Healthy and adorable applesauce cup Thanksgiving turkey treats are the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving party! Made from prepackaged applesauce cups, these work great for school parties and are so easy to make.

I just love this time of year, with all of the creative and fun thanksgiving food ideas rolling around the internet. I’ve spent probably way too much time scrolling, but I’ll let you in on a little secret — almost anything can be made to look like a turkey. They’re just so iconic that when you toss a few feathers and a beak, ordinary stuff is immediately recognizable as a turkey. Which brings me to these adorable Thanksgiving treats. They’re so simple to make, and require so few materials, that they just don’t have any right to be so cute! This project is simple enough that kids can make them (easy project for a class party, anyone?), and these little turkeys also work as decor due to the shelf-stable nature of the applesauce. 

We love these incorporating fun turkey treats as name card holders at our Thanksgiving table. They’re a perfect addition to the kids’ table! I’ve also done these simple snacks with my preschooler’s class at their Thanksgiving party so when I say they’re easy enough for little ones, I know what I’m talking about. They also meet the all-important criteria of being allergy-friendly, easy for picky eaters, and prepackaged, making them perfect for special occasion school snacks. 

Why you want this craft:

• easy enough for even young kids
• healthy
• super cute!
• perfect for school parties
• picky eater friendly (only 1 simple ingredient)
• simple and fun!

What do I need to make Applesauce Turkey Treats?

Applesauce Cups

You’re looking for the individual-sized cups. Feel free to use any flavor you like — it really doesn’t matter!  Ensure they are clean and dry before starting the craft.

Wiggle Eyes

These wiggly little eyes add a touch of personality to the turkeys. You can find them in craft stores or online. If you don’t have googly eyes, you can also draw or cut out eyes from construction paper. You can draw them on with a permanent marker as well!

Construction Paper

Use a range of colors for creating the turkey’s beak and feathers. If your kiddo is feeling adventurous, they can add other details, like bow ties, hair bows, and whatever else their imagination comes up with!

Glue

A basic school glue or glue stick will do the trick here. If you need things to be more secure, you can use hot glue or even Scotch tape.

Imagination

The most important material of all! This is a fun way to encourage your little ones to let their imaginations run wild as they create their unique and colorful turkeys.

How do I make Applesauce Turkey Treats?

Materials

• 1 individual-sized applesauce cup
• 2 wiggle eyes
• orange construction paper
• 3 other colors of construction paper
• printable feather and beak template
• glue

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1 | Cut the Feathers

The first thing to do is to cut your feathers. Using the printable feather template, cut out one feather in from each of your three colors of construction paper. 

Step 2 | Cut the Beak 

Using the printable beak template, cut out a beak from the orange construction paper. 

Step 3 | Assemble the Turkey

Start by glueing the feathers to the back. It can take a moment for the glue to dry, so you can use a piece of washi tape to hold the feathers on while the glue does its work. 

Then, glue the wiggle eyes and the beak to the front of the cup. That’s it! Your adorable turkey is ready for his happy Thanksgiving!

Variations and Other Ideas

As Place Cards

This is my favorite use for these little guys! You can add a small piece of paper with your guest’s name on it, glued to the top of the cup or resting propped up on the feathers. This is such an adorable way to level up your place setting for Thanksgiving dinner!

Decorated Feathers

My turkeys are made with plain feathers, but a perfect way to encourage your kids’ creativity is to let them decorate or draw on the feathers. Sequins, glitter, or just crayons and markers can help your kid have so much fun making their turkey one of a kind.

Craft Feathers

Another option for this craft is to use crafting feathers to make your turkeys look more like the real thing. If you choose to go this path, you may need to use hot glue to keep everything firmly stuck to the cup.

Pudding Cups

If your child doesn’t like applesauce, these turkeys also work quite well with pudding cups as a base. What kid could resist chocolate turkey treats?

Jello Cups

Another flavor option is to use Jello cups as you base, which opens up a world of color and flavor for these fun holiday treats!

Benefits and Skills

Many years ago, I found myself panicking as I looked at blog post after blog post about the necessity of offering sensory activities and fine and gross motor work and tons of other enrichment opportunities for my kids. That’s why I love discovering the opportunities in the activities I’m already doing. Here are some of the benefits and skills work that these cute turkey treats can offer your kids:

Fine motor skill development

As children cut, glue, and trace, they are refining their fine motor skills. They’re practicing hand-eye coordination, precision, and control of small movements, all of which are so important when developing their dexterity!

Creativity and self-expression

From selecting colors and patterns for the feathers to designing unique features like bow ties or eyebrows, kids can express themselves artistically and bring their imagination to life. Who knew these fun Thanksgiving treats could encourage them to think outside the box and find joy in personalizing their turkeys?

Repurposing and recycling awareness

 By repurposing everyday objects like applesauce cups, your kids can learn the importance of reusing and recycling materials. It promotes an eco-conscious mindset, teaching them to appreciate the value of reducing waste and finding new purposes for items that might otherwise be discarded. These little treats offer a fun opportunity to discuss sustainability and environmental awareness.

Appreciation for healthy snacks

Combining crafting with special treats, the applesauce turkey craft introduces kiddos to the concept of healthy snacking. Applesauce is a nutritious choice packed with vitamins and fiber. By incorporating it into the craft, kids can associate creativity and fun with making healthy food choices, encouraging positive attitudes towards nutritious snacks.

More Thanksgiving Crafts

Turkey Finger Puppets

Thankful Turkey

Q-Tip Indian Corn

Conclusion

To wrap it up, these festive Thanksgiving treats are an absolute blast for kiddos! It’s all about turning everyday materials into the cutest turkey buddies while letting their imaginations run wild. This Thanksgiving snack is a gateway to allowing kids to explore their artistic side and have a blast at the same time. Plus, it’s awesome for improving your kid’s hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. And the best part is, that whether you’re gearing up for Thanksgiving day or just want a fun afternoon activity, these applesauce turkeys are the perfect treat this holiday season Get ready for some wonderful memories and a whole lot of creativity!