Today we are learning to make an origami turkey! This origami turkey is not only cute, but also doubles as a Thanksgiving craft. Kids of all ages are going to love making their very own origami turkey. Whether you keep them for yourself or use the paper turkeys as decorations, these origami turkeys are the perfect Thanksgiving craft, and they’re budget-friendly. Make these origami turkeys at home or in the classroom!

Origami Turkey

Let’s make an origami turkey that is just so much fun and simply perfect for the holiday season. If you are looking for Thanksgiving crafts that are simple enough for younger kids and entertaining enough for older kids, this great craft is just what you need!

These cute little turkeys are great for kids of all ages. Young artists will enhance their fine motor skills, older children will be able to work on a great project that puts their skills to the test, while adults will relax after days (or weeks) of meal prep for the festivities!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Supplies needed to make an origami turkey

• a piece of paper
• glue

Instructions to make an origami turkey

Step 1:

Put the square paper you’ll use for your origami turkey craft. Fold the paper in half and then unfold it to create a crease along the middle of the paper.

Step 2:

Fold both sides inward. Make sure the edges are aligned with the middle crease. 

Step 3:

Fold the top corners inward, as seen in the photos. Align the top of the paper with the middle crease.

Step 4:

Fold the top diagonal sides inward by aligning them with the middle crease.

Step 5:

Flip your turkey craft to the other side.

Step 6:

Fold the paper in half, with the pointy part pointing to the square bottom.

Step 7:

Unfold the last fold to create the crease.

Step 8:

Create accordion folds along the square part of the paper, and stop at the creased line.

Step 9:

Let’s make our origami turkey’s beak. Hold the pattern and make a small fold on the pointy side.

Step 10:

Fold the rest of the triangular part in half.

Step 11:

Flip the pattern to the other side.

Step 12:

Take the bottom part of the triangular section and fold it in half. 

Step 13:

Your turkey should look something like this.

Step 14:

Now get your glue stick. Apply glue along the bottom side of the accordion-folded part. Fold the pattern in half backward by folding the open end and joining the 2 halves together.

Step 15:

Hold the outer edge of the accordion-folded part and draw it upwards while holding the rest of the pattern firmly.

Step 16:

Open up the accordion-folded part to create the turkey’s fanned tail feathers with a simple fan design. 

Step 17:

Hold the accordion-folded part with a clip while it dries.

And now your turkey is all done! Where are you going to put it?

Finished Origami Turkey Craft

Your origami turkeys are done! They’re such easy crafts but look so cute, especially when you find the right place for them. I think they look especially good if you put them next to some cute pumpkins and acorns for that Autumn feel.

Cute Thanksgiving Origami Turkey Craft Idea

We love fun thanksgiving activities that keep the kids busy while adults prepare the big meal. We know how stressful it can be to have restless children looking for fun activities to do, but everyone is busy doing something in the kitchen!

That’s when this wonderful craft comes in handy. It’s a wonderful way to keep the little kids’ hands occupied, creating a great family bonding experience, and you don’t need to do a lot of prep.

In fact, the best part about these Thanksgiving turkey crafts is that you don’t need a lot of supplies; all you need is a piece of paper – extra points if it’s origami paper.

And besides being one of our favorite DIY projects for Turkey day, this fun craft is also a great table decoration for Thanksgiving dinner. You can make one or as many as you want and fill the Thanksgiving table *giggles* Talk about inexpensive, great decorations!

Related: Make a cute origami owl! It’s easy!

Our experience making origami turkey

Honestly, my little helpers and I had a great time making this gobble gobble craft. We used an all-brown paper, and it turned out pretty adorable! I think it’s the perfect origami project to do with whatever paper you have at hand.

However, the kids came up with some great ideas that I’m sure we’ll try next time, and it was using patterned paper for some extra colorfulness. You could try construction paper too, but it may be a bit harder to work with if you have younger children.

Another idea is adding googly eyes if you want to add more cuteness and goofiness to the dinner table. If you feel like your turkey craft keeps falling over one side, you can lean it next to other decorations.

Related: More Thanksgiving crafts

Want more Thanksgiving ideas? Try these from Kids Activities Blog:

We have great things to do to celebrate Thanksgiving with kids of all ages:

• Over 30 Thanksgiving activities for toddlers! So many Thanksgiving activities to do with your kids! These toddler Thanksgiving activities will keep the little ones ages 2-3 so busy having fun.
• More than 30 Thanksgiving Activities and Crafts for 4 Year Olds! Preschool Thanksgiving crafts have never been easier to set up.
• 40 Thanksgiving Activities and Crafts for 5 Year Olds and Up…
• 75+ Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids…so many fun things to make together around the Thanksgiving holiday.
• These free Thanksgiving printables are more than just coloring pages and worksheets!
• This thankful turkey is a great Thanksgiving craft!

What did you think of this origami turkey? Was it easy to do? Let us know in the comments!