Feed the Turkey Thanksgiving Activity

Feed the Turkey with this super easy toddler Thanksgiving activity. With just construction paper, a bottle, and pom poms, create a Thanksgiving activity that will hold your toddler’s attention all month long. This fine motor workout keeps kids coming back for more turkey fun.

A child leans over a creamer bottle that looks like a turkey. They are putting pom poms into the turkey to "feed" it.

What is “Feed the Turkey?”

Please don’t look at this idea and think “She is so crafty!”

I am not crafty.

Crafty people can make their own holiday wreaths and turn a few gourds into a Martha Stewart centerpiece. That’s not exactly what’s going on with Feed the Turkey.

Feed the Turkey is (in a nut shell) a recycled activity with a turkey face on it. I promise I’m trying to sell you on this activity, but I’m also trying to be honest – it was that easy and it’s that awesome. My kids will be playing with it until the actual turkey is carved.

RELATED: Check out my post on 40+ Easy Thanksgiving Activities for Toddlers.

A creamer bottle with two googly eyes, paper feathers, and the paper face of a turkey.

Supplies

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Plastic jar (I used one for creamer)
Pom pom balls
Plastic tongs
Construction paper
Googly eyes (which I have on hand but have no idea why I own…)

This is a pretty basic supply list, aside from the googly eyes. Everything on this list is a supply that I keep around for just such an activity moment like this.

A toddler places an orange pom pom ball into a creamer bottle.

How to create a feed the turkey

I promise you: this was a fast set-up.

I grabbed my empty container and in under 2 minutes, I had transformed it into a turkey. I did use super glue to hold the construction paper to the plastic and I feel like that has helped Mr. Turkey stay alive.

**It’s been a week now and he hasn’t lost a single body part.

RELATED: Looking for the best Thanksgiving art activity? Try my turkey tape resist project!

A toddler with tongs selects a pom pom ball from a tub of them; a turkey-shaped creamer bottle sits next to her.

The inspiration for this Feed the Turkey

There are actually two inspirations for this activity.

We just did a Grab and Drop activity with basically the same set up (but a year round, non-seasonal activity) and Fun Learning for Kids’ Turkey Counting Activity which is a fabulous way to add some math into this style of activity.

This came together almost too easily.

RELATED: Looking for other great indoor activities for toddlers. I have a list that is absolute perfection!

A toddler with tongs tries to feed a pom pom to a fake turkey. — Literally feeding the turkey before she put the pom pom ball in the container.

What do kids learn when they Feed the Turkey?

My daughter (2.5y) is working on a lot of skills in this simple toddler activity:

Fine motor skills
Hand-eye coordination
Problem solving – it wasn’t always smooth sailing
Independent play – yes, this is a real skill to work on

Remember (thought) we do not need to qualify activities with “learning” in order to make them acceptable. Children are always learning in childhood, especially through play. And this activity is full of wonderful independent play.

Easy activities are sometimes the best activities

It isn’t always the fancy, crafty activities that are the best. Sometimes, the best activity you can put together is just shoving pom pom balls into a piece of plastic decorated like a turkey – and it turns out to be a real winner.

A toddler leans over a tray and adds a purple pom pom ball to a creamer jar that looks like a turkey.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this activity for?

Remember, thinks stages NOT ages. You’ll need to be the judge of when your child is ready for this activity or if they might enjoy it. Activities are like food: not all kids enjoy all foods. Not all kids will enjoy all activities. You need to find the right activity for your child.

Are pom pom balls safe?

Pom pom balls are a big choking hazard. You will need to use excellent supervision AND decide when your child is able to use pom pom balls safely.

What should I do with feed the turkey when it’s done?

Keep it out! If it’s safe and possible, set this out for the rest of the Thanksgiving season. My daughter kept this on our fireplace and she was just tickled to bounce back and forth to it.

Susie Allison, M. Ed

Owner, Creator

Susie Allison is the creator of Busy Toddler and has more than 2.4 million followers on Instagram. A former teacher and early childhood education advocate, Susie has written two home learning curricula, Playing Preschool and Branches. Her parenting book “Busy Toddler’s Guide to Actual Parenting” is available on Amazon.