Little ones can lend a hand in making place cards for your Thanksgiving's dinner table with this easy paper craft.
Heavyweight letter-sized or card stock paper
Pencils
Safety scissors
Colored markers
Glitter glue pens (red, green, or gold) , optional
Crayons
Step 1
Pass out paper and a pencil to each child. Have them place one hand down on the page with their fingers spread widely apart. Show them how to slowly outline the shape of their spread hand, tracing between each finger. Tracing should begin and end just below the wrist joint. This extra piece will be the stand. Keep repeating this step until you have as many name cards as you will need.
To ensure a sturdy card, use the heaviest stock paper you can find. It should be thin enough to cut with safety scissors, but rigid enough to stand on its own when folded.
Step 2
Make a medium-sized rectangle in the center of the body (or palm); this is where the name will be written. Outline the box in black marker, or with one of the glitter glue pens.
If using the glitter glue pens, allow the glitter to dry before proceeding to the next step.
Step 3
Pass out the crayons and markers and let kids color in the feathers (or fingers) of the turkey and its head (or thumb), being sure to add the eyes. Encourage kids to color around the outlined name box as they color in the body. The final step will be adding legs to at the bottom of the body.
Step 4
When all the cards are colored, cut them out. You can do them all yourself, or have your kids help you.
Once all the cards are cut out, begin filling in the guests' names. Let kids help out, or at least allow them write their name on their card.
Step 5
To make the cards stand up, fold the excess paper under and towards the back of the name card (the fold should begin at the feet of the turkey).
A variation is to make a quarter-inch cut on either side of the excess paper at the bottom of the name card and fold it into a "v" to serve as a stand.
