3 Thanksgiving Kids' Table Centerpieces They're Sure to Gobble Up

Keep your little pilgrims happily munching while they wait for the Thanksgiving feast to begin with a cute (and tasty!) edible centerpiece. 

Photo by: Camille Smith

Camille Smith

Materials Needed

  • glass vase, bowl or cylinder
  • peanut M&Ms
  • wood skewers
  • firm apple (Granny Smith or Rome are best)
  • creamy peanut butter
  • crushed nuts
  • mini chocolate chips
  • heavy-duty scissors or kitchen shears
  • card stock (tan, burgundy, brown or orange)
  • googly eyes or self-adhesive rinestones
  • red ribbon
  • scrap paper
  • glue stick

optional, for savory turkey: pistachios, jerky sticks and string cheese

optional, for healthy turkey: hummus, peppers, carrots, celery and radishes

Create Apple 'Feathers'

Wash cut and core apple, then insert a skewer into each apple slice. Use a paper towel to blot the excess moisture from each apple slice, then coat the cut sides with a layer of creamy peanut butter. Roll the peanut-butter-coated sides in mini chocolate chips for a dark brown feather or crushed nuts for a light brown feather. Coat each apple slice, then set aside.

Photo by: Camille Smith

Camille Smith

Cut Out Turkey's Body

Fold a scrap piece of paper in half, sketch a bowling pin-like shape, then cut out. This will be your turkey template -- play around with several variations of the shape (tall or short, wide or thin) to find a turkey silhouette you like. Unfold the template, then trace onto the back side of your card stock. Cut out the design and set aside. To create the feet, sketch them first onto a second piece of scrap paper and cut out before transferring the design to card stock. The beak is just a triangle cut out of a small piece of card stock folded in half.

Create the Face

Attach self-adhesive rhinestones or googly eyes to your turkey's head for eyes. Using a glue stick, attach just the ends of the beak, then glue a small piece of red ribbon to the beak's inside fold for a wattle.

Assemble Centerpiece

Pour M&Ms into glass container. Slide both a light (nuts) and dark brown (chocolate chips) row of coated apple skewers into candy, trimming the skewers' ends with kitchen shears, if necessary (Image 1). Alternatively, if you'd rather not load kids up with sweets, fill a vase with pistachios, jerky sticks and string cheese for a savory centerpiece (Image 2) or a bowl with hummus and cut veggies for a healthy twist (Image 3).

Next Up

Edible Thanksgiving Centerpiece: Make a Bread Cornucopia

Make an edible centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table using refrigerated bread dough, aluminum foil and a single egg. Fill with sweet and savory nibbles for an impressive centerpiece that’ll keep your guests happily munching while they wait for dinner to begin.

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