How to Make a No-Sew Sock Turkey: A Fun Thanksgiving Craft for Children’s Church

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year to engage kids in meaningful and creative activities that celebrate the holiday's themes of gratitude and thankfulness. One of the best ways to do this is through a fun and simple craft that kids can make themselves.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a no-sew sock turkey, a perfect Thanksgiving craft for children's church or any Sunday school class. This easy project is not only a great way to keep the kids entertained, but it also serves as a great reminder of the importance of having a thankful heart during this special season.

Why a No-Sew Sock Turkey?

I love no-sew crafts because they're fun and easy for kids to make. The no-sew sock turkey is one of my favorite fall crafts for a few reasons:

Simple Craft: This project requires no sewing skills, making it accessible for younger children and easy to set up for Sunday school teachers.
Affordable Materials: You can use basic, inexpensive materials like socks, rice, felt, and feathers.
Fun Craft: It’s a fun, hands-on activity that kids will enjoy, and they’ll be proud to take home their finished turkeys as a Thanksgiving table decoration or as a gift for their families.

What You'll Need to Make a No-Sew Sock Turkey

Here’s a list of materials you’ll need to gather for this craft. Most of these items are probably already available in your children’s church or Sunday school class.

2 socks (I prefer fuzzy socks or earth tone colored socks, but you can totally use funny socks if you prefer)

Rubber Band

2-3 cups rice

Rubberband

Buttons

Cotton balls

White foam adhesive

Now that you have all of your supplies, let’s start making this amazing sock turkey craft!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making a No-Sew Thanksgiving Turkey Craft

1. First you will want to fill a cup with rice. In my experience, using a standard drinking cup works better than a measuring cup. You will see why in step 2. It also doesn’t matter what kind of rice you use – they all come out great!

thanksgiving craft for children's church no sew sock turkey — Fill a standard cup with rice and place the sock over the cup.

2. Place the sock over the cup. Make sure it fits snug so that the rice doesn’t fall out. Turn the cup upside down and shake until all of the rice in the cup is inside the sock.

Placing the sock on top of the cup is a great way to minimize the mess. You can thank me later! Take a look at your turkey and decide if you need more rice. If not, tie a knot at the top. If you are making this craft with kids, you might need to help them with this step.

If you are sure the knot is secure, cut off the extra sock fabric. You do not need the extra material as it will just add unnecessary bulk.

3. Squeeze the spot where you want the neck to go. In order to separate the turkey head from the turkey body, you will need to add a rubber band where you want the head to go. In my experience, the rubber bands used on hair work great and are easy for kids to use.

4. Next, add eyes and eyelids. You can use regular white glue, except it is hard for kids to be patient. You might want to stick with either tacky glue or use a hot glue gun.

5. Then, add a pom pom nose. If you prefer to make the nose using pipe cleaners, you can totally give that a try.

Cut red felt into a rainbow shape and add below the nose to make a wattle. Draw and cut feet from the yellow felt and glue to the bottom of the turkey.

6. Dip feathers in glue and push through the sock until they feel secure. For this step, I highly recommend using tacky glue. Hot glue will be challenging since time is not on your side.

Continue until you are happy with the way it looks. I like the nice shape of my little guy and I can’t wait to see what you create!

And…that is it! Gobble Gobble!

Integrating the Craft into Your Thanksgiving Lesson

This no-sew sock turkey isn’t just a fun craft—it’s also a great way to incorporate the theme of thankfulness into your Thanksgiving Sunday school lesson. Here are some ideas for how to tie this craft into your teaching time:

Thankful Turkey Craft: As the kids work on their turkeys, encourage them to think about what they are thankful for. You can even provide strips of paper where they can write down these things and then attach them to their turkeys as additional “feathers.”
This turns the craft into a thankful turkey craft, making it a great reminder of the blessings in their lives.
Thanksgiving Bible Verses: Incorporate Thanksgiving Bible verses into your lesson plans. As the kids work, you can read aloud verses that focus on thankfulness, such as 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which reminds others to “give thanks in all circumstances.”
This is a great way to reinforce the spiritual aspect of the holiday.
Children’s Sermon Demonstration Video: If your children’s church has the capability, consider filming a children’s sermon demonstration video that shows how to make the sock turkey while discussing the importance of having a thankful heart.
This could be a fun way to engage older children and involve them in the teaching process.

Additional Thanksgiving Craft Ideas

If you’re looking for more thanksgiving craft ideas to complement the sock turkey, here are a few simple crafts that you can easily incorporate into your Sunday school class:

Thankful Tree Craft: Create a thankful tree craft by having the kids trace their handprints on colorful paper, cut them out, and write something they’re thankful for on each “leaf.”
These can be attached to a paper tree on the wall, creating a beautiful display of gratitude for the whole family to enjoy.
Cardboard Thankful Turkey Craft: This is a variation of the sock turkey where the body is made from a cardboard tube, and the feathers are cut from strips of paper.
This craft is especially good for younger children who might find it easier to work with cardboard than fabric.
Handprint Craft: A classic among Christian Thanksgiving crafts, a handprint craft can be as simple as tracing the child’s hand and turning it into a turkey by adding a beak, wattle, and feathers.
This is a great way to engage the younger kids in your class.
Thankful Poster: Have the children work together to create a thankful poster. Each child can contribute by drawing or writing something they are thankful for.
This is a great way to foster a sense of community and shared gratitude within the class.

Fun Thanksgiving Games to Play After Craft Time

After the craft session, keep the fun going with some easy thanksgiving activities and games that reinforce the themes of the day:

Thankfulness Scavenger Hunt: Organize a scavenger hunt where the kids search for items that represent things they’re thankful for.
This is a fun way to get the kids moving and thinking creatively about gratitude.
Pumpkin Pie Relay: Divide the kids into teams and have them participate in a relay race where they have to “build” a pumpkin pie using paper plates and paper cutouts of pie ingredients.
This is a fun and active game that ties into the Thanksgiving dinner theme.
Thankful November Calendar: Create a calendar for the whole thanksgiving month of November where each day, the kids can add something new they are thankful for.
This is a great activity to do throughout the month and helps reinforce the message of thankfulness.

Wrapping Up the Craft

As your Sunday school class or children’s church session comes to an end, take a moment to reflect on the lesson. Encourage the kids to share what they are thankful for and how they can show their gratitude in their daily lives. This is a great time to discuss the importance of a thankful heart.

You might also want to provide the kids with printable instructions so they can recreate the no-sew sock turkey at home with their families. You can also send home free Thanksgiving coloring pages that focus on teaching thankfulness at home.

This is a great way to involve the whole family in a fun thanksgiving activity and to spread the good news of gratitude beyond the church walls.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Creating a no-sew sock turkey is not only a fun craft but also a meaningful way to teach children about the importance of gratitude during Thanksgiving time. This simple craft is perfect for children’s ministry teaching time, Sunday school kids, or any Thanksgiving Sunday school lesson.

With just a sock, some rice, and a few other craft supplies, you can create a memorable thanksgiving activity that the kids will cherish for a long time.

Whether you’re a Sunday school teacher, a parent, or involved in a Christian or Jewish school, this craft is a great way to bring thanksgiving bible lessons to life. Plus, it’s so much fun for the kids and a great way to make Thanksgiving time truly special.

Want a sweet treat to bring to Sunday school this fall? Try these Chocolate Turkeys!

How to Make a No-Sew Sock Turkey: A Fun Thanksgiving Craft for Children’s Church