This holiday season, combine the joy of Thanksgiving and the magic of Christmas with a Santa Turkey Disguise! Imagine a turkey cleverly dressed as Santa Claus, complete with a fluffy beard, a red suit, and perhaps even a hint of green trim. Perfect for your child’s turkey disguise project at school or home, this craft allows kids to use their creativity to “save” their turkey from Thanksgiving dinner by transforming it into a jolly Santa. With our free printable PDF Santa Turkey Disguise Template, this project is easy to set up, fun to make, and guaranteed to bring a smile to everyone’s face.
RELATED: Turkey Disguise Template (Free Printable)
What Is a Turkey Disguise Project?
A turkey disguise project is a creative activity where kids “disguise” a turkey to help it escape the Thanksgiving dinner table by hiding in plain sight. Whether you want to disguise a turkey as Santa, a snowman, or any other character, it’s a great way to spark kids’ creativity while celebrating the holidays. One of the most popular ideas is a Santa Claus turkey disguise, where the turkey is cleverly transformed into jolly old Saint Nick!
This Santa turkey disguise project is inspired by the beloved children’s book Turkey Trouble, where a clever turkey dons creative disguises to avoid becoming Thanksgiving dinner, making it the perfect activity to pair with a fun storytime! This creative project encourages kids to think outside the box, use their artistic skills, and have loads of fun.
Craft Supplies Needed to Make a Santa Turkey Disguise
Before you start this craft, make sure you have all the right arts and craft supplies.
- Santa Turkey Disguise Template (free with email subscription)
- Colored pencils or crayons
- Scissors
- Mini Glue Dots or glue
You may also need:
- Construction paper
- Glitter glue
- Craft gemstones
- Fabric
- Cotton balls
- Mini pom poms
- Faux fur
- Buttons
- Wiggly eyes
- Paint
Watch the Video Tutorial
Watch the video below to learn how to disguise a paper turkey!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Turkey Disguise Craft
This craft is as simple as downloading the free printable, setting up a craft center, and letting kids’ imaginations run wild!
STEP 1: Print the template. Access the Santa Turkey Disguise PDF by clicking the link in the materials list and subscribing to our free craft newsletter. After subscribing, navigate to the post in our Substack titled “Santa Turkey Disguise” to find your download link.
Print the free templates on white paper or cardstock. Our download pack includes a blank turkey outline, as well as a Santa Turkey. These resources simplify the process, making this project fun and accessible for kids of all ages.
STEP 2: Prepare the disguise. Use red, green, yellow, black, orange, and brown colored pencils to color your template. Alternatively, you could use the blank turkey outline and red construction paper to make Santa’s iconic hat and suit. Add some holiday sparkle to your Santa’s feathers with glitter! You could even create a sack of presents for Santa to hold with construction paper.
STEP 3: Cut out the shapes. Use scissors to cut out the patterns.
STEP 4: Assemble Santa Turkey. Use glue or Glue Dots (mess-free option) to put together your turkey.
STEP 5: Embellish your Santa (optional). Attach cotton balls or white pom poms to the face area for a snowy beard. Use white pom poms or cotton balls to trim Santa’s beard, suit, and hat. If using the blank template, use markers to add eyes and any final touches to the turkey’s expression, and don’t forget to draw or glue on Santa’s belt and buckle!
STEP 6: Your turkey disguised as classic Santa is finished! Display and share!
Santa Turkey Disguise Ideas
Looking for inspiration? Here are some more creative ways to disguise a turkey as Santa.
Frosty Santa
Dressed in a sparkling blue suit with winter wonderland trip, Frosty Santa Turkey blends into the holiday cheer. Who’d roast the jolliest guest at the table?
Elf-Inspired Santa
In a festive green suit with red and yellow accents, Elf-Inspired Santa Turkey is the life of the holiday party. No one would suspect this cheerful “helper” is dodging the Thanksgiving feast!
Vacation Santa
Sporting a floral shirt (you’ll have to draw the flowers on) and hiding near tropical leaves, Vacation Santa Turkey looks ready for a beach getaway—not a Thanksgiving feast.
Take it Further
Looking for extension ideas? Try some of these ideas:
- Pair this craft with a turkey disguise writing project by encouraging kids to write a creative story about their turkey’s transformation into Santa Claus. They can describe the turkey’s clever plan, the materials it used, and how it successfully avoided becoming the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner!
- Read a Thanksgiving book while kids are making this craft.
- Glue your Santa Turkey disguise printable to a piece of construction paper, then color a North Pole scene around Santa!
More Thanksgiving Craft Ideas for Kids
Here are some more Thanksgiving crafts that are perfect for school, home, or community programs!
- Thanksgiving Suncatchers
- Gratitude Tree Craft
- Pine Cone Turkey Craft for Kids
- Lollipop Turkey Craft
- How to Make Gratitude Stones
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Save this craft on Pinterest using the image below!
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