Kids' Easy How to Make Thanksgiving Pine Cone Turkey Place Cards

It is great to participate in large, family-bonding formal holiday meals. This craft idea can help you by engaging the younger members of the family in an activity which contributes to the table decor, and keeps them busy (productively occupied.) Since it can be completed quickly - no glue is involved, therefore there is no drying time - this art activity can be done on the day of the meal by all the youngsters. Older cousins or siblings can lend a helping hand to younger ones.

Furthermore, most households with young children own the supplies, so no great expense will be incurred. In my area, it is easy to get pine cones at Thanksgiving time. If this is not the case for you, an arts and crafts store may carry them. The use of scissors and safety in not ingesting materials may require supervision, but most children who are school age will be just fine working on these place card holders. Furthermore, the great-aunts and grandparents will be absolutely delighted at the creativity and love poured into these turkeys.

Notecards 3 x 5 inches or 4 by 6 inches (or construction paper which is heavy weight cut to that size)

Scissors and a pencil

Playdough (homemade or store-bought) about a walnut-sized amount for each place card holder

Markers, crayons, colored pencils

Pine cones

Take one pine cone and one piece of paper or one notecard. If the note card is lined, turn it to the unlined side. Place the pine cone on it as shown in the photo, so that part of the cone extends beyond the short end. Mark the spot where the other end rests on the paper. Fold the paper there so that the extra paper stands up in the air.

The part of the card flat on the table will eventually have the pine cone attached to it. Not all the paper is needed, so cut off each corner. The result is a triangle base starting from the fold on each side out to the short edge of the paper. See the photo.

The other part of the card will be the turkey tail. Cut it in a scallop shell shape.

On the turkey tail, print the name of a dinner guest.

Then use colored pencils, crayons, markers etc. to color the tail. There are no rules. This is about creativity, not realistic representation.

Next, you apply the playdough or wall tacky material. Roll into a ball smaller than the size of a cherry to stick the back of the pine cone to the paper close to the fold line. Then make a head and neck with the remaining playdough. If you narrow the bottom of the neck into a point, inserting into the pine cone is easier.

That is all there is to the craft. These look equally grand at the adult table and at the kids' table. be sure to take pictures before the meal begins!

Both the children and adults benefit from the bonding of contributing to a family event with the others. It is this sort of activity which forms fond memories for years to come.

Photos and text copyright 2011 Maren E. Morgan, all rights reserved.