Painting Turkeys

We did a fun art project this week - painting turkeys!

I'd seen some different variations of this project and decided to do my own.  You just need Thanksgiving/Fall colored paints, thick paper, painter's tape, paint brushes, glue and googley eyes.

This was a really hands on project for me.  I had to help with every step, but we all enjoyed it!  I'm trying to plan art activities for home since both kids are missing this creative outlet at school.

Step 1:

Select your paint colors, get your paper out and start taping off the turkey.  Both kids shared one paint tray and then had their own bowls of water to rinse their brushes.  Start taping the head first and then do the feathers.  I let the kids decide how many sections and what shape the sections would be on their turkey feathers.  They helped press the tape down and I made sure the edges were crisp.

Taping is done and we are ready to begin!  I did one kid at a time and they were a little confused about this turning into a turkey.  I assured them they'd both look like turkeys at the end.

I reminded them to use one color at a time and to paint one section at a time.  It went great.

We had to let them dry for 30 minutes and then painted the turkey faces.  Once everything was dry, I removed the tape.  The kids tried to help, but it was more of an adult job.

They both turned out so cute.  They're hanging in the kitchen and are ready for Thanksgiving. 

We also made some hand print turkeys.  Googley eyes are great for this, too.  The kids enjoyed tracing their own hands this year.

 Happy Thanksgiving week!