This DIY clay pot turkey would be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving decor. It uses Dollar Tree materials and is a great fall kid’s craft idea or one to set up on the big day.

Some of this easy clay pot craft for Fall can even be made ahead of time, making it a fun craft for younger and older kids, alike. And those eyes – don’t you just love a googly eye craft?

A horizontal close up of a clay pot turkey, next to faux pumpkins and fall leaves, against a weathered white wooden background., — This clay pot craft would make the perfect place card for your Thanksgiving table.

RELATED READING: 3-Minute Sock Pumpkins for Fall (Modern Style)

What You'll Find On This Page

Cute Clay Pot Turkey

Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots, the cooler breezes, flannel clothes, and gorgeous array of colors painting trees all over the map are some of my favorite things. And crafting – of course crafting.

Today, I wanted to create a clay pot craft idea for Fall that would look good on a Thanksgiving display AND one the kids could make their own. Using Dollar Tree clay pots, googly eyes, and craft sticks made this a winner.

If you need time to collect the supplies for this craft, feel free to bookmark the page so it’s easy to come back to when you are ready to make your turkey.

A completes clay pot turkey, next to a faux pumpkin against a weathered white wooden background., — This easy DIY clay pot turkey craft is a fun activity for kids.

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These Terracotta Turkeys are a Fun DIY for Fall

They would make a cute classroom project for the kids to make before they go on break for the Thanksgiving holiday. How cute would one of the kid’s handmade projects look being shown off in your home?

Clay pot turkeys would make the cutest place cards for the little guests when you set the kid’s table. Once dinner is over, they can take home their clay pot turkey as a keepsake.

You are liable to have all the supplies you need right in your craft bin. If you have little ones, the popsicle sticks and felt sheets for this one are guaranteed. Depending on your paint supply, this craft could be free! That makes for the perfect Dollar Tree fall craft.

The kids would be happy to make a clay pot turkey while you are busy in the kitchen with your big meal. Protect the kiddie table and set out the supplies and an example for them as a guide. This is one of our favorite clay pot crafts for kids.

NOTE: If the kiddos are younger than elementary school age, I recommend pre-cutting the face pieces.

A vertical image of a clay pot turkey next to faux fall leaves and pumpkins, against a weathered white wooden background., — We used a Dollar Store clay pot and jumbo craft sticks, and with paint and googly eyes, we transformed them into this cute turkey craft

Tips for Making a Clay Pot Turkey

When it comes to glue, I suggest white craft, tacky glue, or a hot glue gun. If you have little ones helping to make this craft, the white craft or tacky glue would be best for them (add additional time for the glue to dry).
If you are unable to locate the googly eyes, you can create felt ones that are just as cute.
If you are working with the littles, substitute washable markers over paint for the turkey’s feathers. This will save you from having to clean up any spills.

Close up square picture of a clay pot turkey next to two artificial pumpkins and faux fall foliage against a weathered white wooden background., — This easy DIY clay pot turkey would be a fun family project for your holiday table.

Supplies for the Clay Pot Turkey Craft

Below are the supplies we used for making our easy DIY clay pot turkey. Before heading to the store, check your craft stash and see what you have on hand. If you need information on using craft glue versus using a hot glue gun, read the tips section above.

Clay Pot
Jumbo Craft Sticks
Googly Eyes
Twine
Brown, Burgundy, Gold Craft Felt
Medium Brown, Dark Brown, Burgundy, Yellow, Gold, Bright Orange, Dark Orange, and Pink Craft Paint
Glue Gun and Glue Sticks, Tacky Glue, or White Glue for the littles
Paintbrush
Scissors
Ruler
No. 2 Pencil with new Eraser
Black Permanent Marker
Clay Pot Turkey Patterns

The supplies for the clay pot turkey, against a weathered white wooden background.,

How to Make a Clay Pot Turkey

Each step for this craft is detailed below, so it’s easy to follow. Keep this page open while you’re creating your Dollar Store clay pot turkey. If you prefer a printable how-to, scroll down and select the print button or save as a PDF.

A clay pot painted with light brown paint, next to a paintbrush against a weathered white wooden background.,

Basecoat the clay pot with medium brown acrylic craft paint. Let the paint dry completely before moving on to the next steps.

Painted jumbo craft sticks in various colors, next to the bottes of paint, against a weathered white wooden background.,

Base coat the front, back, and sides of jumbo craft sticks with craft paint: Two of the burgundy and one of the remaining colors of yellow, gold, bright orange, dark orange, and dark brown.

Let the paint dry. You can also use whatever colors from the bunch you have, in whatever order you want. The above is just how I chose to do it.

Painted jumbo craft sticks, painted with various colors, next to a pencil, metal ruler and a pair of scissors against a weathered white wooden background.,

Measure and cut each jumbo craft stick in half with scissors. This and the next step is where some pre-craft prep will come in handy when crafting with littles.

The backside felt of the turkey, next to a black magic marker and a pair of scissors against a weathered white wooden background.,

Download, print, and cut out the clay pot turkey patterns. Trace the turkey feather base onto brown craft felt with a black marker and cut it out with scissors.

Jumbo craft sticks, painted in various colors, being glued to a piece of brown felt, next to a hot glue gun against a weathered white wooden background.,

Lay out the half jumbo craft sticks with seven on the bottom layer and six on the top layer. Using a hot glue gun or tacky glue/white glue for younger kiddos, line them up along the edge of the felt base and then glue them in place.

