thankful feathered turkey

I figured I’d share a good idea.  Cuz, you know, when you’re a Mama, an in-the-trenches-and-I-have-Mama-brain Mommy, sometimes those ideas help you out.  And this idea came to me one night while I was brainstorming another project for my artsy-craft luvin’ kids.  (It kinda helps that Mommy likes to do this stuff too.)

I was trying to come up with an idea that would work on the idea of “thankfulness”.  How do you begin to teach this to a 4 & 2 year old?  We firmly believe that instilling thankfulness and appreciation for things God has given us is a part of worship….and yes, even preschoolers and toddlers can worship God in this way.

So, we made a Thankful Feathered Turkey.  You need to have:

• large styrofoam ball
• ribbon
• craft glue
• heavy paper traced with “feathers”
• popsicle-type sticks
• decoration stuff (glitter, stickers, markers, glue, etc.)
• google eyes
• paper bag

First – spray painted our styrofoam ball.  Not necessary, but we happened to have some fun gold metallic paint.

2 – Gave the kiddos some feathers to begin decorating.  I didn’t cut them out, I let them do that after they dried.  While they did this, I started on the turkey body.

 

3 – Measure ribbon to cover majority of stick.  Double it over the end of the stick.  Place glue on both sides of the stick and fold ribbon over.

4 – make some fun feet…cut four of them.  Place glue along bottom edge and then around outer edges.  Place together over end of “ribboned” leg.  Pinch together and fold up.

 

5 – stick a bit of craft glue on the wooden ends of the legs.  Stick into the turkey so he “sits”.

 

6 – Crumple up a bit of paper bag and place it on the end of a stick.  Attach with tape.  Cover the crumpled bag and smooth around to create the turkey head.  Then tape it around the stick. 7 – Use the ribbon to wrap the top of the “neck” and put craft glue all around the stick as wrapping.

8 – Glue the google eyes on the turkey.  Cut out a square and fold it in half to make a triangle.  Glue onto the turkey head and stick it into the body.

 

And that’s your turkey.

Now, every night when we sit down together at dinner (or at breakfast because Hudson just can’t wait) we add a feather of something we are thankful for.  And it’s working!  He and Anna are coming up with some pretty awesome things!  Here’s what we have so far:

(doggie and teddy)  (Car)  (freedom) (Grandmom, Mom-Mom and Poppy) (food we eat)

I can’t wait to see what will come tomorrow!