Fun Craft: Multi-Generational Twist On 'Turkey Hand'

Northeastern State University's Dr. Linda Wilson visited News On 6 at Noon with a fun twist on a traditional Thanksgiving craft - the turkey hand. While your family is sharing stories together this holiday, make a multi-generational turkey hand.

Take a moment to trace the hand of everyone in the group.  You can include family friends who are visiting as well.  These hand prints will become the feathers of the turkey.

In future years, the little ones can look back and see how small their hands used to be.  

Supplies needed for this project include the following:

• Glue stick or liquid glue such as Elmer’s Glue
• Scissors
• Colored construction paper or various scrap booking paper
• Pattern for turkey head and waddle (included with this information)
• A 2.5” - 3” circle to trace for the turkey body
• Picture frame to hold this beautiful piece of holiday art

1. Gather fall colors of card stock or construction paper for the back feathers of the turkey. Try using everyone’s favorite color. Use enough different colors for the number of members in your family for a very colorful turkey.

2. Trace everyone’s hands on the card stock or construction paper using a pencil. Use the SAME HAND for each hand print—either all right hands or all left hands.  

3. Carefully cut out each person’s hands.

4. Make the turkey head and wattle by following instructions on Mainly Homemade. You can increase or decrease the size needed to make the turkey. Trace this on a complimentary color of card stock and cut out. Cut a small yellow triangle for the beak.   

5. You will need a 2.5"-3” circle of brown paper for the brown body for the turkey.  You could use a brown paper bag if necessary.

6. Now lay each hand out largest to smallest. Start stacking them with the largest on the bottom and stagger them to make the back feathers of the turkey. Try to do these in birth order of the children in your family.

7. Use a glue stick or liquid glue to attach all the hands together and let dry.  Please in a frame and you have a family heirloom of different generations in your family.