Handprint Wreath for Martin Luther King Day

Create a Wreath to Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr Day

Dec 18, 2008

Hand prints make up this interesting wreath while allowing kids to share their hopes and dreams with others.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a day when diversity and dreams is celebrated. It is a day sent aside to honor a man who worked very hard to ensure equal rights for all people. Martin Luther King, Jr. also encouraged others to follow their dreams just as he shared his hopes and dreams for a nation with the world. You and your friends can celebrate Martin Luther King Day by making this fun wreath to hang on the wall.

Make a Share a Dream Wreath

Getting Started on Your Martin Luther King, Jr Day Wreath

The first thing you will want to do is make a base for your wreath. You do this by drawing a large circle onto either cardstock or cardboard. Cut out the circle then draw a smaller circle on the inside and cut out the middle. This leaves you with a nice round shape upon which to glue your finished hands. You can color this or leave it plain.

Trace Your Hands

Next you and your friends will trace lay your hands flat down on a piece of colored construction paper and trace your hands. You can each do one hand or two, depending on how many people are participating. You want to have enough hands to cover the wreath form. After you have finished tracing your hands carefully cut them out. Now in the middle of your hand write a goal or dream you have. It could be a personal goal, such as, "I want to be a doctor." or it could be broader dream, such as, "I want to help build a park in my town." When everybody is finished it is time to glue on the hands.

Completing The Wreath

Now you glue the hands onto the circle of cardboard. You want the fingers pointing towards the outside, kind of like leaves. If you don't have enough hands to totally cover the wreath with saying on them you can use some blank hands to fill in. Overlap the hands so the cardboard does not show through.

Last, cut a piece of string and tape it to the back of the wreath for hanging on the wall. Display your wreath proudly in your home or classroom.

This is a great activity for classroom, home school or a daycare. It pulls in all the children in a group and can be done by various ages. Very young children can tell an adult their dreams and the adult can write it for them.

The copyright of the article Handprint Wreath for Martin Luther King Day in Holiday Kids Crafts is owned by Belinda Mooney. Permission to republish Handprint Wreath for Martin Luther King Day in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.