DIY Thanksgiving Turkey T-shirts
Are you looking for a super fun craft for the holiday? These DIY Thanksgiving Turkey T-shirts are it! Perfect for fine motor skills and preschool learning fun! Messy play has never been more productive.
And once they’re done making their own t-shirts for Thanksgiving, they’ll get to wear them and show off their masterpiece. Talk about a super cute and fun idea!
I love using handprint activities for kids because this shows them that creativity doesn’t have limits!
How do handprint crafts for kids encourage creativity?
Handprint crafts turn something familiar — a child’s hand — into a canvas for endless creativity, helping kids explore self-expression, imagination, and artistic confidence.
Personal Expression:
Every handprint is unique, and kids love turning their own hands into something imaginative. This helps them see how ordinary things can become art.
Open-Ended Thinking:
Handprint crafts don’t have a single “right” outcome. A handprint can become a turkey, a tree, or a superhero — whatever the child imagines!
Sensory Exploration:
Feeling paint, glue, or textured materials helps children explore through touch, which can spark new creative ideas.
Confidence Building:
Seeing their own handprints transformed into something beautiful gives kids pride in their work and encourages them to keep experimenting.
Storytelling Skills:
Many handprint crafts naturally lead to stories — “This handprint is a dragon!” or “These are my ocean waves!” This connection between art and narrative helps imagination.
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Supplies needed:
All you need are a few simple sides to make this turkey t-shirt!
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- fabric paint (make sure that you also get non-toxic paint!)
- paper plates
- paint brushes
- Google eyes (optional)
- white t-shirt
- brown and orange sharpies
- hot glue gun (optional)
Tips for making Handprint Turkey T-shirts with Kids
Making Handprint Turkey T-shirts is more than a holiday craft — it’s a fun, messy memory that doubles as a personalized keepsake kids will be proud to wear.
Choose the Right Shirt:
Pick 100% cotton shirts — they absorb fabric paint evenly and are easy to wash. Light colors (like white or cream) make the turkey colors pop.
Use Fabric Paint, Not Regular Paint:
Fabric paint holds up after washing and won’t crack. Let kids pick the colors for their feathers — classic red, orange, and yellow, or even rainbow hues for a creative twist.
Protect the Shirt:
Place a piece of cardboard or wax paper inside the shirt before painting to keep the paint from bleeding through.
Practice First:
Have kids test their handprints on paper first so they can get the feel for pressing evenly and not wiggling their hands.
Allow Ample Dry Time:
Let the shirt dry flat for at least 24 hours before wearing or washing.
Keep It Fun and Mess-Friendly:
Use an old tablecloth or newspaper, have wipes or a sink nearby, and encourage kids to embrace the mess — that’s part of the creative joy!
More Turkey Crafts and Activities for Kids:
DIY Thanksgiving Turkey T-Shirt
Materials
- fabric paint non toxic
- Paper plate
- Paint brushes
- White T-shirt
- Google eyes optional
- Sharpie black and orange
- Hot glue gun optional
Instructions
- We started with white shirts we already owned, but many people recommend washing your shirt first. Lay the shirt out as flat as you can on the table, with some kind of newspaper or cardboard in between the front and the back (I always forget this part!).
- Pour some paints (red, orange, yellow, brown) onto a paper plate. I used acrylic paint, but I should mention that I don't know anything about paint! It seemed to work fine for us last year, so we'll stick with it. Of course, I ran out of paper plates, so I had to use a paper towel on a regular plate. Not the most effective method!!
- Using the brush, paint your child's palm brown and each finger a different color.
- Have them press firmly onto the t-shirt. You can do one or two turkeys.
- Once the paint is dry, hot glue a googly eye onto his head.
- You can also draw little embellishments like feet, beak (with the orange Sharpie), or extra hair/feathers.
- If you do add embellishments, let it all dry before wearing.
