes in natural or fall-inspired colors. These kits typically include macrame cord, a dowel or branch, and instructions. It’s a trendy craft that can add a bohemian touch to decor.
This craft is excellent for students interested in textile arts and creating stylish, modern decor. It’s perfect for those who enjoy learning new knotting techniques. This is a mid-range option. The modern aesthetic and tactile experience are its standout features.
14. “Thankful Tree” Craft Kit
A “Thankful Tree” kit often includes a small wooden tree or branches, paper leaf cutouts, and pens. Students write things they are thankful for on the leaves and hang them on the tree. It’s a beautiful centerpiece for reflection.
This craft helps foster an attitude of gratitude and provides a visual reminder of blessings. It’s ideal for thoughtful students and can be a wonderful family activity. This is a budget to mid-range choice. Its primary benefit is promoting thankfulness.
15. DIY Fall Terrarium Kit
Create a mini autumnal world inside a glass container with a terrarium kit. These kits might include a glass vessel, small decorative elements like faux moss, tiny pumpkins, acorns, and perhaps small artificial plants. It’s a charming display.
This kit is great for students who enjoy creating miniature scenes and appreciating natural elements. It’s perfect for adding a touch of nature-inspired decor to any space. This is a mid-range option. The ability to design a self-contained, serene scene is its key appeal.
16. Paper Quilling Fall Art Kit
Paper quilling involves rolling and shaping thin strips of paper to create intricate designs. A fall-themed kit might include paper strips in autumnal colors, a quilling tool, and patterns for leaves, pumpkins, or flowers. It’s a delicate and rewarding art form.
This craft is awesome for developing precision and patience, resulting in beautiful, textured artwork. It’s ideal for students who enjoy detailed, meditative crafting. This is a budget-friendly choice. The creation of intricate 3D designs from simple paper strips is its standout feature.
17. DIY Scented Pinecone Decorating Kit
Collect pinecones (or use provided ones) and decorate them with paints, glitter, and fall-themed embellishments. Kits often include scented oils or sprays to give them a festive aroma. These make lovely bowl fillers or mantel decor.
This kit is great for engaging multiple senses and creating natural, aromatic decorations. It’s perfect for students who enjoy working with natural elements and creating cozy ambiance. This is a budget-friendly option. The combination of visual appeal and pleasant fragrance is its main benefit.
18. Mosaic Tile Trivet Kit (Fall Colors)
Create a functional and artistic trivet using small mosaic tiles in warm fall colors. Kits typically include a base, tiles, adhesive, and grout. Students arrange the tiles to form a pattern or image, then finish with grout. It’s a lasting piece of art.
This craft is excellent for students who enjoy working with textures and creating durable, useful items. It’s perfect for making a unique gift or a decorative piece for the kitchen. This is a mid-range option. The blend of artistry and practicality makes it a top choice.
19. Watercolor Fall Landscape Painting Kit
A watercolor kit specifically curated for painting autumn scenes. It often includes watercolor paints, brushes, watercolor paper, and sometimes outlines or tutorials for fall landscapes, trees, or harvest scenes. It’s a classic art form.
This kit is great for students looking to explore traditional painting techniques and capture the beauty of the season. It’s perfect for those who enjoy artistic expression on paper. This is a mid-range option. The vibrant and fluid nature of watercolors is its primary appeal.
20. DIY Thanksgiving Centerpiece Kit
These kits provide all the components needed to assemble a beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece, such as a small wooden box or tray, faux flowers, leaves, mini pumpkins, candles, and decorative filler. Students arrange the items to create a focal point for their table.
This craft is awesome for developing an eye for arrangement and creating a professional-looking decoration. It’s perfect for students who want to contribute to the holiday decor in a significant way. This is a premium option. The creation of a stunning, cohesive centerpiece is its key benefit.
21. Polymer Clay Fall Charms Kit
Work with colorful polymer clay to sculpt miniature fall-themed charms, such as tiny pumpkins, acorns, leaves, or even turkeys. Kits include various clay colors, sculpting tools, and sometimes findings to turn them into jewelry or keychains.
This kit is great for students who enjoy sculpting and creating small, detailed objects. It’s perfect for making personalized accessories or small gifts for friends and family. This is a budget to mid-range choice. The ability to create intricate, durable miniature art is its standout feature.
22. Autumn Leaf Rubbing Art Kit
While simple, a leaf rubbing kit can be incredibly artistic. It might include various real or faux leaves, different colored crayons or pastels, and paper. Students place leaves under paper and rub crayons over them to capture their textures.
This craft is fantastic for exploring natural patterns and creating beautiful, textured artwork. It’s perfect for students who appreciate nature and enjoy simple, effective art techniques. This is a very budget-friendly option. The discovery of intricate leaf patterns is its main appeal.
23. Thanksgiving Cookie Decorating Kit
Although not a traditional craft in the artistic sense, decorating cookies is a culinary art form! A kit typically includes plain turkey or leaf-shaped cookies, various colors of icing, and sprinkles. It’s a delicious and fun activity.
This kit is awesome for students who enjoy edible crafts and sharing their creations. It’s perfect for a festive group activity that culminates in a tasty treat. This is a mid-range option. The dual benefit of crafting and eating is its unique charm.
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Last Words
Choosing the right Thanksgiving crafts for middle school students can truly enhance their holiday experience. This selection offers a diverse range of options, ensuring there’s a perfect project for every personality and preference. From engaging art kits that foster creativity to reflective projects that encourage gratitude, each item provides a unique opportunity for fun and learning.
You can’t go wrong with any of these top choices, as they all promise an enjoyable and rewarding crafting session. Consider what kind of activity best suits the student’s interests – whether they love painting, building, or expressing thankfulness. Taking the time to research these great options will lead to a perfect match. We encourage you to explore these fantastic Thanksgiving crafts for middle school students further on Amazon to check current prices and availability.
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.
