Non-Turkey Thanksgiving Craft: Vibrant Corn Craft

Are you looking for a unique non-turkey Thanksgiving craft to add to your Thanksgiving preschool lesson plans? Look no further! We have the perfect activity – a corn craft.

This fun and engaging project is an excellent way to teach kids about the importance of corn in the history and celebration of Thanksgiving. It’s easy, educational, and provides a refreshing deviation from the traditional turkey crafts.

three views of a corn cob craft for preschool in a pinnable collage with the text non-turkey Thanksgiving craft and counting activity | preschool thanskgiving crafts | corn craft for preschool | non turkey crafts for Thanksgiving
This fun non-turkey Thanksgiving craft is full of learning!

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Get ready to shake up your Thanksgiving preschool lesson plans with our unique non-turkey Thanksgiving craft – a vibrant corn craft.

This art activity involves preschoolers crumpling small pieces of yellow or orange tissue paper and sticking them onto an ear of corn template.

But it’s not just about art; this craft also doubles as a counting game. And who doesn’t love some Thanksgiving counting games that double as art?

It’s a refreshing change from the usual turkey crafts and a memorable way for little learners to celebrate the season.

Why Non-Turkey Crafts

Preschool teachers might consider non-turkey crafts for Thanksgiving to enhance their art activities for a few reasons.

  1. It diversifies the children’s creative exposure, allowing them to explore different symbols and elements associated with the holiday, such as pumpkins or cornucopias.
  2. It caters to cultural inclusivity. Not all children may celebrate Thanksgiving in the traditional turkey-centric way, so incorporating a variety of crafts can make everyone feel included.
  3. Non-turkey crafts can also be a fun way to incorporate educational elements, like teaching about the harvest season and the importance of gratitude.
close up image of a completed non-turkey Thanksgiving craft | preschool thanskgiving crafts | corn craft for preschool | non turkey crafts for Thanksgiving
This completed corn craft looks good enough to eat.

Thanksgiving Corn Craft for Preschool

Prepare to enrich your Thanksgiving preschool curriculum with our distinctive corn craft, a colorful deviation from the usual turkey-themed projects.

It’s a refreshing alternative to standard turkey crafts, providing an unforgettable way for young students to embrace the holiday season.

Materials

The Set-Up

The set up for this corn craft is pretty simple.

  • Cut out an oblong egg shape from the heavy cardstock.
    • This does not need to be exact. Just wing it.
  • Cut out the same shape in green, but make the narrow end pointed.

Do the above for each child and set aside.

Then, cut the yellow tissue paper into about two inch squares. This also does not need to be exact, but our favorite tissue paper is this set of with three shades of yellow tissue paper.

How to Make the Corn Craft

Begin by inviting your preschooler to join you in crumpling up the pieces of tissue paper to make “corn kernels.” You don’t want to crumple them too small, or you will need a TON of tissue paper.

But if you crumple them too loosely, they will lose the corn kernel look. Somewhere in the middle is best.

This is one of the fine motor pieces to this non-turkey Thanksgiving craft.

This step can be done completely in advance, or your preschoolers can crumble as they go.

simple materials coming together to make an ear of corn craft for preschool with green leaves | preschool thanskgiving crafts | corn craft for preschool | non turkey crafts for Thanksgiving
Simple materials come together in a number identification activity that’s also a craft.

Corn Counting Craft

Once all the materials are prepped, it’s time to dive in!

Have the children load up the cardstock ears of corn with liquid glue from about an inch from the bottom all the way to the top. Squeezing the glue onto the paper is another great hand strength exercise.

a child making a corn craft for a Thanksgiving preschool theme | preschool thanskgiving crafts | corn craft for preschool | non turkey crafts for Thanksgiving | corn activity for preschool
The child has totally filled their ear of corn with glue.

Next, invite your preschooler to roll the dice and count out the coordinating number of crumpled tissue paper corn kernels to add to their ear of corn.

I had my preschoolers first place their tissue paper corn pieces on a ten frame, to help them count the amount correctly each time.

a child using a ten frame to count out tissue paper corn kernels to glue on their non-turkey Thanksgiving craft | preschool thanskgiving crafts | corn craft for preschool | non turkey crafts for Thanksgiving | corn cob craft ideas
Ten frames are so helpful for a variety of preschool math activities!

Continue rolling the dice and adding corn kernels until the ear of corn is full. The kids’ pincer grasp will have gotten a great workout by this time! Set the completed ear of corn aside and allow it to dry.

Fold each green corn leaf in half, and then glue to the main piece. It should look like the picture below.

an ear of corn that reinforces number identification and fine motor skills is a fun Thanksgiving activity for preschool | preschool thanskgiving crafts | corn craft for preschool | non turkey crafts for Thanksgiving | corn cab art for toddlers | paper corn craft
There was so much math that went into the making of this preschool Thanksgiving craft.

Thanksgiving Crafts for 2 Year Olds

This corn craft is really fun for toddlers, too! Just take out the counting aspect if they are really young. Here are some other non-turkey Thanksgiving crafts for two year olds.

Non Turkey Thanksgiving Crafts

Looking for even more non-turkey Thanksgiving crafts for preschoolers? These are really creative!

Don’t Forget Thanksgiving Picture Books

High quality literature is so important for kids, and is a perfect addition to every preschool theme! We’ve hand-picked some of our favorite Thanksgiving books for you, and thrown in a few about harvest and Thanksgiving foods as well!

The Crayons Give Thanks
  • Hardcover Book
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 32 Pages – 09/10/2024 (Publication Date) – Philomel Books (Publisher)
Sale
A Plump and Perky Turkey
  • Bateman, Teresa (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 32 Pages – 09/06/2013 (Publication Date) – Two Lions (Publisher)
Sale
Thanksgiving in the Woods (Countryside Holidays, 1)
  • Hardcover Book
  • Alsdurf, Phyllis (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Sale
How to Catch a Turkey
  • Hardcover Book
  • Wallace, Adam (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Sale
Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving: A Thanksgiving…
  • Dean, James (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 16 Pages – 10/01/2013 (Publication Date) – HarperFestival (Publisher)
Sale
Bear Says Thanks (The Bear Books)
  • Hardcover Book
  • Wilson, Karma (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Non-Turkey Thanksgiving Craft

Non-Turkey Thanksgiving Craft

Yield: 1 corn craft
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: easy

Turkey crafts are cute and festive, but I love a good non-turkey Thanksgiving craft, too! Here's a Thanksgiving corn craft that also doubles as a number identification and fine motor activity.

Materials

  • Yellow tissue paper cut into one or two inch squares
  • Heavy white cardstock
  • Liquid school glue
  • Green construction paper
  • Dice

Tools

  • Ten frame for counting (optional)

Instructions

  1. Crumple the tissue paper squares into small "kernels." Cut the cardstock into the shape of an ear of corn, and draw two leaves on the green construction paper.
  2. Have the kids cover their cardstock corn with glue, leaving about an inch of room at the bottom.
  3. Invite the kids to roll the dice, count out the number of tissue paper "kernels" (double checking with the ten-frame, if desired,) and then add the kernels to the ear of corn.
  4. Continue rolling the dice and adding the appropriate kernels until the entire ear of corn is full. Set aside to dry.
  5. Once dry, fold the green leaves in half and glue to the bottom of the ear of corn.