You do not need a big decorating budget to make your Thanksgiving table feel special. In fact, some of the decorations guests remember most are the ones made at the kitchen table a few days before dinner. Give the kids some construction paper, crayons, glue, and a few fall finds from outside, and they can make the centerpiece themselves.
These Thanksgiving centerpieces DIY kids can make are colorful, inexpensive, and easy to fit into a busy holiday week. Some take 15 or 20 minutes. Others can keep a group of children busy for an afternoon. There are silly paper turkeys, mini pumpkin characters, thankful leaves, paper flowers, and a few ideas you probably have not seen at every Thanksgiving table.
Use them on the family table, kids’ table, classroom, or at a larger family gathering. And if the turkey ends up with one enormous eye, just go with it. That is part of the fun.
Why Let Kids Make the Thanksgiving Centerpiece?
Thanksgiving usually gives adults plenty to do. Someone is cooking, someone is setting the table, and someone is probably wondering where the serving spoons disappeared to.
Giving children a centerpiece project gives them their own job. More importantly, it lets them feel like they helped make Thanksgiving happen.
There are some other nice perks:
- Kids get involved in the holiday preparations instead of sitting around waiting for dinner.
- Cutting, coloring, painting, and gluing give them something fun to do.
- Homemade decorations make the table feel like your family’s table.
- Many projects cost very little because they use paper, jars, cardboard, or things from outside.
- Gratitude trees, leaves, and jars give everyone something to talk about during dinner.
- Older children can make more of the project themselves and even help younger siblings.
Don’t worry about making everything match. If three children make three completely different turkeys, put all three on the table. That is much more fun than trying to turn them into identical decorations.
15 Cutest Thanksgiving Centerpieces Kids Can Make
Want to see the ideas before reading all the instructions? Here is the short list.
| 1. Paper Plate Turkey | 2. Handprint Thanksgiving Tree | 3. Mini Pumpkin Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| A silly turkey with colorful paper feathers | A family tree filled with thankful handprints | Mini pumpkins turned into little turkeys |
| 4. Mason Jar Turkey | 5. Thankful Leaves | 6. Pinecone Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| A decorated jar for flowers or treats | Paper leaves filled with thankful notes | A tiny turkey family made from pinecones |
| 7. Paper Flower Bouquet | 8. Turkey Treat Cups | 9. Nature Walk Centerpiece |
|---|---|---|
| A fall bouquet made from paper | Turkey cups filled with snacks | Leaves, pinecones, twigs, and acorns |
| 10. Gratitude Jar | 11. Paper Corn | 12. Painted Fall Leaf Jars |
|---|---|---|
| A jar everyone adds thankful notes to | Colorful paper corn in a basket or bowl | Fall jars for flowers or battery lights |
| 13. Paper Pumpkin Pie | 14. Thanksgiving Place Cards | 15. “What I’m Thankful For” |
|---|---|---|
| Fake pie slices with tiny paper whipped cream | Turkey, pumpkin, leaf, or acorn name cards | One centerpiece everyone contributes to |
Some of these are quick afternoon projects. Others are better saved for the day before Thanksgiving, especially if paint or several layers of glue are involved.
1. Paper Plate Turkey Centerpiece
Difficulty: Easy
Best for: Preschoolers and elementary age kids
Approximate time: 15 to 20 minutes
This is the one I’d pick if you need something easy and inexpensive. You probably already have most of what you need, and kids can make their turkeys as silly as they want.
You’ll need:
- Paper plate
- Construction paper
- Googly eyes
- Glue
- Crayons or markers
- Scissors
How to make it:
- Use the paper plate as the turkey’s body.
- Cut several feather shapes from construction paper.
- Cut a small beak and wattle.
- Add the googly eyes.
- Glue the feathers and face onto the plate.
- Fold a strip of cardboard or paper and attach it to the back so the turkey can stand.
Cute variation: Write each child’s name on one feather. Another option is to write one thing they are thankful for on each feather.
Centerpiece tip: Make two or three turkeys in different sizes and put them on a tray. One small turkey can disappear on a large dining table. A little flock has much more presence.
2. Handprint Thanksgiving Tree
This one is worth making if you like decorations that can come back out year after year.
The tree itself is simple. The sweet part is what goes on it.
