Disguise a Turkey Template: Free Printable Outlines
A disguise a turkey template is a blank turkey outline that a child dresses up so the turkey can hide before Thanksgiving. Pick one of the eight outlines below, then download it as a PDF or PNG or print it straight from this page. Every outline was drawn for this site, is free for home and classroom use, and needs no sign-up. Stuck on a costume? There are 60 turkey disguise ideas further down.
81 disguise ideas with picturesAnimals, jobs, holidays, food and more, each with a supply list and a coloring page.
Turkey disguise generatorType a costume and get a checked coloring page of a turkey wearing it, or the closest one we have.
Printable pack (PDF)Blank turkeys, 12 cut-out costume sheets and a writing page.
Project guide for parentsWhat teachers expect, a three-evening plan and writing pages.
How the disguise a turkey project works
The project usually comes home in early or mid November with a plain paper turkey and one instruction: disguise it so nobody would pick it for Thanksgiving dinner. Many teachers pair it with the picture book Turkey Trouble, in which a turkey tries on farm-animal costumes, and with a short piece of writing in the turkey's voice.
- Print the outline on plain paper for colouring, or on cardstock if you plan to glue heavy things such as buttons, fabric or pasta.
- Choose the disguise first, materials second. Pick something the child can explain in one sentence, then look for supplies you already have.
- Cover the giveaways. The tail feathers and the red wattle are what make it look like a turkey. Turn the feathers into something else (a cape, flames, petals, a peacock tail) or hide them behind a prop.
- Keep the turkey shape. Most teachers ask that the outline is still there underneath, so build on top of it rather than cutting it apart. Check the note your school sent home.
- Write the line. Fill in "My turkey is disguised as…" and, if asked, two or three sentences on why this disguise will fool the farmer.
Which outline to pick
| Outline | Best for |
|---|---|
| Classic (7 feathers) | Most disguises. Big body, big feathers, easy to cut. |
| Fluffy (11 feathers) | Colouring projects and rainbow or flame designs. |
| Pointed feathers | Leaf, flower-petal and superhero-cape ideas. |
| One-piece fan tail | Pre-K and kindergarten scissors skills. |
| Blank face | Costumes with a mask, helmet or full head covering. |
| Side view | Animals on four legs, vehicles and anything in profile. |
| Four minis | Trying ideas before committing, or a table group. |
| Loose feathers | Printing on coloured paper to glue behind the body. |
60 turkey disguise ideas
Sorted by what you probably already have. Each one works on any of the outlines above.
Paper, crayons and glue only
- Rainbow (feathers become the arcs)
- Sunflower (feathers as petals, seeds on the body)
- Pineapple
- Slice of pizza
- Ice cream cone
- Cupcake with sprinkles
- Watermelon slice
- Christmas tree
- Snowman
- Ghost in a sheet
- Pumpkin
- Strawberry
- Popcorn box
- Box of crayons (one feather per crayon)
- Stack of pancakes
Jobs and uniforms
- Firefighter
- Astronaut
- Doctor or nurse
- Chef (the irony is the joke)
- Police officer
- Farmer
- Construction worker
- Pilot
- Mail carrier
- Teacher
- Scientist in a lab coat
- Football player
- Baseball player
- Ballerina
- Rock star
Other animals
- Peacock (the feathers are already there)
- Owl
- Flamingo
- Penguin
- Cat
- Dog
- Unicorn
- Lion (feathers as the mane)
- Hedgehog or porcupine
- Butterfly
- Ladybug
- Bee
- Dinosaur
- Shark
- Reindeer
Craft-drawer and recycling-bin builds
- Gumball machine (pom-poms or dot stickers)
- Robot (foil and bottle caps)
- Mummy (gauze or toilet paper)
- Scarecrow (straw or raffia)
- Disco ball (foil squares)
- Cotton-ball sheep or cloud
- Bag of candy (real wrappers)
- Dumpling or bao (white tissue, pleated at the top)
- Sushi roll
- Taco
- Hot air balloon
- Pirate
- Superhero with a cape
- Princess or knight
- Santa or an elf
Dressing the turkey as a specific singer, athlete or cartoon character is popular too. That is fine for a school project; just make it yourself rather than printing someone else's artwork.
Supplies that work well
- For texture: cotton balls, tissue paper, felt scraps, yarn, craft feathers, foil.
- For detail: googly eyes, buttons, sequins, dot stickers, washi tape.
- For sticking: a glue stick for paper, white school glue for anything heavier. Hot glue is an adult job.
- For strength: glue the printed outline to a cereal-box panel before decorating if it has to travel in a backpack.
Common questions
- Is the disguise a turkey template free?
- Yes. All eight outlines are free to print or download for home and classroom use. There is no sign-up and nothing is uploaded; the files are made in your browser.
- What size does it print?
- One turkey fills a US Letter or A4 page. The PNG is 2550 × 3300 pixels, which prints at 300 dpi on Letter. To make it smaller, use your printer's scale setting or the four-minis page.
- When is the project usually due?
- It varies by school. Most classes send it home one to two weeks before Thanksgiving and collect it the week before the holiday. Check the note from your teacher.
- Can teachers copy these for a whole class?
- Yes. Print one and photocopy it, or use "PDF with all 8 pages" to let students choose.
- Do I have to keep the feathers?
- That is up to the teacher. Many ask that the turkey is still underneath, so most families turn the feathers into part of the costume rather than cutting them off. The blank-face outline gives the most freedom.
- Where did these drawings come from?
- They were drawn in code for this site. They are simple outlines, not copies of any published worksheet.