Handprint Crafts

Turn a Child's Handprint Into a Treasured Work of Art

Nov 2, 2007 Belinda Mooney

Kid's crafts are not only fun and easy but capture a moment of childhood in time when you turn a hand print into a work of art.

Children stay little for such a short time. As mothers and fathers, grandparents and teachers we are always looking for unique ways to capture those childhood moments forever. Using a child's hand print as the basis for crafting is the perfect way to capture one of those moments while enjoying being creative at the same time. And another added benefit - if you enjoyed a particular hand print craft you can do it again the next year and you will have a record of your child's growth,

Here are some fun ideas for hand print crafts to do with toddlers, preschoolers and elementary age students. Please share your own hand print craft ideas in our forum.

Hand Print Turkey

• construction paper
• brown poster paint
• feathers - artificial or different colored ones cut out of construction paper
• glue
• wiggly eye

What you do:

1. Paint the palm of your hand brown or pour some brown paint onto a disposable plate in a thin layer and gently place your hand on the plate. With your fingers spread slightly and your thumb pointing out make your hand print on a piece of construction paper. Your thumb is the turkey the turkey's head and your fingers the feathers.

2. Glue feathers in layers onto your "fingers" or you may draw them on the fingers.

3. Add a red beard to your turkey and a wiggly eye. Draw feet. You may want to draw a corn field or farm around your turkey.

Another versions is to trace your hand on to different colored construction paper. Draw a large circle and a smaller one. Glue the smaller circle just on to the top edge of the smaller one. This is the head and the body. Now glue the smaller circle to the top edge of the larger circle. This is the turkey's head and body. Now glue the hand prints to the back of the body so that the fingers stick out like feathers. Add wiggly eyes, a beak and legs.

Field of Flowers

• Blue construction paper
• green poster paint
• bright colored poster paint - yellow, red, pink and purple

What you do:

1. Draw a thick green stem on to the blue construction paper.

2. Pour the a small amount of each bright colored poster paint on to disposable plates. Empty egg cartons are perfect for this. Dip your finger gently into one color and make a flower center with your thumb print just above the stem. Wipe your finger off with a damp cloth.

3. Now pick a different color and make a row of "petals" all around your center. Repeat with the same color or use a different color.

4. Paint the palm of your hand with green paint and press gently at the bottom of the stem for "leaves". Repeat with the other hand on the other side.

You can find educational activities to go along with your Kids Crafts. Watch for more hand print and preschool crafts coming soon,

The copyright of the article Handprint Crafts in Kids Crafts is owned by Belinda Mooney. Permission to republish Handprint Crafts in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.