Kids Thanksgiving Day Craft Table
Written by Barbara Rucci of Art Bar Blog
In our family, Thanksgivings are massive. I married into a wild and wonderful Italian family where it’s not unusual for fifty (or more) relatives to gather in one place. My kids love getting together with their cousins. Their football games are legendary, as is the amount of apple pie they can eat!
Every year, I set up a Thanksgiving day craft table for anyone who wants to get creative. My idea is always to let the materials invite the kids in, and to have the craft be something that is completely do-able without any adult help (or very little). Oh, and no mess!
Beaded Leaf Necklaces Supplies:
- Pony Beads
- Wooden beads
- Yarn
- Markers (green & pink)
- Watercolor paints
- Brushes
- Glass of water + damp sponge or paper towel
- Leaf template (download HERE)
- Hold punch (1/8”)
- Scotch tape
Directions for making the necklaces:
- Print out the leaf template on watercolor paper. Cut out the circles and punch a hole at the top.
- Cut your strings into 28” pieces. Fold the string in half and push the loop through the hole. Bring the ends through the loop and pull tight.
- I taped the ends of the string like shoelaces to make them easier to string the beads.
The rest of the necklace making is all up to the kids! Some painted, some used markers. Some beaded first, some didn’t bead at all. Some made just one necklace while another made three! That is the beauty of craft like this one. It is open-ended enough to appeal to all ages. It is simple without any frustration.
The Land of Nod markers were a big hit. They have this painterly tip that the kids loved. 
So vibrant and colorful. And fun for every age…even the teens!
Hopefully, at the end of the day, the kids will leave with a little bit of gratefulness in their hearts for the beauty of nature.
Barbara Rucci is passionate about two things: Kids + Art. As a graphic designer and mom to three whippersnappers, she gets to explore her passions every day. Art Bar Blog is a place where she cultivates her love of beautiful things and creative people, and shares simple tips and ideas to bring art and beauty into our everyday lives.