Turkey Template
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Save to PinterestA turkey template is a printable turkey outline for a Thanksgiving craft: color it and cut it out. This one also prints a build-a-turkey kit — body, six feathers, beak, wattle and feet — with a grey glue end on every feather and optional thankful lines.
- Designs:
- Whole turkey, Build-a-turkey pieces
- Per page:
- 1, 2 — this page opens on 1
- Printed size:
- About 7.5 × 8.1 in on US Letter (185 × 200 mm on A4) at 1 per page
- Paper sizes:
- US Letter and A4, printed at actual size
- Cost:
- Free — no signup, no email, no watermark
Updated
How to make a paper turkey
- Pick the whole turkey for one outline to color and cut, or the build-a-turkey pieces for a kit to assemble.
- Choose color-in (feather lines, face and wings to color) or outline only, and add the thankful lines if you want them on the feathers.
- Print at actual size, color first, then cut along the solid lines.
- For the kit, spread glue on the grey end of each feather and fan the feathers out behind the body, then glue on the beak, wattle and feet.
What's included in the turkey template
The whole turkey is one outline: seven tail feathers fanned behind a round body, with three-toed feet below. At one per page it prints about 7.5 × 8.1 in on US Letter (185 × 200 mm on A4). The build-a-turkey kit fills a page with eleven separate pieces — the body with its head, six long feathers, a beak, a wattle and two feet — and every feather and foot has a shaded glue strip so children know which end tucks behind the body.
Tips for a Thanksgiving turkey craft
- Make it a thankful turkey: turn on the writing lines and let each person at the table write one thing on a feather before the meal.
- Cut the kit's body from brown card stock or a paper grocery bag so it holds the weight of six feathers.
- Color each feather a different autumn color — red, orange, yellow, brown, gold, green — before cutting; small hands find coloring easier on an uncut sheet.
- Younger children do better with the whole turkey at two per page: one outline, no assembly, and only gentle curves to cut.
- Staple the finished feathers to a strip of card for a turkey headband, or tape the body to a craft stick for a puppet.
Customization options
Whole turkey or build-a-turkey pieces
The whole turkey is a single outline to color and cut. The pieces design is a kit: cut out the body, six feathers, beak, wattle and feet separately and glue them together, which makes a sturdier turkey that stands out from the page.
Thankful writing lines
On the pieces design, each feather can carry an “I am thankful for” prompt and a line to write on. The writing replaces the color-in lines on the feathers so nothing crowds the words.
Color-in or outline only
Color-in adds the feather lines, eyes, beak, wattle and wings for children to color. Outline only prints just the cut lines — the version to trace onto felt, foam or card stock.
Per page and paper size
Print one big whole turkey or two smaller ones per page; the kit always fills one page. Both fit US Letter and A4.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a thankful turkey craft?
Print the build-a-turkey pieces with the thankful writing lines turned on. Each person writes one thing they are thankful for on a feather, colors it, and cuts it out; then glue the grey end of every feather behind the turkey's body so the feathers fan out like a tail.
What pieces come in the build-a-turkey set?
Eleven pieces on one page: the body with its head, six feathers, a triangle beak, a wattle and two feet. The feathers and feet have shaded glue strips, so it is clear which end goes behind the body.
Is there a simple turkey outline for preschoolers?
Yes — choose the whole turkey. It is one outline with rounded feathers and no separate pieces, and at two per page each turkey is a manageable size for small scissors.
How big is the printed turkey?
The whole turkey at one per page is about 7.5 × 8.1 in on US Letter (185 × 200 mm on A4). At two per page each one is roughly half that height, and the kit's pieces are sized so all eleven fit one sheet.
Can I print a turkey outline without the details?
Yes. Switch the style to outline only and the sheet prints just the solid cut lines — useful for tracing onto colored paper, felt or craft foam.
What paper is best for a paper turkey?
Plain copy paper is fine for coloring and cutting. For the kit, card stock (65–110 lb) keeps the body stiff enough to hold six glued feathers without drooping.
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