Fun Littles

Fun and easy kids activities

Number Turkey Pumpkin Craft

Oct 20, 201211,599 views
Crafts
Ages3–6 yrs
Prep25 min
Activity45 min
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Paint a mini pumpkin as the turkey's body, then write numbers on paper feathers and wings and attach them with toothpicks. It works as a craft, writing and math activity, and a Thanksgiving centerpiece.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Toothpicks are sharp. An adult helps push them into the pumpkin, as the author did.
  • Adult handles the scissors and stapler.
  • Acrylic paint may not wash out of clothes. Cover the table and dress kids in old clothes or smocks.
  • Toothpicks and staples are small parts. Supervise younger children.

Before the kids arrive

  • Cut out turkey feathers, wings and a head from construction paper for each child.
  • Plan two sessions: the painted pumpkin needs to dry overnight before you assemble the turkey.

Steps

  1. Cover the table, then paint the mini pumpkin in turkey feather colors (or just brown) with acrylic paint.

  2. Let the painted pumpkin dry, then come back to the project the next day.

  3. Trace or write numbers on the feathers (1 to 5) and wings (6 and 7) with markers.

  4. Adult: staple the feathers together into a fan and stick a toothpick on the back.

  5. Glue a toothpick to each wing and set the feathers and wings out to dry for a while.

  6. Color the turkey's eyes and wattle, then glue the head to the front of the pumpkin.

  7. Push the feather and wing toothpicks into the pumpkin, with an adult helping.

  8. Set your number turkey out for display.

Tips

  • Use acrylic paint. Any water-based paint flakes off the pumpkin after it dries, but acrylic sticks on without any trouble.from the author
  • Using markers on colored paper that doubles as turkey feathers and wings suddenly makes writing very exciting.from the author
  • Attaching the feathers and wings isn't hard because you're working with a mini pumpkin.from the author
  • Know your child's attention span and tailor the project to it.from the author
  • Fair warning: from some angles the painted pumpkin looks like a red bell pepper. Daddy asked if we were making one!from the author
  • It's a great way to use leftover pumpkins for Thanksgiving.from readers

Make it your own

  • Paint the body brown instead of in feather colors.
  • Add more feathers, or attach individual feathers directly to the pumpkin.
  • Write letters, sight words or word families instead of numbers.
  • Use it as a centerpiece for the kids' table on Thanksgiving day.
  • Give it as a handmade Thanksgiving gift for teachers or a class.

Questions readers asked

Why did the paint peel off my class's pumpkins?

Any water-based paint flakes off after it dries. Acrylic paint sticks on without any trouble.

Can I use this for more than numbers?

Yes. The author says it can go in many directions, such as letters, sight words and word families.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · October 2012
Number Turkey Pumpkin Craft
We started off with painting the pumpkin, the body of the turkey, in various turkey feather colors. I set out some acrylics with a metallic finish. You could just use brown.
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Number Turkey Pumpkin Craft: the original post

This Thanksgiving craft can double as a turkey craft and a pr school writing and math activity.

  • Mini pumpkin
  • Acrylic Paint
  • Construction paper
  • Glue
  • Tooth picks
  • Markers
  • Turkey printable.

We started off with painting the pumpkin (body of the turkey) in various turkey feather colors. You could use just use brown for the body of the turkey.I set out some acrylics with a metallic finish.

Once we were done, daddy promptly asked if we were making a red bell pepper! My heart sank :l Of course I came back with “Since when do bell peppers have 5 different colors?” To be fair, the pumpkin does look like a bell pepper from this angle.

We let the red bell pepper a.k.a pumpkin to dry and came back to the project the next day. FOR THE TURKEY

For the turkey, I cut out some turkey feathers, body and wings using this printable. It was a good time to encourage my older one to try writing a few numbers. It didn’t need a lot of push because she is going through a “ I want to write letters and numbers all day” phase. Really, it is borderline weird Having said that, I’m sure this play based/ craft based learning will encourage any kid to write. An opportunity to use markers on colored pieces of paper doubling as turkey feathers and wings suddenly makes writing very exciting. I set out the feathers where she traced a few and wrote a few numbers.

While I went inside to get some more toothpicks, she got zealous and wrote some freaky inverted numbers on my workspace. Hurray to budding interest in writing. We stapled the feathers together and stuck a toothpick on the back.

