Thanksgiving is about the little things: spending time together, making memories, and finding reasons to be grateful. Sometimes, the sweetest memories come from the simplest activities!
Whether you are planning a family craft afternoon or a little activity before Thanksgiving dinner, these three easy crafts bring some extra Cuties sweetness to the season. Pick a favorite, gather your supplies, and settle in together. We recommend having a grown-up join the fun to help with scissors, toothpicks, and small decorations.
1. Create a Fruity Little Turkey
A Thanksgiving craft with plenty of personality!
Who knew a Cuties mandarin and a few pieces of fruit could make such an adorable turkey? Let children choose the colors and dream up a name for their creation. For the littlest helpers, the toothpick-free fruit plate below is another fun way to make a colorful turkey.
A Cuties mandarin, colorful fruit feathers, and a little imagination bring this Thanksgiving turkey to life.
What You Will Need
Cuties mandarins, red or green grapes, and blueberries
A small plate
Toothpicks for the standing version
Construction paper for a loose band, eyes, beak, and red wattle, plus scissors and glue
Optional googly eyes instead of paper eyes
How to Make It
Start with the body. Place a clean, dry, unpeeled Cuties mandarin on the plate.
Choose the feathers. Let children suggest a color pattern, then have a grown-up thread grapes and blueberries onto toothpicks.
Build the fan. Have the grown-up tuck the fruit-topped toothpicks into the back of the mandarin, spreading the feathers into a colorful fan.
Give it a face. Attach eyes, a beak, and a red wattle to a loose paper band, keeping glue off the fruit. Slip it around the mandarin, then admire your creation together.
Grown-up note: When it is snack time, have a grown-up remove and check for every toothpick and decoration before serving. For younger children, quarter grapes lengthwise, cut smaller as needed, and cut or flatten round berries. Choose bites that suit their age and development, and enjoy them seated together with a grown-up watching.
A Toothpick-Free Version for Little Helpers
After a grown-up prepares the fruit, children can arrange Cuties segments in the center of a plate and fan the prepared grape and berry pieces around them. Draw a turkey face on a separate place card instead of adding craft pieces to the food. The colorful pattern does the decorating!
Make it extra fun: Let each child give their turkey a silly name, then take a quick family photo of the whole flock.
2. Take a Nature Walk & Make Leaf Turkeys
A little fresh air, a handful of fall leaves, and a whole lot of creativity!
Before the crafting begins, head outside for a family nature walk. Let your little ones collect fallen leaves in different colors, shapes, and sizes. Then bring your treasures home and turn them into adorable Thanksgiving turkeys.
A handful of fall leaves gives each Cuties turkey its own colorful feathers.
What You Will Need
Whole, unpeeled Cuties mandarins
Colorful fallen leaves
Construction paper for a backing, a loose paper band, eyes, and a small orange or yellow beak
Glue or glue dots, plus scissors
Optional googly eyes instead of paper eyes
How to Make It
Go exploring! Take a walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park and look for fallen leaves. Compare their colors and shapes as you go.
Make the feathers. Arrange leaves in a fan on a paper backing and glue them to the paper. Let it dry, then stand it behind a Cuties mandarin.
Add a face. Have a grown-up cut out a beak and eyes, then attach them to a loose paper band around the mandarin. Googly eyes can add a little extra personality for older crafters.
Show off your creation. Arrange your turkey family on a display tray, or add paper name cards to give each one a place at the celebration.
Make it extra fun: Turn the walk into a little scavenger hunt. Who can find the biggest leaf, the smallest leaf, or the most colorful one? There is room for everyone's favorite.
3. Make Gratitude Cuties
A sweet little craft with an even sweeter message.
This Thanksgiving, turn a Cuties mandarin into a thoughtful little gift. Gratitude Cuties give kids a chance to think about the people and moments they are thankful for, then share a little kindness.
Little messages of thanks turn a few Cuties mandarins into thoughtful place-setting surprises.
What You Will Need
Whole, unpeeled Cuties mandarins
Edible food-coloring markers labeled for use on food
A clean, dry towel
Optional paper place cards for messages instead of writing on the peel
How to Make It
Think about gratitude. Ask your child to name someone, a memory, or a small moment they feel thankful for.
Write a sweet message. Pat rinsed mandarins dry, then use the edible markers on the peel, following their package directions. Try "Thankful for Mom," "Love You Grandma," or "You Make Me Smile."
Make it your own. A little heart or smile works beautifully, too. Children who would rather draw on paper can make a place card to set beside the fruit.
Spread the sweetness. Place a message at each seat or give one to a family member or friend. Read the little note together before peeling and enjoying the fruit.
Make it extra fun: Invite anyone who wants to share to read their gratitude message aloud before dinner. A quiet smile counts, too.
Little Crafts, Sweet Memories
You do not need a big plan or a pile of supplies to make Thanksgiving memorable. Just a little imagination, some time together, and a few Cuties! Pick the activity that fits your family, enjoy the small moments, and leave the perfect-looking projects to someone else.
A little prep helps: wash hands and rinse fruit before starting, and keep leaves, glue, and craft supplies separate from snack food. Put small decorations and marker caps out of reach of little ones. Remove paper bands and decorations before peeling; set aside any fruit that gets craft glue on it. The resources below offer more tips for your family.
