10 Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes and Crafts — The Baby Cubby

With Thanksgiving next week, we know you and the family are about to be very busy, whether you’re hosting, traveling, or cooking up a storm. It can be fun to fit in some cute Thanksgiving crafts and delicious recipes to make with the kids. They will never shut down a turkey craft, and they’ll be glad they have a side dish rather than grandma’s stuffing. If there are less tears at the dinner table then it would be a win, am I right? So let me share with you some fun Thanksgiving-inspired ideas to make your kids’ fall holiday a blast! 

Turkey Pizza 

This is an easy one to make. You can either make it a size for the family or you can buy small individual size pizza pans so each kid can have their own.

Ingredients:

• Ready-to-use pizza dough
• Pepperoni
• Black olives
• Mozzarella cheese
• Pizza sauce
• Bell peppers
• 1 slice of salami

Creating your pizza is very easy!

1. Shape the dough to your desired size. 

2. Add the sauce and cheese.

3. Now let your little one start creating their turkey. Use the slice of salami as the turkey’s main body and use pepperonis placed in an upside-down “U” to form layers of feather.

4. Place the bell peppers above the pepperoni to outline the feathers. Cut a slice for beak and legs.

5. Use olives for the eyes and you’ve got your turkey!

6. Bake for 8-15 minutes on 400 degrees

Mac-n-Cheese Bites





Ingredients:

• 1 box of your favorite macaroni & cheese (or a homemade version)
• 1-1/2 cup of crushed Ritz Crackers (one sleeve will do)
• Muffin liners and muffin tin

1. Preheat your oven to 350.

2. Cook your macaroni and cheese.

3. Line muffin tin with muffin liners.

4. Pour cooked mac ‘n cheese into each muffin cup and sprinkle the top with crushed Ritz crackers.

5. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.

6. Let cool.

(recipe adapted from here)

Turkey Nutter Butter Cookies



Ingredients:

• Nutter Butter cookies
• Mini Nutter Butters
• Candy corn
• Candy eyes
• 1 Cup of dark chocolate melting chips or frosting

1. Start by melting your chocolate chips either in a microwave or over a double boiler. Stir every 15 or 30 seconds to keep from burning.

2. Dip your large Nutter Butter halfway into the melted chocolate and position the Mini Nutter Butter onto the bottom half as the turkey’s head. You can also use a dab of frosting to attach the head.

3. Add candy corn feathers to the top half of the large Nutter Butter using melted chocolate or frosting.

4. Cut off the yellow and white parts off from a piece of candy corn and use the remaining orange bit as a beak. Attach with chocolate or frosting.

5. Add the eyes, and there you have it–a sweet turkey treat!

(Recipe from here)

Cheesy Corn 



Ingredients:

• Frozen or canned corn
• 1 cup Pepper Jack cheese (optional)
• 1 cup Colby Jack cheese
• 4 ounces cream cheese (cubed)
• 2 Tbsp butter 

(You can use really any kind of cheese, but my favorites are the Elote spread of cheese like Cotija Cheese or even Mozzarella.)

1. Prepare your corn either by draining your canned corn or cooking your frozen corn.

2. Heat butter on stovetop.

3. Once it is melted, add your corn in, making sure that heat is on low-medium.

4. Next add in all your cheese and mix.

5. Cover and check every 10 minutes until the cheese is nice and melted.

6. Flavor with salt and pepper to taste, and you’re done!

(Recipe from SimpleParent.com)

Raspberry Pretzel Bars 



Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of lightly crushed pretzels
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 6 oz. package raspberryJell-O
• 8 oz. thawed Cool Whip
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups frozen raspberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter in a large zip lock bag.

3. Pour in a greased 9 x 13 pan and press mixture down to form the crust.

4. Bake crust for 12 minutes and let cool.

5. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, lemon juice, and ½ cup sugar until smooth and fluffy.

6. Fold in Cool Whip and spread cream mixture over cooled pretzel crust, making sure to go to the edges to seal.

7. Make the Jell-O and once the mix is totally dissolved, add in your raspberries.

8. Pour Jell-O mixture over cream cheese layer and place into the fridge until Jell-O is set, about 2-4 hours.

Enjoy!

(recipe by Iwashyoudry)

Thankful Tree

Supplies:

• Brown, yellow, red, orange cardstock 
• Black marker
• Glue stick

1. Start by cutting a variety of different colored leaves from your cardstock. Also cut tree branches and a tree trunk.

2. Ask your kids what they are thankful for. It’s adorable hearing their answers. You can even include some of yours or other family members’ on there. Write each answer on a paper leaf.

3. Once you’ve filled those out, glue on your tree branches and add all your leaves

4. Wait to dry then hang up. It’s fun to reflect on this one!

Turkey Paper Headband



 

Supplies:

• White, brown, red, black, and orange construction paper
• Glue stick
• Stapler
• Ruler or measuring tape (optional)

1. Cut out your turkey’s feathers, beak, eyes, and wattle.

2. Measure your child’s head and cut a head piece.

3. Glue feather pieces to the back inside part of the headpiece.

4. Now it’s time to work on the face. Glue the white of the eyes to the front of the headpiece. Next, glue the turkey’s black pupil onto the white eye.

5. Glue the wattle behind the beak piece then glue the beak piece slightly under the eyes.

6. Staple the headpiece into a loop and let it dry.

Your kids will love their adorable turkey crown!

Pilgrim Hats

Supplies:

OR

• Black, White, Yellow Construction Paper
• Glue

1. If you make the Pilgrim hat using the downloadable printable, cut out the pieces.

2. For the hat, you can either color in the traditional colors or let your kids’ imagination soar by choosing whatever colors they want.

3. Glue or staple the bands to the sides of the hat. Measure the hat around your child’s head before attaching the ends together on the back.

4. For the Pilgrim Bonnet, trim out the top of the page and cut through the vertical lines on the bottom.

5. Fold up the top edge to create a brim.

6. Fold the bottom corners inward and secure them with glue or tape. Then, fold down the back flap and secure it as well.

7. If you’re hand-making the hat with construction paper, just cut a long strip for the band, then cut out the hat piece and the buckle. First glue down the hat piece onto the strip that will go around their head, and then add your buckle and that’s it!

Indian Corn Craft

Supplies:

• Colorful cereal (Cheerios, Fruity Pebbles, or Fruit Loops)
• Green and yellow construction paper
• Liquid glue

1. Cut out yellow oval-shaped corn pieces and then cut out two green corn husks.

2. Glue your corn husks to the back of the corn piece.

3. Glue cereal pieces onto their corn paper piece; let dry for a couple of hours and viola, it’s done!

Turkey Paper Bag



Supplies:

• Brown paper bag
• Googly eyes
• Red, orange, white, and yellow (or whatever colors you want) construction paper
• Glue stick

1. Cut out your turkey’s feathers, beak, feet, and your turkey’s wattle.

2. It’s time to start gluing! Turn the bag upside down so that the bottom is facing up. Lay flat. Glue your feathers to the back top of the bag.

3. Turn over and glue on your googly eyes, beak, and place their wattle piece behind their peak.

Let dry and you’ve got the cutest turkey!



No need to worry about keeping the kids entertained or making sure they enjoy thanksgiving dinner! These ideas are easy to make for your child. No matter what craft or kid-friendly food you make, they will love it and have a blast either showing off their masterpiece or their tummies will be happy with the delicious recipe you made!

We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Soak in these days with the family, and be sure to share below what crafts or treats your kids have loved making!