You’ll need:
- Brown construction paper
- Red paper
- Orange paper
- Yellow paper
- Green paper
- Glue
- Markers
How to make it:
- Cut a tree trunk and branches from brown paper.
- Trace each child’s hand onto the colored paper.
- Cut out the handprints.
- Give everyone a marker.
- Write one thankful thought on each handprint.
- Glue the handprints around the branches.
You do not have to make a giant tree. A small one sitting in the middle of the table can be just as cute.
Special touch: Leave a few blank handprint leaves beside the centerpiece. During dinner, grandparents, parents, and children can each add one.
Save the tree after Thanksgiving if you have room. Next year, add another set of leaves. It is fun to see how a child’s handwriting and answers change over time.
3. Mini Pumpkin Turkey Centerpiece
Difficulty: Easy
Best for: Preschoolers and elementary age kids
Approximate time: 20 minutes
Mini pumpkins already look like they belong on a Thanksgiving table. Give each one a few feathers and a face, and they become tiny turkey decorations.
You’ll need:
- Mini pumpkins
- Construction paper
- Googly eyes
- Glue
- Craft feathers
How to make it:
- Cut feather shapes from paper or use ready made craft feathers.
- Arrange the feathers behind each pumpkin.
- Glue on the eyes.
- Add a small paper beak and wattle.
- Put the finished pumpkins on a tray.
Pinterest hook: Make a whole turkey family. Give each pumpkin a different feather arrangement or facial expression. One can even be the tiny baby turkey.
If the pumpkins are different sizes, even better. It makes the little family look more natural.
4. Thanksgiving Mason Jar Turkey
An empty pasta sauce or jam jar can get a second life as a turkey vase.
Clean the jar, then let the kids decorate it with paper feathers, eyes, a beak, and a wattle. If you have several children working together, give each one a jar and see how different they turn out.
Use it for:
- Faux flowers
- Fall leaves
- Paper flowers
- Wrapped treats
- Small paper decorations
For a kids’ table, make three or four jars and line them up down the middle.
A note for younger children: Glass jars can be tricky for little hands. A plastic food container or sturdy plastic cup works just as well.
5. Thankful Leaves Centerpiece
This is probably the easiest gratitude activity on the list.
Cut leaves from red, orange, yellow, brown, and green paper. Put markers beside them and ask everyone to write something they are thankful for.
Then arrange the leaves:
- Around a vase
- Inside a jar
- On a tray
- Around a mini pumpkin
- Along the middle of the table
Leave a few blank leaves out for guests who arrive later.
And do not be surprised if the children’s answers are a little random. One person may write “my family.” Another may write “ice cream.” Both are perfectly good answers.
After dinner, read the leaves together. Keep a few favorites in an envelope marked with the year.
6. Pinecone Turkey Centerpiece
If the weather is decent, this project starts with a walk outside.
Collect a few pinecones with the kids, bring them home, and turn them into tiny turkeys.
You’ll need:
- Pinecones
- Construction paper
- Googly eyes
- Glue
- Scissors
How to make it:
- Cut several colorful feather shapes.
- Place the feathers at the back of the pinecone.
- Add two googly eyes.
- Cut a tiny beak and wattle.
- Glue the face onto the front.
- Let the glue dry before moving the turkeys.
Extra idea: Make one turkey for each person at the table. Give the smallest pinecone to the youngest child.
Arrange them in a shallow basket with a few fall leaves underneath.
7. Paper Flower Thanksgiving Bouquet
Paper flowers are a good answer when you want a centerpiece that feels a little more like a traditional bouquet.
Have the kids make flowers in:
- Orange
- Yellow
- Red
- Burgundy
- Brown
- Cream
Layer different flower shapes and attach them to paper stems or craft sticks. Put them in a decorated jar or cup.
Styling tip: Do not make every flower the same size. A few large flowers surrounded by smaller ones will make the bouquet look much fuller.
This is also an easy classroom project. Each child makes one flower, then the whole class bouquet goes into one large container.
8. Turkey Treat Cup Centerpiece
If your kids think a centerpiece should be edible, this one may get the loudest approval.
Decorate small paper cups or containers as turkeys, then fill them with snacks.
