The kids are out of school for Thanksgiving holidays, which means a perfect time to let little hands help with decorating. Get kids involved with these fun, easy crafts.

Help your family create a festive holiday table! You can make these turkey place cards with sup-plies you already have around the house!

What you will need:

1 sheet of construction paper or plain white paper for each guest

Crayons or Markers

Scissors

Glue Stick or Glue

Cotton Balls (Any paper or tissue product will work if you don’t have cotton balls)

Instructions:

Fold the sheet of paper in half

Use a crayon or marker to trace your hand on one side of the paper

Cut out the hand print (you should have 2)

Write the name of the guest across both sides of the hand print “turkey”

Decorate the “turkey” with crayons or markers

Spread glue half way around the edge of one of the hand prints

Stick the other hand print to it

Place cotton balls or tissue in between the two sheets on paper to stuff the hand print “turkey”

Place glue along the other half so that it is sealed shut

Lay out to dry for at least an hour

Once the turkeys have dried you can lay the placecards around your holiday table!

Kids like to make these recipes as much as they like to eat them! Remember: always wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.

GEORGIA PECAN MIX

About 24 (½ cup) servings

2 cups Georgia pecan halves

3 cups popped popcorn

2 cups cheese-flavored fish-shaped crackers

2 cups toasted oat cereal

1 cup thin pretzel sticks

2 cups oyster crackers

1 (4 ounce) package buttermilk salad dressing mix

1/3 cup canola oil

½ cup raisins

Preheat oven to 250 °F.

In a large bowl, combine pecans, popcorn, fish crackers, cereal, pretzels and oyster crackers. Set aside.

Combine salad dressing mix and oil in glass measuring cup. Pour dressing over dry ingredients and toss well. Spread mixture on ungreased baking sheet and bake 30 minutes.

Let cool on pan. When cool, stir in raisins. Store in 3-quart airtight container.

Let kids pour snack mix into plastic bags, tie with pretty plaid ribbon, and attach the recipe for take-home party favors or holiday gift-giving.

Recipe Source: Georgia Pecan Commission

MOUSIE CHEESE PARTY BALL

1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese

1 (8 ounce) jar of processed cheese

4 ounces any grated cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 to 1½ cups finely chopped Georgia pecans

2 round crackers (for ears)

6 thin pretzel sticks (for whiskers -- 3 on each side)

2 slices pimiento-stuffed green olives (for eyes)

1 scallion, trimmed and washed, or 1 long strip of onion (for tail)

Mix cheeses and Worcestershire sauce. Form mixture into ball; roll in pecans.

Decorate cheese ball by placing round crackers, pretzels, olive slices, and onion to turn into mouse. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with crackers.

Recipe Source: www.bethanyroberts.com

“TURKEY” APPLES

For each turkey apple:

1 Red or Golden Delicious apple

¼ cup dried cranberries, raisins, small colored gumdrops, or fruit ring cereal

7 to 8 mini-marshmallows

7 to 11 toothpicks

1 pimiento-stuffed green olive

2 whole cloves

Position apple so that it is turned on its side with the stem end tilted slightly up. Insert three tooth-picks in middle of one side, flared out to act as “tripod” for turkey to stand on. Set apple aside.

To make tail feathers: thread dried cranberries, raisins, small colored gumdrops, or fruit ring ce-real onto 5 to 7 toothpicks and top each with a mini-marshmallow. Stick toothpicks on back of apple turkey towards stem end to resemble row of feathers, with mini-marshmallow end sticking up.

To make head and neck: slide cranberries down one toothpick and top with stuffed green olive for head. Pull pimiento out slightly to simulate red wattle. Insert cloves on either side of olive for eyes. Insert decorated toothpick into end of apple opposite tail feathers.

©2009 Partnership for Food Safety Education