If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving project that makes kids giggle and adults smile, this little scarecrow is perfect.

Using a wood slice as the base, you can paint on a cheerful face, glue on a straw hat, and let the raffia hair stick out in every direction.

The result is a quirky, happy scarecrow that looks like it’s ready to celebrate harvest season with you.

This is the kind of craft that doubles as both a fun family activity and a keepsake to bring out year after year.

Materials Needed

• 1 wood slice (5-6” diameter, flat surface)
• 1 smaller wood slice (3-4” diameter, for base stand)
• Raffia or straw (about 12” strands, 10-12 pieces)
• Burlap scrap or small pre-made burlap hat
• Acrylic paints (black, white, orange, blue)
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Optional: fabric ribbon or gingham

Step-by-step Guide

Step 1: Paint a friendly scarecrow face on the wood slice using acrylics. Then add a big triangle nose, stitched smile, and cheerful eyes.

Step 2: Cut raffia into strands and glue them along the top sides of the slice to make hair. Let it stick out messily for a playful effect.

Step 3: Create a little hat with burlap, or use a pre-made one, and glue it on top of the hair. You can also add a sunflower embellishment for charm.

Step 4: Attach the painted slice to the smaller wood base with hot glue so it can stand upright.

Step 5: Tie a ribbon or gingham strip around the base for extra color, then place your scarecrow on a mantel, entryway, or dining table.

Notes:

For a family activity, let each person paint a different expression on their scarecrow with some silly, some sweet, so you end up with a whole harvest crew!