Next, the wings went on the toothpicks and were set out to dry along with the feathers for a while. After she colored the turkey eyes and wattle we glued the head to the pumpkin body.

Attaching the feathers and wings should not be that hard because we are working with a mini pumpkin. I helped Big A push the toothpick into the pumpkin.

Once the feathers, wings and the head is attached, your number turkey is ready for display.

Thoughts It could work as a center piece for your kids table on Thanksgiving day. It could possibly work as a handmade Thanksgiving gift for teachers/class etc. This Thanksgiving craft is just a basic model. You could clearly do more – more feathers, attach individual feathers to the pumpkin. Work with letters, sight words, word families. Knowing your child’s attention span will help you tailor the project for your kid.

Thanks for reading

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What readers say

💬 15 comments ✍️ 3 answered by the author

Answered by the author

“The paint peeled off the pumpkins my class painted. What's the secret to making it stick?” · Pamela Stansberry

Author Any water-based paint flakes off after it dries, but acrylic paint sticks on without any trouble.

🛠️ Troubleshooting

Paint peeling? Use acrylic

A teacher's class-painted Halloween pumpkins peeled. The author explains water-based paint flakes off once dry, while acrylic paint sticks without trouble.

“I painted pumpkins for Halloween with my class-but the paint peeled off.”
Pamela Stansberry, Nov 2012

✨ Readers' twist

Try sight words on the feathers

The author says the activity can go in many directions and plans to use the turkey for sight words instead of numbers.

“I'm thinking of using the turkey for sight words.”
TurkeyMom, Nov 2012

✨ Readers' twist

Reuse leftover Halloween pumpkins

A reader points out the craft is a great way to give leftover pumpkins a second life for Thanksgiving.

“what a great way to use the leftover pumpkins for Thanksgiving”
Beth, Oct 2012

🎉 Worked for us

Motor skills plus math

A reader liked the range of motor skills involved and that kids can play with the finished craft while learning math.

“I love all the different motor skills involved, and crafts you can play with (and learn math) are always the best.”
Lilac @LearnersInBloom, Oct 2012

🎉 Worked for us

Craft, writing and math in one

Another reader loved that the turkey works as a craft, a writing activity and a math activity all at once.

“I love that it triples as a craft, writing and math activity.”
Mud Hut Mama, Nov 2012

Tried it?

Reviewed before it appears. No links, and please no children's names.

Read all 15 comments
  1. Mala · May 2013

    My children love this turkey craft.

  2. Pamela Stansberry · Nov 2012

    I painted pumpkins for Halloween with my class-but the paint peeled off. What is the secret to having the paint stick to the pumpkin?

  3. TurkeyMomAuthor · Nov 2012 · replying to Pamela Stansberry

    Any water based paint flakes off after it dries. But acrylic paint sticks on without any trouble.

  4. TurkeyMomAuthor · Nov 2012 · replying to Mud Hut Mama

    Yeah. This activity can take so many directions. I'm thinking of using the turkey for sight words.

  5. Mud Hut Mama · Nov 2012

    This turkey is so cute and I love that it triples as a craft, writing and math activity. Also thrilled that I finally got on your site!

  6. TurkeyMomAuthor · Oct 2012 · replying to Janis

    Yeah you can extend this activity in many directions.

  7. Christy · Oct 2012

    Thats so cute! Thanks for linking up to tip-toe thru tuesday. I hope we see you back this week.

  8. Beth · Oct 2012

    Very cute! And what a great way to use the leftover pumpkins for Thanksgiving =-) Thanks for linking up to TGIF! Have a GREAT weekend, Beth =-)

  9. Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas · Oct 2012

    so many fun ways to use this - very creative. I am featuring this on this week's Sunday Showcase. Thanks for sharing.

  10. maggy, red ted art · Oct 2012

    Ooh love the combination of turkey and pumpkin craft! Thank you for sharing on Kids Get Crafty! Maggy

  11. Lilac @LearnersInBloom · Oct 2012

    The turkey turned out so cute! I love all the different motor skills involved, and crafts you can play with (and learn math) are always the best. Pinning this and following you on Facebook :)

  12. pinkoddy · Oct 2012

    Oh what a good and unusual way to decorate a pumpkin Visiting via RedTedArt

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