The folks at Crayola have a great craft project to keep the kiddies busy as you go about your preparations for that house-ful of guests you're expecting. The homemade Thanksgiving turkey napkin rings make the most out of using - and re-using - items you already have around your home. All you need is some recycled newspaper, old cardboard tubes from paper towels or wrapping paper (toilet paper tubes are not recommended for obviously sanitary reasons), as well as some crayons, kid-friendly scissors, unbleached coffee filters and non-toxic glue.

Simply have the kids decorate two filters per intended napkin ring, then spritz lightly with water over the newspapers so the colors blend together. Allow the filters to dry, then bunch them together to form the bodies, necks, heads and gobblers of the turkey and glue the parts together. The cardboard tubes can then be cut down to size for napkin rings, painted or colored, and attached to the turkeys using glue.

Voilà! A project with a dual purpose: it should buy you at least an hour of time to get done what you need to and will also elicit the "awwwww' reaction from guests, who will undoubtedly appreciate the time and effort that went into making sure their napkins had a beautifully decorated home.

Hit the jump to view the project details in their entirety!

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