Pilgrim Boy Toilet Paper Roll Craft
When Thanksgiving rolls around, families are often searching for fun activities to help kids learn, play, and celebrate the holiday season. If you’ve ever wanted a creative way to bring the Thanksgiving story to life while keeping little hands busy, this Pilgrim Boy Toilet Paper Roll Craft with a free pilgrim template is the perfect project.
This Thanksgiving Craft is simple, adorable, and budget-friendly, using supplies you probably already have at home.
Pilgrim Boy Toilet Paper Roll Craft
Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or someone hosting a holiday gathering, this craft is a great way to get ready for Thanksgiving while teaching kids about the history and traditions behind the holiday.
With a free printable template, basic supplies, and a little creativity, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your kids will fall in love with this sweet pilgrim craft.
Why Make a Pilgrim Toilet Paper Roll Craft?
Thanksgiving is a time centered around gratitude, family, and history. When you create a craft that ties into the theme, it becomes much more than just a way to pass the time.
This craft can help kids connect with the Thanksgiving story in a hands-on way. It provides them with a visual reminder of the pilgrims, Native Americans, turkeys, and traditions that have shaped the occasion.
Plus, toilet paper roll crafts are classics for a reason—they’re inexpensive, easy to make, and eco-friendly since you’re repurposing something that would otherwise be tossed.
Children will love how their toilet paper roll pilgrim craft turns out, and you’ll love how it keeps them entertained while giving them something to display proudly.
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Supplies Needed To Make A Pilgrim Boy Toilet Paper Roll Craft:
Before starting your project, gather all your supplies so that everything is within easy reach. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Toilet paper roll
- Construction paper (black, white, yellow, pink, and brown)
- Yellow paper for the hair
- Marker
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Googly eyes (optional but fun)
- Template (to make the details easier)
This supply list is short and straightforward, making it an easy Thanksgiving activity for any classroom, homeschool project, or fun day at home.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Here’s how you and your children can create this amusing Thanksgiving craft.
Step 1: Wrap the Base
Start by wrapping the toilet paper roll with black construction paper. This will form the pilgrim boy’s outfit. Use glue to secure the paper tightly around the roll.
Step 2: Add the Face
Cut a strip of pink paper and wrap about one-third of the top of the toilet paper roll. This will be the face. Secure it with glue.
Step 3: Draw the Smile
Using a marker, draw a smile and little blush dots on the face. If you’re using googly eyes, glue them on now for a fun, animated look.
Step 4: Cut Out the Details
Using the free template, cut out the collar, shoes, and belt. Trace them onto white paper, brown paper, and yellow paper as needed.
Add a small yellow buckle for the belt and hat.
Step 5: Assemble the Outfit
Glue the collar around the neck area and place the brown strip belt with the buckle around the middle. Add the shoes at the bottom. You can also draw or glue on tiny buttons for extra detail.
Step 6: Add the Hair
Cut small strips of yellow paper to make hair.
Glue them onto the sides of the pilgrim’s head. You can make the hair as short, long, or silly as you’d like.
Step 7: Make the Hat
Cut out a black rectangle for the hat.
Add a white strip, and glue a yellow clasp in the center.
Now you have a completed pilgrim hat.
Attach the hat to the top of the pilgrim toilet paper roll to complete the look.
The pilgrim craft is now complete with the hat securely attached, giving it a charming finished look.
Creative Ways to Use Your Pilgrim Craft:
- Table Decor for Thanksgiving Dinner
Line these adorable pilgrim toilet paper roll figures down the middle of your Thanksgiving table alongside pumpkins, candles, and maybe even a turkey centerpiece. They’ll add a touch of handmade charm. - Homeschool Thanksgiving Lesson
If you’re homeschooling or teaching about history, these crafts are a fantastic way to bring lessons to life. While creating the craft, you can talk about pilgrims, Native Americans, and the first Thanksgiving feast. - Thanksgiving Storytime
Use the pilgrim boy and girl as puppets to act out parts of the Thanksgiving story. Children will love hearing the tale with visual props. - Holiday Keepsake
Save these crafts year after year to display during the season. It’s an excellent way to remember your Thanksgiving activities together.
Tips for Crafting Success:
- Use a printable template to make cutting shapes like the buckle, belt, and hat easier.
- Encourage kids to personalize their pilgrim, add different hair colors, longer hats, or extra buttons.
- If you don’t have googly eyes, draw them with a marker.
- To make the craft sturdier, wrap around the roll with an extra strip of paper or use cardstock instead of construction paper.
- Pair this with other toilet paper roll crafts, like a turkey or a Native American character, to create a whole Thanksgiving set.
Educational Crafts For Kids
Crafting isn’t just enjoyable—it’s also educational. This easy Thanksgiving activity teaches kids fine motor skills (cutting, gluing, tracing), sequencing (following steps), and creativity.
It also ties directly into history by connecting them to the pilgrims and the origins of the celebration.
For kids, hands-on projects like this make the story of Thanksgiving much more memorable than reading about it in a book. They can hold the pilgrim boy in their hands, retell the story, and feel proud of something they made.
Printable Templates Make It Easy
If you’re not confident about cutting out tiny collars and buckles freehand, don’t worry. With a free printable template, you can easily cut and trace the right shapes.
