Thanksgiving Directed Drawing Pages for Kids

These Thanksgiving directed drawing pages walk kids through drawing a turkey, a pie, a cornucopia and nine more pictures in six small steps.

Each page has the six steps across the top, a big box to draw in and lines underneath for writing.

Why Directed Drawing Works

A lot of kids say “I can't draw that.” Directed drawing breaks a picture into small steps, so each one only adds a line or two. By step six, they have drawn a whole turkey without ever feeling stuck.

Copying each step from the model is also good practice in looking carefully and getting the hand to match what the eyes see. The pictures are built from simple shapes kids already know, like circles, ovals and curved lines.

Child drawing an acorn on a Thanksgiving directed drawing page

Child drawing a turkey face by following six steps

How to Lead It

Draw it together the first time. Draw each step on a whiteboard while kids copy it in their box.
Say what you are drawing, like “a big oval for the face” or “three curvy lines for the feathers.”
Wait until everyone is done before moving to the next step.
Once kids know how it works, they can follow the steps at the top of the page on their own.

Child drawing corn on a directed drawing page

Child drawing a cornucopia on a directed drawing page

Choosing a Picture

The leaf, pear and acorn start with one simple shape and add just a few lines, so they are a good first drawing. The cornucopia, the place setting and the turkey have more parts to keep track of, so save them for later.

Child drawing a leaf on a directed drawing page

Child drawing a pear on a directed drawing page

Add Some Writing

The lines under the drawing box turn each page into a writing page, too. Younger kids can label their picture. Older kids can write a sentence about it, like what they would eat at Thanksgiving dinner. There is also a line for their name at the top.

Child drawing an apple pie with writing lines below

Child drawing a slice of pie on a directed drawing page

Ways to Use Them in November

An art or writing center with a different picture each day.
A Thanksgiving bulletin board with everyone's turkeys.
Easy sub plans. The steps are right on the page.

What’s in the Set

12 pages: acorn, turkey, turkey face, turkey leg, corn, cornucopia, leaf, pear, apple pie, slice of pie, place setting and squash
Six numbered steps, a drawing box and writing lines on every page