Try:
- Popcorn
- Wrapped candy
- Pretzels
- Crackers
- Dry cereal
- Other Thanksgiving snacks
Arrange several cups along the kids’ table.
You can make this a group activity. One child cuts feathers, another adds eyes, and someone else fills the cups once everything is ready.
Keep the snacks covered until it is time to eat, especially if you are preparing them ahead of the meal.
9. Nature Walk Thanksgiving Centerpiece
You can make this centerpiece without buying a single decoration.
Take the kids outside and let them collect safe materials such as:
- Leaves
- Pinecones
- Twigs
- Acorns
Once you get back inside, put the collection on the table and let them arrange it in a basket, bowl, or tray.
Add a mini pumpkin or one of the paper turkeys from this list if you want a little more color.
The nice part is that the centerpiece becomes a two part activity. First comes the walk. Then comes the decorating.
Check everything carefully before it goes on the table. Leave behind anything moldy, sharp, or crawling with insects.
10. Gratitude Jar Centerpiece
A gratitude jar is simple enough for younger kids but meaningful enough for the entire family.
Start with a clean jar. Let the kids decorate it with paper leaves, ribbon, stickers, or washable paint.
Cut small pieces of paper and put them beside it.
During Thanksgiving dinner, everyone writes down something they are thankful for and drops the note into the jar.
After dinner, gather everyone together and read them.
This is one of those activities that can become a yearly tradition without much effort. Put the date on the notes and save them. A few years from now, reading what the children wrote when they were little could be pretty special.
11. Paper Corn Thanksgiving Centerpiece
Paper corn is a nice project for younger children who love coloring but are not quite ready for complicated projects.
Draw or print a simple corn shape. Kids can color it or glue small pieces of paper onto it.
Use shades of:
- Yellow
- Orange
- Red
- Brown
- Green
- Cream
Arrange several pieces in a basket, bowl, or along the middle of the table.
Best for: Younger kids who enjoy cutting, coloring, and gluing.
For toddlers, cut the corn shapes before the activity begins. Then they can do the fun part without needing to handle scissors.
12. Painted Fall Leaf Mason Jars
Plain jars can turn into pretty little fall containers with paint, tissue paper, or stickers.
Let kids decorate them with:
- Paint
- Tissue paper
- Paper leaves
- Fall stickers
- Ribbon
Once everything has dried, use the jars for:
- Faux flowers
- Paper flowers
- Battery operated lights
- Fall leaves
If you are working with very young children, plastic containers are easier to handle than glass.
Safety note: Keep real candles away from paper crafts, tissue paper, cardboard, and painted decorations. Battery operated lights are a safer choice.
13. Paper Pumpkin Pie Centerpiece
Here is a break from the usual turkeys.
Make pretend pumpkin pie slices from cardstock or thick craft paper. Use brown paper for the crust and orange paper for the filling.
Arrange several slices on a decorative plate or tray.
Then add the part kids will probably like best: tiny paper whipped cream.
You can also let each child decorate one slice. Write names on them or make a little sign that says “Pumpkin Pie Shop.”
It is a funny centerpiece, especially if the real pumpkin pie is sitting nearby.
14. Thanksgiving Place Card Centerpiece
Put the kids in charge of the place cards this year.
They can make cards shaped like:
- Turkeys
- Pumpkins
- Leaves
- Acorns
Write each guest’s name on the front and arrange the cards around a pumpkin, vase, gratitude jar, or small floral display.
This gives children a real job before guests arrive. They can count the chairs, match names to seats, and decide where their handmade cards should go.
Bonus: Let guests take the cards home. A little paper turkey with their name on it makes a nice keepsake.
15. “What I’m Thankful For” Centerpiece
If you want one centerpiece that involves everyone, choose this one.
Start with a large base such as a paper tree, turkey, wreath, jar, or leaf garland. Then give each person a paper leaf, feather, or note card.
Everyone writes one thing they are thankful for and adds it to the display.
The kids can decorate the base while adults help put everything together.
By dinner, the centerpiece has a little bit of everyone in it.
Some notes will be heartfelt. Some will make you laugh. A child might write about a sibling, a favorite toy, or mashed potatoes. Keep them all.
