Handprint Gifts: 2 Thanksgiving Handprint Crafts and 2 Poems

Handprint craft gifts are fun to receive each year, even on each holiday, because it reminds us how small they are and also how quickly our grandchildren grow. Our Emily gave this attractive turkey handprint and poem craft to us last Thanksgiving. This is how she made it: Using sheet of red construction paper or cardstock, trace your child’s hand. Trace her hand two more times using different colors to add colorful feathers on the tail. Cut these out and glue together. Next, cut out a brown circle the size of your child’s palm and glue onto the base of the feathers for the turkey’s body. Add a smaller brown circle for the head as shown in the photo. Next decorate the turkey’s face using googly eyes, an orange beak, and a red wattle. (The male turkey has a red fleshy wattle hanging from its neck and a red-pink growth on its head called a carbuncle.) Glue the turkey handprint craft to an 8 x 10-1/2 inch sheet of construction paper (as shown) and place the poem either at the front or the back. (Half the poem can be placed on the left and the other half on the right.) To preserve the Thanksgiving Turkey handprint poem gift craft, either laminate it or insert it into a frame.

Another turkey handprint you may like to make with your child or grandchild is this version from DLT-kids.com (from their site, you can print templates for this adorable turkey):

Materials:

• paper (for handprints) – brown or orange construction paper works well
• pencil or marker
• scissors
• glue
• printer and paper
• something to color with

Instructions:

1. Print out the template of choice.
2. Color the template pieces (if using the B&W version)
3. Cut out the template pieces (young children may need help with this step)
4. Trace the child’s hands on another piece of paper and cut out (two handprints) — brown construction paper works well (or you can color a piece of white paper)
5. Glue the turkey together:

• Glue the head (circle) to the body (teardrop shape)
• Glue the face onto the head
• Glue the tuft of feathers to the top of the head.
• Glue the handprint wings on the back of the body
• Glue the tail to the back of the body
• Glue the feet onto the bottom of the body
• Glue the flower on a wing or beside the neck

Thanksgiving Handprint Poems

Thanksgiving Handprint Poem

This isn’t just a turkey
As everyone can see,
I made it with my hand
Which is part of me.

It comes with lots of love
Especially to say,
I hope that your
Thanksgiving Holiday
has been a lot of fun.

Love,

Thanksgiving Answer

In school today,
We had to think
Of what we’re thankful for.

And for a kid
As small as me,
That was quite a chore.

I scrunched my eyes.
I thought real hard.
I stared down at my shoe.

And then I thought,
“Oh, wait! I know,
What I’m thankful for is
YOU!”

Love,

Author: Jamie Stogner