Turkey Handprint Towels and Kid Made Thanksgiving Cards

It’s finally turkey time! Normally, I’m not a fan of handprint art, but these turkey handprint towels are too cute!  They are super easy and festive, and Families LOVE them!   I have some that I get out every year from when my own kids were preschool age.  I know making parent gifts can be a headache, so I’m here to help with tips to make it easy for you!  Plus, I am sharing a kid-made Thanksgiving card idea and FREE Thanksgiving word cards.

Turkey Handprint Towel

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Prep all the things! Make a tray with all your supplies so you can pull it out quickly and not have to search for things. This is handy, too, if it takes you a few days to complete all the students in your classroom.

Needed Supplies:

• White kitchen bar towels 
• acrylic paint
• foam brushes or regular paintbrushes
• sharpie
• cardstock cut in half
• baby wipes
• plate or plastic throw-away cupcake container for paint

Steps to Make the Turkey Handprint Towels

• Write the student’s name on the towel tag.
• Place a half sheet of cardstock inside the towel and fold the towel in thirds.
• Paint the student’s hand with acrylic paint.
• Press the student’s hand on the towel and gently press each finger to ensure the handprint shows up on the towel.
• Have the student wipe their hand with a baby wipe. 
• Paint their finger red and press it on the towel to make the wabble.
• Have the student wipe their hand with a baby wipe again.
• Have the student washes their hands at the sink.
• Go back and paint the parts of the handprint that need to be thicker or where you can see brush strokes.
• Paint a beak, legs, and eyes on the turkey.
• Lay flat somewhere safe to dry.
• Tie a ribbon to the top once it is dry!

My most valuable trick: USE BABY WIPES! After you paint each student’s hand, give them a baby wipe to clean some of the paint off. This way, they are less likely to stain their clothes or anything they bump into while washing their hands.

Thanksgiving Kid-Made Cards

Parents love nothing more than a card MADE BY THE CHILD, even if it is mostly scribbles!  As a mom, those are the cards I look back at and treasure the most!  The day before you make the cards, practice drawing a SIMPLE turkey at circle time or in their fine motor journals.  This way, when they go to make a turkey on the card, they have practiced this drawing already.

I always make it simple, write the words “Happy Thanksgiving” by copying it from the word card in lowercase or uppercase depending on the age of the student, draw a turkey, and write their name on the inside using their name card if needed for extra support.  If you have younger students, you can write the words in yellow, and they can trace it.  Kids may enjoy embellishing their cards with thanksgiving stickers or washi tape to their cards if they mostly scribble.

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What should you do if you have the same students in your class for two years in a row?  During the second year, they are with me; we make acorn handprint towels.  Paint their hand two shades of brown and their fingers together when they print their hand on the towel.
For more turkey ideas, check out these posts!

Want to see how to make the turkey handprint towel in action? Check out the video.

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