Just download the free printable, grab your scissors, and you’re good to go. It makes this craft nearly foolproof, and kids will love following along.
The template also helps create uniform pieces if you’re doing this craft with a classroom full of kids. Everyone gets the same pieces, but they can still personalize them with different colors, smiles, or button designs.
Free Pilgrim Template
Kids will love making this adorable pilgrim craft because it feels like play. They get to cut, color, and glue, while also learning a little about history. Plus, when it’s all done, they’ll have something they can proudly show off at Thanksgiving dinner.
There’s something magical about turning a simple toilet paper roll into a little pilgrim boy; it’s engaging, creative, and a little silly, too. For many kids, that’s the perfect recipe for seasonal memories.
More Toilet Paper Roll Crafts to Try
If you enjoyed the Pilgrim Boy Toilet Paper Roll Craft, here are more fun and creative toilet paper roll crafts you can make with kids.
- Nativity Toilet Paper Roll Craft – A meaningful craft to celebrate the nativity story with handmade figures.
- Reindeer Toilet Paper Roll Craft – A festive reindeer craft that’s perfect for Christmas fun.
- Polar Bear Toilet Paper Roll Craft – A cute and wintry polar bear craft for the holiday season.
- Angel Toilet Paper Roll Craft – A sweet angel craft that makes a lovely holiday decoration.
This Pilgrim Boy Toilet Paper Roll Craft is the kind of project that checks all the boxes: it’s adorable, easy, educational, and full of Thanksgiving spirit.
Whether you’re making it as part of kids’ crafts in a classroom, a homeschool activity, or just a craft at home, it’s guaranteed to bring smiles.
From teaching kids about history to decorating your Thanksgiving dinner table, this is one of those crafts for kids that will become a tradition.
It’s a reminder that sometimes, the simplest activities can bring the most joy.
Happy crafting, and here’s to a fun Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter, and maybe even a pilgrim toilet paper roll or two!
Pilgrim Boy Toilet Paper Roll Craft
This adorable toilet paper roll character craft comes together fast with the help of a free printable template. Kids wrap the tube, add a pink “face” panel, glue on the hat and details, then finish with googly eyes and bright yellow paper “hair.” It’s a fun way to build scissor skills, follow simple steps, and create a cute puppet for pretend play or classroom displays.
Materials
- Construction paper (black, pink, yellow, white; plus any accent colors you like)
- Black marker (fine tip preferred)
- Glue stick or white school glue
- Scissors
- Empty toilet paper roll
- Googly eyes (or use paper eyes from the template)
- Free template (print at 100% / “Actual Size”)
- Optional: tape, ruler, pencil, crayons/colored pencils, small pom-pom for hat top
Instructions
- Print & Cut the Template
Download the free template, print at 100%, and cut out each piece (hat, collar/details, eyes if not using googly eyes, etc.). Set them aside in a small dish so nothing goes missing. - Wrap the Tube in Black (Clothing/Base)
Measure the height of your toilet paper roll. Cut a rectangle of black construction paper to match the height and long enough to wrap around once with a small overlap. Apply glue along one short edge, wrap the paper tightly around the tube, and press the seam flat. - Add the Face Panel (Top ⅓ in Pink)
Cut a strip of pink construction paper that’s the same height as about the top third of the tube’s front (roughly 1–1.5 inches tall on a standard roll). Glue it onto the top front of the roll to create the face area. Smooth out any bubbles. - Attach White Template Details
Place the template pieces onto white construction paper, trace lightly with a pencil, and cut them out cleanly (these are typically items like a collar/trim or any small accessories your design includes). Do a quick “dry fit” to see where they’ll go before gluing. - Glue the Template Pieces to the Roll
Working from top to bottom, glue each white (and any accent) piece onto the roll. Hold each piece for a few seconds so it adheres well to the curved surface. - Create the Hair (Yellow Strips)
Cut several yellow paper strips about ¼ inch wide and 3–4 inches long (make them longer or curl the ends for extra flair). Glue the strips to both sides of the pink face panel, tucking the top ends just under where the hat will sit. Let a little hair hang below the face for a cute look.
Optional: Use a pencil to curl the ends of the strips gently. - Add the Hat
Trace and cut the hat from the template (black or your chosen color). If the hat has a band or trim, cut those from contrasting paper and glue them on first. Then glue the hat to the very top of the tube, slightly overlapping the pink face panel and hair so it looks naturally “worn.” - Eyes, Smile & Finishing Touches
Glue on googly eyes (or paper eyes from the template). With a black marker, draw a simple smile and any details you like (lashes, freckles). Add blush with a pink crayon/colored pencil, and outline edges to make features pop.
Optional: Glue a tiny pom-pom to the hat tip or add stickers/sequins for sparkle. - Let Dry & Display
Allow everything to dry completely. Display on a shelf, or tape a craft stick inside the roll to use it as a puppet for storytelling.
Notes
Tips:
For group crafting, pre-cut template pieces and sort them into zip bags for each child.
If the roll is glossy, use a glue stick generously or add a small piece of double-sided tape along the seam.
Want it to stand sturdier? Trace the tube’s opening on cardboard, cut a circle, and glue it inside the bottom as a base.
