Forget the kids’ table—set up the art table! At ARTLab Maui, this is one of our favorite group activities, and it works perfectly for Thanksgiving gatherings too. All you need are leaves, fabric scraps, paint, and glue, and suddenly kids (and even adults) are making autumn-inspired masterpieces. It’s simple to set up, totally open-ended, and brings a festive, creative spark to your holiday while keeping little hands joyfully busy.

f you’re looking for a family-friendly Thanksgiving craft that keeps little hands busy while you prep the feast (or just want a cozy art afternoon together), this is a perfect one.

What You’ll Need:

  • Drop cloth or butcher paper – to protect your table (or take it outside for easy cleanup!)
  • Colored construction paper – warm island tones like sandy beige, coral pink, golden yellow, or ocean blue
  • Tempera paint – mix up a tropical Thanksgiving palette: hibiscus red, mango orange, coconut cream, and sunny yellow
  • Paint brushes – a variety of sizes for big swipes and little details
  • Fabric scraps – cut-up pareos, aloha shirt leftovers, or any donated fabric with fun island patterns
  • Tropical leaves & natural finds – plumeria, monstera, ti leaves, palm fronds, flower petals, or even seed pods collected that morning
  • Glue – bottles or sticks (lots of it for layering fun!)

Setting Up the Table:

  1. Cover the table. A drop cloth works great, but if you’re outdoors, just hose down the lanai afterward.
  2. Mix up tropical Thanksgiving colors. Try sunset shades—mango orange, hibiscus red, and golden pineapple yellow. Add a little white or brown to soften the tones for that cozy, fall-meets-island feel.
  3. Set out natural treasures. Pile tropical leaves, petals, and seed pods into baskets or woven trays. Add a tray of fabric scraps (bonus points for aloha prints!) and plenty of glue bottles.
  4. Use colorful paper as a base. Skip plain white and go for warm sandy beige, coral, or golden yellow to give the collages instant “finished” vibes.
  5. Drying station. The floor works in a pinch, but cardboard trays or a shady spot outside make it easy for wet collages to dry before heading home.

The best part of this activity is that there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Some kids painted their leaves before gluing, others layered fabric like patchwork quilts, and a few just went wild with color. Every collage looked like a little Thanksgiving celebration on paper.

So while the turkey’s roasting and the grownups are chatting, set up a Leaf & Fabric Collage table. Little artists stay happily creative, and their vibrant collages could easily become part of your ohana’s holiday memories.

Tasha Compos is a 15-year art educator and owner of ARTLab Maui in Kihei where artists of all ages can learn, play, and create. artlabmaui.com