Talking Turkey Tails

crayola supplies

Gel Markers
Glitter Glue
Blunt-Tip Scissors
Squeezables Bold
Model Magic® Fusion™
Construction Paper

household supplies

aluminum foil
comb
masking tape
recycled plastic soda bottle

Why

Build a "talking" turkey centerpiece! Each family member writes a message of gratitude on a removable paper feather. Everyone shares their thoughts during your family feast.

Steps

1. Roll aluminum foil into a small ball for a turkey head. Attach with masking tape to the top of a clean, recycled 2-liter plastic bottle to form a seated turkey. Cover the entire bottle and the foil ball with a thin layer of Crayola® Model Magic® Fusion™. Fusion sticks to itself and most surfaces!
2. Build a support for several paper tail feathers on the back with more modeling material. Add wings and feet. To texturize the Fusion™ to look like feathers, press the teeth of a comb directly into the modeling material. Then lay the comb on its side by the indentation and feather it across the surface.
3. Mold facial features including beak, wattle, eyes, and eyelids. Attach these to the head. Fusion™ dries to the touch overnight and dries completely in 2 to 3 days.
4. Outline features with Squeezables™ 3-D paints. Air-dry the paint.
5. Cut paper feathers from construction paper using Crayola Scissors. Decorate feathers with Crayola Gel Markers. Add Crayola Glitter Glue to feathers and turkey for highlights. Air-dry the glue.
6. Encourage everyone at your holiday feast to reflect upon their gratitude of the past year and to record these thoughts on the feathers with markers. Insert each feather in back of turkey body in a fan shape. At an appropriate time during your get-together, pluck the feathers and share your messages of thanksgiving.

When & Where

"The older cousins wrote messages for my younger grandchildren. Everyone had fun coloring the feathers."
- Eleanor M., grandmother.

"The kids in the neighborhood made mini turkeys from small water bottles. They shared personalized thank-you messages with their teachers. "
- Kaili S., mother of 8- and 12-year-olds.

Interesting Info

Native American cultures use turkey feathers in a number of ways. They make turkey feather fans for ceremonies, adorn hair and clothing with them, and tie the feathers on to sacred objects such as pipes. Some Northern tribes made winter coverings like capes or coats out of them.

Safety Guidelines

Glitter Glue— WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years. Not for use on skin.

Squeezables® 3-D Paint— WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years. Not for use on skin.

Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, and Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough—

Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient.
Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Crayola Washable Paints—Not for use as body/face paint.

Recycled Containers—Must be clean and safe. Do not use containers that contained bleach or other harmful chemicals (for example, household cleaners, dishwasher or laundry detergents). Do not use recycled metal cans that have sharp edges (for example, lids removed by household can openers).

Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.