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US Letter, 8.5 x 11 inches. Print at 100% for craft pieces; use Fit to page if your printer clips the margins. An adult should help with scissors and fitting wearable crafts.
Turn a familiar school turkey project into an underwater character with this mermaid turkey disguise. A long tail shape, a decorative top, and a few ocean details give the bird a completely different silhouette. Children can make the costume gentle and sparkly, bold and colorful, or full of their own imaginary sea creatures.
What to make
Plan the silhouette before choosing decorations. The mermaid tail should become the largest feature, with the turkey body tucked behind the costume. The turkey feathers can suggest seaweed or waves instead of a fan. The printable is a starting shape; scale marks, shell patterns, a crown, and a background scene can all be drawn by the child.
How to use this printable
- Color the mermaid costume with crayons or colored pencils, keeping the cut line visible along the outside edge.
- Add simple scale marks with repeated curved lines, or draw several larger shapes for an easier coloring task.
- Cut and position the costume over a turkey base before using glue, checking which turkey features remain visible.
- Finish with an ocean name and a sentence beginning, “You cannot find the turkey because this is a mermaid who…”
Make the activity your own
Use tissue paper for translucent-looking waves or torn blue paper for a textured sea. For a classroom display, give every student the same ocean background size so the finished characters hang together. A family project can include a short story about the mermaid’s secret hiding place. Avoid tiny embellishments for children who still put craft materials in their mouths.
Questions before you begin
Can I make a merman or another ocean character?
Yes. Change the top, hair, and name to create any imaginary ocean character the child wants to design.
Do I need glitter for this project?
No. Crayons, scrap paper, and drawn patterns work well. A few repeated shapes can create plenty of detail without loose glitter.