How Do You Cook a Thanksgiving Turkey? We Asked & the Kids Answered (Get Ready to Laugh) by Ann Marie G. Halstead

One of my favorite things about the holidays is having little ones around, seeing them marvel at everything and seeing things through their eyes. My sons are now 16 and almost 13. The holidays are still fun and we still make memories, of course, but it’s not quite the same as when they were little.

When my boys were younger, I loved reading Thanksgiving and Christmas books and decorating the house, attending parties and performances at their school, and receiving the precious homemade gifts they’d make in class. Something else that I remember fondly is some of the “work” that would come home from school this time of year. Perhaps my favorite was when a teacher asked the students “How do you cook a turkey?” The responses were absolutely adorable! 

I decided to ask the same question to the little ones I know now, primarily my friends' and cousins' kids. I hope the children’s responses below make your day. They certainly made mine.

Q: How do you cook a turkey?

• “Well, we need a lot of ornaments, meat, salt and some chips.” – Lucy, age 3 1/2

• “In a really big pot.” – Emmett, age 8

• “First you murder a turkey, put it in the microwave or oven. Then you eat it and throw the bones in the garbage!” – Emmett, age 6

• "You go buy one at Costco, then you have to clean it, put it in the oven at 80 degrees and cook it for one day. Then you eat it served with cereal." – Savannah, age 5

• “I don’t like turkey and will never cook one. But I do boil hot dogs.” – Ellery, age 11

• “You put salt and pepper on it. Then you put it in the circle thing with the lid in the driveway and then you bring it inside on a coat hanger and put it on the table. Then you cut it open and eat it.” – William, age 5

• “Um, Nana does it.” – Vanessa, age 2

• “First you cut the turkey, and then to make it more better you pull off all the feathers and you put it in the oven and that is how you cook a turkey. But on Wild Kratz they said turkeys are very smart and can fly, and if they’re happy their face turns blue and if they’re scared they put their feathers up. So if you want to get the turkey to eat, you should get it when its face is blue so you don’t scare it away.” – Zanna, age 5

• “Does the turkey know? ‘cause mama, I don’t know!” – Elliott, age 4

• “Um, you put the chicken in and then you cook it in the oven.” – Myla, age 3 1/2

• "Super duper big turkey in the oven with stuffing, apples, bananas, EVERYTHING!" – Emilia, age 4

• "First you catch it, then you chop it into pieces then you put it into the oven and then you have a tasty turkey to share." – Gabby Rose, age 6

• “I would put the temperature to 300 for 5 hours and then I would eat it with my family and then we would watch the football games and eat football ice cream cake that Daddy gets us.” – Cole, age 8

• “Put the turkey in some water. Take it out and put some taste on it. Put it in the oven. I don’t know how to do this! Why are you asking me this? Don’t you know how to make a turkey, Momma?” – Jenna, age 6

• “Turkey is made out of meat. I don’t like turkey.” – Norah, age 5

• “You grab the turkey, you cut the turkey up and you put it in the oven. Stick a thermometer in it and wait 15 minutes. Then you take it out and cut it up. Put it on a plate and serve it.” – Landon, age 8 1/2

• “We’re with our family and then mom makes him warm and his body cooks his body. Then he goes on the table with the nice plates and food that mom puts out ... My turkey for my [school] project has a butt – there is no butt feathers on a cooked turkey.” – Evelyn, age 6

• "Put turkey powder in it? I do not know." – Leah, age 5

• “Put it in the oven (eye roll). You know I don't know!” – C., age 6

• "Cheese, turkey, bread and then ... You eat it." (Mom asks again, emphasizing “not a turkey sandwich.”) “We cook it ... I don't know!” – Adrian, age 4

• “You got to kill it first and then you just put it in the oven.” – Dominic, age 7

• “I don’t know. I want to make an apple pie.” – Annabelle, age 4

• “A turkey looks like a chicken and you just put it in the microwave. Then it comes out with the skin brown and crunchy with the juices are ah-licious.” – Bobby, age 5

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