Make new Thanksgiving memories and have more to be thankful for by making easy, fun arts and crafts with your kids this Thanksgiving.  You can accomplish this feat with a few simple supplies that you may already have in the arts and crafts drawer.  Clear off the table and get ready for the fun!

Thankfulness Wreath:

Trace leaf patterns on pieces of fall colored construction paper. Write one thing you are thankful for on each leaf. Place a thin line of glue around the edges of the leaf and apply glitter.  Glue the edges of the leaves together, over-lapping each leaf until you form a wreath. Tape a piece of yarn to the back of the wreath and hang it on the wall. Each family member could have their own wreath or the family could make a wreath together.

Thankfulness turkey:

Draw a big brown turkey body on a piece of construction paper and cut it out. Draw large feathers of many colors. Like the wreath, each member can write what they are thankful for at the top of a feather. The feathers are attached behind the turkey body and the turkey can be pinned to a bulletin board or a wall. Be sure to add wiggly eyes, a waddle and beak to the face of the turkey.

Profile Place mats:

Create unique place mats using light colored construction paper. Using a flashlight, trace the outlines of the heads of both a boy and a girl onto a piece of white paper. Cut out the forms and trace them onto black construction paper. Cut out each head shape and glue it onto the large piece of paper. Using a boy's head for the guys and a girl's head for the girls, write the name of each person below the head. Cover the place mats with contact paper and place them around the table for each guest to find.

Gumdrop turkeys:

Grab an apple, eight toothpicks and a package of gumdrops from the kitchen. You will also need one marshmallow. Set the apple to face you. On one toothpick, place two gumdrops and the marshmallow. Poke the toothpick into the apple on the side facing you. Take two more toothpicks and put two gumdrops on each one. Angle these gumdrops up a little and stick them into the bottom of the apple to make the turkey's feet. Take the remaining five toothpicks and put three gumdrops on each one. Place these feathers on the other side of the apple stem and form a fan across the top and side of the apples. This cute turkey would make a great centerpiece for the serving table.

Pine cone turkeys:

Another fun turkey can be created with pine cones and pipe cleaners. The full end of the pine cone is the backside of the turkey. Fold colorful pipe cleaners into loops. Add a touch of glue to the end of the pipe cleaner and place it between the needles on the pine cone. Keep doing this step until you have a colorful group of feathers. Glue a light colored pompom to the front of the turkey. Add wiggly eyes, a red waddle and a black beak. Stabilize the turkey by adding pipe cleaner feet under the pine needles near the front of the turkey.

People:

Create Pilgrims and Native Americans out of round clothespins. The craft store sells pins with round ends to stand them in. If you are using regular clothespins, use a ball of clay to help them stand up. You can paint the faces on each doll. Clothes can also be painted on. You can also make clothes formed out of little pieces of material, felt or construction paper that can be glued onto the clothespin.

Thanksgiving coasters:

With so many extra guests carrying drinks around the house, extra Thanksgiving coasters will come in handy. Cut photos from the front of Thanksgiving cards, magazine articles or homemade snapshots. Glue it on to a sturdy piece of cardboard. Once it dries thoroughly, cover the entire coaster, top and bottom, with clear contact paper. Set them around the house where guests will need a place to set their drink.

Place cards:

Place cards can be made using flat rocks. Wash each rock and let it dry. Paint each rock a bright color. Write the names on the rocks using markers or glue them on using alphabet pasta or scrap-booking letters.

Cornucopias:

Cornucopias are fun to create. Using a large piece of brown or tan construction paper, fold it to form a cone and staple it into shape. Shape fruits and vegetables like gourds, apples, grapes and corn from a lightweight-modeling compound like Model Magic clay. Let it dry overnight. Once it has dried, paint each piece the correct colors using acrylic paint. Let them dry. Touch them up if necessary. Then place them at the entrance to your cornucopia.

Banner:

String a piece of rope across the dining room wall. Using felt, create banners. Write one large letter on each banner. Spell out a

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