Thanksgiving Craft for Kids

Name Place Holder & Garland

Easy activity for children and a unique way to decorate your Thanksgiving table.

Basic Equipment 
Standard baking equipment including: scales, bowl, rolling pin and baking tray
Sharpe vegetable knife
Parchment or cookie paper (greaseproof will stick)
Cocktail sticks (as modeling tool)
Cling film and tinfoil
Acrylic paint (poster or other will do also)
Brushes for paint and varnish/Acrylic paint/Polyurethane varnish/Brush cleaner

Method 
1. Make Salt dough. For The Perfect Salt Dough Recipe, to make a smooth, light dough with less cracking, click here.
2. Roll a walnut sized piece of tinfoil. Roll a palm sized piece of dough and cover the foil. This will reduce the drying time later.
3. Make a stalk and a vine and attach with water.
4. Make three leaves with a leaf cutter or mold the shape yourself. Attach and curve the edges of the leaves.
5. Add a small mouse for fun.

6. Bake at 145OC (290OF/Gas Mark 1½), longer if you are drying more model together. To ensure model is fully dry, tap the back, a hollow sound means it is completely dry. 
7. Varnish twice allowing drying between coats.
8. Paint and allow drying. Acrylics work well but others paints will work. The great thing about this project is if children are painting, when the autumn/fall colors are slightly mixed it creates a better effect.
9. Apply one to two coats of varnish to seal allowing varnish to dry between coats.
10. Have children write their names with permanent marker.
11. Models will keep for years if stored in an airtight container.

Copyright 2009 Tara Coates

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