Can you build a home for a turkey? This holiday, challenge children to create a cozy coop for a turkey. This hands-on Thanksgiving STEM Activity will keep kids learning, engaged and having fun.
Use simple materials for this STEM activity for children to create and build. This STEM challenge uses common materials, like popsicle sticks and wooden blocks, for the ultimate Thanksgiving activity. Print the free activity card to make planning and preparing easy.
If you haven’t done a lot of STEM activities, they are typically hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math activities that mix any, or all of these subject areas. This activity focuses on engineering and some architecture design skills.
If you’re looking for more STEM activities, check out Teaching Ideas popular 45+ STEM Challenges and 60 Best STEM Activities.

If you love the idea of this Thanksgiving STEM activity, make sure to check out my Top 3 Thanksgiving STEM challenges. Each activity includes a free printable activity card!
Thanksgiving STEM Activity Materials
If you have kids at home, or teach in a classroom, the materials for this activity are quite simple, and you likely already have what you need. There are also a few printables that you can use, and download for free.
You will need:
- Popsicle Sticks
- Wooden Blocks
- Printable Activity Card (free)
- Printable Turkey (Free)
The more blocks and popsicle sticks you have, the better. If kids run out of materials, they will finish their structure quickly and without details. The more materials you can provide the more kids can use their imagination and create something amazing.
This activity can be done by individual children, small groups or even at the kids Thanksgiving table.
There is a free activity card for the challenge that you can print and either give to children, or post in the classroom if you use the materials for a classroom center.
I used different types of wooden blocks. I had small wooden cubes, and larger building blocks. Any that you have will work for the challenge.
Thanksgiving STEM Activity Challenge
Start by printing the turkey card and folding it along the lines and gluing the two smaller sections together at the bottom. You don’t need the turkey cutout for the challenge, but in my experience this tends to be kids favorite part of the challenge. They love having their own turkey to make a home for.
Once you have set out the materials and given each group their own turkey, you are ready to begin the challenge.
The challenge is to “Use the materials to create a home for your turkey this Thanksgiving“. Children will think of a design for their turkey home and then begin creating. The only other restriction is that the turkey cutout must be able to fit in the design.
Avoid giving children too much direction or too many ideas. However they interpret the instructions allows children freedom to create. There are no wrong solutions.
Once children are provided with the challenge, and the materials, then it is time for them to build. They can use all of the materials, or they can only use the wooden blocks. There are no restrictions on how many of each materials they must use.
It is always incredible to see what kids come up with. Often there are designs that I never considered, but are wonderfully creative and provide a solution to the challenge.
Thanksgiving STEM Challenge
It is always my favorite part to see kids designs. The homes and structures may include small details that make each creation unique, and special. If kids have enough time, they will often start adding even more to their design. It’s always beneficial to ask kids about their structure, because there are often features that go unnoticed, but that kids planned and added.
Since I used different blocks for my groups, the designs turned out looking very different, but all were great. Smaller blocks can create a more open and artistic structure, but each structure depends on where each child’s imagination takes them.
Make sure to give kids time to look at other groups/kids creations. It’s a great way to share their work and ideas with other kids.
You can extend the learning through conversations and comparisons between the structures. Share and discuss differences between structures, such as groups that included a roof or some sort of covering versus those that were left open, measuring which group made the tallest structure and even which groups home looked the best!
This Thanksgiving STEM activity for kids is a great way to celebrate the holiday while also learning. At this time of year, kids are excited about the upcoming holiday, so activities, like this, embrace the excitement and keep kids engaged.
STEM for Kids Extension Ideas
There are lots of simple things you can do to change this Thanksgiving STEM activity for kids.
One small change you can make to your challenge, to make it more difficult for older children is to set a limit on the number of blocks, or popsicle sticks they can use. Similarly, you can also require a specific amount of each of the materials to be used. For example, exactly 20 wooden blocks and 20 popsicle sticks must be used.
Another idea for this activity is to prepare the activity ahead of time for children. It makes a great gift on Thanksgiving for kids to take home and extend the celebrations, and learning. Place the activity card, along with the turkey cutout, wooden blocks and popsicle sticks in a bag for each child. Kids can take the materials home and create, over and over, during the holiday.
Free Printable Activity Card
Make set up easy with the free printable activity card and turkey cut out featured above. Each of the pages are available in color, and black and white. You can print the card to post at a classroom table or give it to children while they create. The turkey cut out can also be quickly printed and prepared for the activity.
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