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This post was originally published on November 9, 2020, and was updated on November 17, 2025.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Half food, half craft—these Peanut Butter Ball Turkeys are a fun, no-bake Thanksgiving activity for kids! They’re easy to assemble, delicious to eat, and a perfect hands-on holiday project for preschoolers and big kids.

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Peanut Butter Ball Turkeys: A Fun Thanksgiving Activity for Kids

These cute peanut butter turkeys are simple to make and allow your child to get creative with decorating. Kids can help mix the peanut butter balls, roll them into shapes, and design their own turkey faces and feather tails. The best part? Eating their adorable creation when they’re done!

Do I Have to Use Peanut Butter Balls?

Not at all! The peanut butter ball recipe below is nostalgic for me—I remember making these in school using peanut butter, instant milk, and chocolate chips. We’d roll them, write the recipe in a peanut-shaped book, and illustrate the steps. It’s one of my favorite childhood Thanksgiving memories.

But if you prefer a healthier or allergy-friendly option, you can swap in:

A no-bake energy ball recipe
Sunflower seed butter balls
Oatmeal energy bites

Any soft, moldable mixture will work for this kids’ Thanksgiving craft.

Thanksgiving Books to Pair With This Activity

Connecting activities to books is a great way to build literacy naturally. Here are some fun Thanksgiving books your kids will enjoy:

10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston – A silly, rhyming counting story from ten down to one, perfect for preschoolers and early elementary kids.
Run, Turkey, Run! by Diane Mayr – Follow Turkey as he hops and hides to avoid becoming dinner; great for read‑aloud fun and problem-solving.
Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano – Turkey uses clever disguises to escape the holiday feast; encourages imaginative play and creativity.

These books make a perfect companion to this edible craft and spark conversation, counting, and storytelling while kids make their turkeys.

Teaching Tips for This Thanksgiving Activity

While your kids make their turkeys, you can weave in simple learning moments:

Identifying colors in the Froot Loops
Creating patterns (AB, ABC, etc.)
Counting how many Froot Loops go on each toothpick
Sequencing the steps: first, next, then, last
Fine-motor strengthening through rolling and stacking

This tasty craft doubles as a hands-on learning opportunity!

How to Make Peanut Butter Ball Turkeys

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Balls:

1 cup of peanut butter (creamy or chunky, “no-stir” type recommended)
1 cup of instant non-fat milk
1 cup of mini chocolate chips (I only had regular sized chocolate chips on hand when I made these, so I pulsed them in a food processor to get them a little smaller.)

For Decorating:

Froot Loops
candy eyeballs
tooth picks
Optional: mini marshmallows, raisins, chocolate chips, or anything else to customize your turkey

Instructions

Step 1: Mix the Peanut Butter Balls
Add peanut butter, instant milk, and chocolate chips into a bowl. Mix until fully combined—your hands work best!

Step 2: Roll Into Balls
Roll the mixture into larger balls for the turkey’s body and smaller balls for the head.

Rolling peanut butter balls for the turkeys.

Step 3: Build & Decorate the Turkeys:

Stack the head ball onto the body
Press in two candy eyes
Add a beak and wattle using Froot Loops
Insert toothpicks into the back
Stack Froot Loops on each toothpick to create the colorful tail feathers

Let kids go wild with creativity—the sillier the turkeys, the better!

Enjoy Your Peanut Butter Ball Turkey Creations!

These no-bake Thanksgiving treats are easy, festive, and perfect for holiday parties, classroom celebrations, or a cozy activity at home.

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