Take a photo before dinner and save it with your Thanksgiving pictures. If you repeat the project every year, you will have a lovely record of your family over time.
Thanksgiving Centerpieces Kids Can Make by Age
A three year old and a ten year old can both help with Thanksgiving decorations, but they probably should not be handed the same scissors and instructions.
Choose a project based on how much cutting, gluing, and patience your child has.
Thanksgiving Centerpieces for Toddlers
For toddlers, think big shapes and simple actions.
Good choices include:
- Finger painting
- Stickers
- Large paper shapes
- Handprint crafts
- Simple decorating
- Large paper leaves
Prepare the pieces before they sit down. Let them pick colors, add stickers, press paper onto glue, or make fingerprints.
That is enough. A toddler does not need a ten step project to feel proud of helping.
Thanksgiving Centerpieces for Preschoolers
Preschoolers can handle a few more steps with an adult nearby.
Try:
- Paper turkeys
- Pinecone turkeys
- Painted pumpkins
- Paper leaves
- Simple mason jars
- Paper flowers
Give them one task at a time. Cutting all the feathers can be a project by itself. So can decorating the turkey’s face.
And yes, you may end up with glue everywhere. Put newspaper down first and accept the mess.
Thanksgiving Centerpieces for Older Kids
Older children can take responsibility for the whole project.
Try:
- Gratitude jars
- Nature arrangements
- Mason jar projects
- Detailed paper flowers
- Place card centerpieces
- Paper pumpkin pie
- Large thankful trees
You can even let an older child design the centerpiece. Give them a tray, a few fall colors, and a pile of supplies. See what they come up with.
They may surprise you.
Easy Supplies for DIY Thanksgiving Centerpieces
Before buying anything, check the kitchen cupboards and recycling bin. There is a good chance you already have some of the basics.
Craft supplies
- Construction paper
- Cardstock
- Paper plates
- Mason jars
- Craft sticks
- Googly eyes
- Glue
- Child safe scissors
- Markers
- Crayons
- Paint
- Ribbon
Natural materials
- Leaves
- Pinecones
- Acorns
- Twigs
Seasonal decorations
- Mini pumpkins
- Faux flowers
- Fall leaves
- Small baskets
- Burlap
- Fall stickers
- Paper feathers
Old cardboard is useful too. A cereal box can become a turkey stand, tree trunk, pie slice, or sign.
How to Make Kids’ Thanksgiving Centerpieces Look Beautiful on the Table
A kid made centerpiece does not need to look store bought. The goal is to give the handmade pieces a nice place to sit.
Keep the centerpiece low
Guests should be able to see each other.
Tall decorations in the middle of the table can make conversation awkward, especially when people are passing food around.
Stick with trays, baskets, pumpkins, jars, and low arrangements.
Use a fall color palette
You can give the kids a few colors to work with without telling them every feather has to match.
Try:
- Orange
- Yellow
- Red
- Brown
- Cream
- Burgundy
If someone adds purple or blue, let it happen. This is a children’s centerpiece, not a decorating contest.
Group small projects together
One tiny turkey can look lost on a large table.
Put three turkeys together. Add a couple of pumpkins and some leaves. Suddenly the little pieces look like one finished display.
This works especially well with pinecone turkeys and decorated jars.
Mix handmade and natural pieces
Try placing a kid made turkey beside mini pumpkins, pinecones, and leaves.
Or put paper flowers inside a decorated jar and scatter a few paper leaves around the base.
You do not need to cover the table with decorations. A handful of handmade pieces can be enough.
Add a tray or basket
A tray makes a collection of small decorations look organized.
Put the turkeys, pumpkins, leaves, or jars on one tray and set it in the middle of the table.
There is another benefit too. When dinner is ready, you can lift the entire tray and move it if you need more room for serving dishes.
Budget Friendly Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas
You can spend almost nothing on some of these projects.
Start with recycled jars. Pasta sauce jars, jam jars, and other sturdy containers can become vases or gratitude jars after a good wash.
Look outside for leaves, pinecones, acorns, and twigs. Kids often enjoy collecting the materials as much as they enjoy making the centerpiece.
Save cardboard boxes too. The flat pieces inside cereal boxes and shipping boxes can be cut into trees, turkeys, pie slices, signs, and supports.
