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Disguise a Turkey as a Mermaid

To disguise a turkey as a mermaid, replace the legs with a long scaly tail and fin, add a seashell necklace and a small shell crown, and colour the tail feathers as seaweed or a giant fan shell. Sequins or hole-punched dots make the scales shine. Plan on about 45 minutes, since the scales are glued in rows.

Time45 minutes
Best for1st to 5th grade
CostFree to low
DifficultyMedium
Coloring page of a cartoon turkey disguised as a mermaid
Download the Mermaid pack (PDF)Picture only (PNG)

The PDF has three pages: this picture to colour, the cut-out pieces, and a blank turkey to build on.

What you need

  • Printed turkey outline on cardstock
  • Green or teal paper for the tail
  • Sequins, dot stickers or punched paper dots for scales
  • Shell stickers or small shell drawings
  • Blue tissue paper for water
  • White glue and a glue stick
  • Markers in sea colours

No printer ink to spare? Print only page 3 (the blank turkey) and draw the costume by hand using the picture as a guide.

How to disguise a turkey as a mermaid, step by step

  1. Cut a long tail that starts at the turkey's waist, covers the legs and ends in a two-part fin. Glue it on.
  2. Starting at the fin, glue rows of sequins or dots that overlap like roof tiles. Work upward so each row covers the edge of the one below.
  3. Draw or stick a necklace of small shells under the beak. It hides the wattle.
  4. Add a little crown of shells or a starfish on the head.
  5. Colour the tail feathers in greens and blues with wavy lines so they read as seaweed, or as the ribs of a big scallop shell.
  6. Glue torn strips of blue tissue along the bottom of the page for waves and add a few bubble circles.
  7. Write the line: "My turkey is disguised as a mermaid because she lives under the sea, where there are no ovens."

Printable mermaid cut-out pieces

Printable cut-out costume pieces for a mermaid turkey disguise

Print the cut-out sheet at 100% on plain paper or cardstock, colour the pieces first, then cut them out and glue them onto the turkey. The pieces are not scaled to one particular outline, so hold each one against your turkey first and trim it, or use it as a pattern to trace at the size you need.

Cut-out sheet (PNG)Blank turkey outlines

The cut-out sheet was drawn with an AI image tool and checked by hand. Shapes are simple on purpose so small scissors can follow them.

Tips that save time

  • A hole punch and shiny wrapping paper give you scales for free.
  • Use white glue for sequins and let the page dry flat overnight.
  • If you are short on time, draw the scales as rows of small U shapes with a marker.

Lines for the writing part

Most classes ask for a sentence or a short paragraph in the turkey's voice. Three starters your child can change:

  • “I am a mermaid. I belong in the ocean, not in the roasting pan.”
  • “Splash! I am swimming away from Thanksgiving.”
  • “Under the sea, the only thing on the menu is seaweed.”

There are printable writing pages for three grade bands in the project guide.

More disguise ideas

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See all 81 disguise a turkey ideas, or type your own into the turkey disguise generator.

Last updated 2026-11-14.