Using a black marker, add feather markings to each half-craft stick.

The back side of the clay pot turkey, next to a hot glue gun against a weathered white wooden background.,

Attach the turkey feathers to the back of the turkey with a glue gun. A glue gun will work the best here so you will need to help the kiddos to avoid some pesky burns.

Red and yellow felt with the turkey pattern paper, scissors and a black magic marker against a weathered white wooden background.,

Trace the turkey beak onto gold craft felt, and the turkey waddle onto burgundy craft felt and cut them out with the scissors.

A clay pot turkey next to a hot glue gun against a weathered white wooden background.,

Attach two googly eyes with a glue gun or tacky/white glue and attach the felt waddle and beak under the eyes.

A cay pot turkey next to a new number two pencil and a bottle of pink paint against a weathered white wooden background.,

Add cheeks by dipping a new pencil eraser into the pink paint and placing a dot on either side of the beak.

Clay pot turkey next to a hot glue gun, a pair of scissors and a roll of twine against a weathered white wooden background.,

Tie your twine in a medium-size bow and glue it to the base of the clay pot turkey.

A completed clay pot turkey against a weathered white wooden background.,

Now you are ready to add this clay pot turkey DIY to your holiday table!

Notes for Making a Clay Pot Turkey

If you don’t have an artist’s paintbrush for this craft, use a foam brush.
If you are planning to have several little ones working on making a terra cotta pot turkey, streamline the process and pre-cut the waddle and the beak.
If the kids have used all the No. 2 pencils in the house, you can use a dauber brush to make the cheeks. Just put a bit of the pink paint on a plate and the kids can do it that way instead. You will get the same effect either way.
When printing the pattern out, use the fast draft option on your printer. This will save you a bit of ink and time.

More Crafts You May Like

Easy Dollar Tree Fall Mug Cricut Joy Tutorial: We adore this craft. It is simple and beautiful, and the SVG is free and makes two mugs. This makes the perfect couple craft. So grab yourself two mugs and make this great craft.
How to Make a Fall Gnome Garland: Add some color and whimsy to your fall decor with this easy-to-make craft. If your fall decor is getting old, why not make a new item to add to your collection?
Easy Fall Shelf Sitter Gnome Pattern: This shelf sitter is so cute with its black and white striped legs and fall colors for its hat and other decorations. If you need to add a fall gnome to your collection, this is a terrific option.
Easy Farmhouse Scarecrow Gnome Pattern for Fall: If you are into rustic and farmhouse decor, this little guy will fit right in. With a burlap hat and peek-a-boo fabric, it is sure to make itself at home in no time.

Please Save or Share

Your shares are how this site grows and I sincerely appreciate it. Please save this project to one of your favorite fall craft Pinterest boards or share it on Facebook.

A finished clay pot turkey next o faux pumpkins and fall foliage against a weathered white wooden background.,

Yield: 1 clay pot turkey

Easy DIY Clay Pot Turkey

This easy DIY clay pot turkey craft is a fun activity for kids. Kids of most ages can make and put this project together with some simple craft supplies. Use a Dollar Store clay pot and craft sticks, add paint and wiggle eyes. This cute turkey craft is a fun DIY for a rainy day and can be used for Thanksgiving place cards for the kiddie table spots. Get the free printable and step by step tutorial for this Dollar Tree Thanksgiving craft.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $2

Materials

Clay Pot, 3.5”
Jumbo Craft Sticks
Wiggle Eyes
Twine
Craft Felt – Brown, Burgundy, Gold
Craft Paint – Medium and Dark Brown, Burgundy, Yellow, Gold, Bright Orange, Dark Orange, Pink
Turkey Templates (Free Printable)

Tools

Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Paintbrush
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil with new Eraser
Permanent Marker, Black

Instructions

Basecoat the clay pot with medium brown acrylic craft paint. Let the paint dry.
Basecoat the front, back, and sides of jumbo craft sticks with craft paint: Two of the burgundy and one of the remaining colors of yellow, gold, bright orange, dark orange, and dark brown. Let the paint dry.
Measure and cut each jumbo craft stick in half with scissors.
Download, print, and cut out the clay pot turkey patterns. Trace the turkey feather base onto brown craft felt with a black marker and cut it out with scissors.
Lay out the half jumbo craft sticks with seven on the bottom layer and six on the top layer. Using a hot glue gun, attach the half-jumbo craft sticks to the felt base.
Using a black marker, add feather markings to each half-craft stick.
Attach the turkey feathers to the back of the turkey with a glue gun.
Trace the turkey beak onto gold craft felt, and the turkey waddle onto burgundy craft felt and cut them out with the scissors.
Attach two wiggle eyes with a glue gun and glue the felt waddle and beak under the wiggle eyes.
Add cheeks by dipping a new pencil eraser into the pink paint and dotting it on either side of the face.
Tie twine in a bow and glue it to the base of the clay pot turkey.

Sarah Nenni-Daher creator of Ruffles and Rain Boots in black shirt against greenery background.

Meet the Creator

Hi there, I’m Sarah Nenni-Daher. I’m a crafty gal and always have at least 14 projects going at once. I am a crafter, designer, DIYer, and pattern maker. I share my creations here and in the Ruffles and Rain Boots® Shop.

Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots®, you’ll find DIY gnomes, crafts, gifts, cupcakes, laser crafts, and so much more. I love sharing video tutorials over on YouTube and chatting with other crafters in my Facebook groups. We’d love to have you!