40 Disguise a Turkey Project Ideas for Kids (Easy, Funny & Award-Winning)

Every November, teachers send home a paper turkey and one mission: hide it from the Thanksgiving dinner table. These disguise a turkey ideas range from 10-minute disguises to show-stoppers, using paper, felt, cotton balls and things you already have at home.

Supplies you’ll need

• The turkey template from school (or a printed outline)
• Construction paper, cardstock and felt
• Glue sticks, tape and safety scissors
• Markers, crayons and paint
• Cotton balls, pom-poms, yarn, googly eyes
• Recycled extras: fabric scraps, buttons, foil, tissue paper

Easy disguise a turkey ideas (under 15 minutes)

1. Snowman turkey: cotton balls all over, a paper carrot nose and a top hat.
2. Ghost turkey: cover with white tissue and draw spooky eyes.
3. Pumpkin turkey: orange paper body, green stem hat.
4. Sheep turkey: cotton balls plus black paper face and legs.
5. Pizza turkey: triangle “slice” with pepperoni circles.
6. Cupcake turkey: pleated paper wrapper and pom-pom sprinkles.
7. Penguin turkey: black and white paper tuxedo.
8. Ladybug turkey: red paper shell with black dots.

Funny disguise a turkey ideas

9. Turkey in witness protection: sunglasses, mustache and a fake name tag.
10. “I’m a Chicken”: yellow feathers and a sign that says “Definitely not a turkey.”
11. Hot dog turkey: wrapped in a paper bun with mustard squiggle.
12. Taco turkey: folded paper shell with lettuce and cheese strips.
13. Burrito turkey: wrapped in foil “tortilla.”
14. Pineapple turkey: yellow crosshatch body with green spiky leaves.
15. Vegetarian turkey: covered in paper veggies with a “Go Vegan” sign.
16. Turkey in a cast: white tape cast and a “Too injured to cook” note.

Character and movie-inspired ideas

17. Superhero turkey with a cape and mask.
18. Princess turkey with a crown and gown.
19. Minion-style turkey in yellow with goggles (keep it original — no logos).
20. Astronaut turkey with a foil helmet.
21. Pirate turkey with eye patch and hat.
22. Wizard turkey with a cone hat and wand.
23. Mermaid turkey with a sequin tail.
24. Robot turkey made of foil squares and bottle caps.

Career disguise ideas

25. Doctor turkey with a paper stethoscope.
26. Firefighter turkey with a red helmet.
27. Police officer turkey with a badge.
28. Chef turkey (ironic!) with a tall white hat.
29. Teacher turkey with glasses and an apple.
30. Farmer turkey in overalls.

Sports disguise ideas

31. Football player turkey with jersey and helmet.
32. Soccer ball turkey.
33. Basketball turkey.
34. Cheerleader turkey with pom-poms.
35. Baseball player turkey with a cap.

Holiday swap ideas

36. Santa turkey with a cotton beard.
37. Elf turkey with pointy hat and ears.
38. Easter bunny turkey with ears and a fluffy tail.
39. Leprechaun turkey in green with a gold coin.
40. Christmas tree turkey covered in paper ornaments.

Tips to make your turkey stand out

• Pick one clear idea — simple and recognizable wins.
• Add a short funny sign or name tag.
• Use 3D materials like pom-poms, felt or yarn.
• Let your child do most of the work — teachers love seeing it.
• Glue heavy items well so nothing falls off on the bus.

Need more Thanksgiving fun? Try our Thanksgiving crafts for kids, Thanksgiving games and Thanksgiving jokes.

FAQ

What is the disguise a turkey project?

It’s a popular November school activity where kids decorate a paper turkey so it can “hide” from being eaten at Thanksgiving.

What is the easiest way to disguise a turkey?

Cover it in cotton balls to make a snowman or sheep — it takes about 10 minutes.

What are funny turkey disguise ideas?

Witness-protection turkey with sunglasses and a mustache, a turkey dressed as a chicken, or a taco turkey are always hits.