Then check your craft supplies. Leftover orange paper from Halloween? Use it for pumpkin pie. A few old stickers? Put them on the mason jars. Half a roll of ribbon? Tie it around the jars.
Shop your home before shopping anywhere else.
If you do buy something, inexpensive baskets, cups, mini pumpkins, and plain containers can be decorated by the children instead of buying finished Thanksgiving decorations.
Tips for Making Thanksgiving Crafts With Kids
Do yourself a favor and prepare the supplies before announcing craft time.
Put newspaper or a washable mat on the table. Fill glue containers if needed. Cut complicated shapes ahead of time for younger children.
Then let them work.
Kids do not need to produce Pinterest worthy decorations. Crooked feathers are fine. Too much glitter is fine. A turkey with five different eye sizes is fine.
Try not to fix every little detail for them. The more ownership they have, the more excited they will be to see their decoration on the Thanksgiving table.
It can also help to give different ages different jobs. Toddlers can stick stickers on paper. Preschoolers can color and glue. Older children can cut, write names, and arrange the finished pieces.
And if paint is involved, start early. Wet paint the morning of Thanksgiving is not a problem you need.
Thanksgiving Centerpiece Safety Tips for Kids
A few basic precautions are enough for most of these projects.
- Supervise scissors and other craft tools.
- Use child safe, non toxic supplies.
- Keep googly eyes, acorns, beads, and other small pieces away from toddlers.
- Watch younger children around glass jars.
- Keep paper decorations away from candles.
- Use battery operated lights instead of open flames.
- Check leaves, pinecones, acorns, and twigs before bringing them indoors.
- Keep decorations away from hot dishes.
- Make sure the centerpiece does not block the view across the table.
If the children are crafting while you are cooking, give them a separate work area away from the stove and hot pans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Thanksgiving centerpiece for kids to make?
If you need something fast, make paper plate turkeys. They require inexpensive supplies and younger children can help with most of the steps.
For something you can repeat every year, I’d choose a thankful tree or gratitude jar. Those projects become more interesting as the kids get older.
How can kids make a Thanksgiving table centerpiece?
Start with simple materials such as paper, leaves, pinecones, pumpkins, or jars. Kids can turn them into turkeys, flowers, thankful leaves, pumpkin decorations, or small fall arrangements.
The easiest approach is to choose one main decoration and add a few smaller pieces around it.
What are easy Thanksgiving crafts for preschoolers?
Handprint trees, paper turkeys, painted pumpkins, paper leaves, and pinecone turkeys are good options.
If scissors are still a struggle, cut the shapes ahead of time and let preschoolers handle the coloring, gluing, and decorating.
How can I make a Thanksgiving centerpiece on a budget?
Start with materials you already own. Recycled jars, cardboard, paper, leftover ribbon, and old craft supplies can become table decorations.
You can also collect leaves and pinecones outside. A small pumpkin or plain basket from an inexpensive store can finish the display without costing much.
What can I use as a DIY Thanksgiving centerpiece?
Try a tray, basket, jar, pumpkin, paper turkey, paper flower bouquet, gratitude jar, or collection of natural materials.
You can also combine several small decorations instead of making one large centerpiece.
How do you make a kid friendly Thanksgiving table?
Keep the centerpiece low so everyone can see across the table. Add kid made place cards and give children a chance to help arrange the decorations.
A gratitude jar or thankful leaf activity can give guests something to do during dinner too.
Make Thanksgiving Extra Special With a Kid Made Centerpiece
The prettiest centerpiece on the table may not be the one you spent the most money on.
It might be the paper turkey with the crooked feathers. It might be the handprint tree where everyone wrote what they were thankful for. It might be a jar covered in stickers that your child insisted had to be right in the middle of the table.
Those little details are what make a family holiday feel like your own.
So pick one project. Put some supplies on the table and make it with the kids. Let them choose the colors. Let them decide where the finished pieces should go. Give them a real part in getting the table ready.
It does not have to be perfect.
Years from now, you probably will not care whether the feathers were straight. You may care quite a lot that your child remembers making that turkey with you.
And that is a pretty good reason to put a kid made centerpiece in the middle of the Thanksgiving table.
Which Thanksgiving centerpiece will your kids make first?