Archive for the ‘handprint and footprint crafts’ Category

Footprint turkey

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

Footprint turkey craft

Footprint turkey craft

You’ve heard of tracing a kid’s hand to make a Thanksgiving turkey, but how about a footprint? This craft is a great activity for preschoolers as well as a keepsake for parents.

What You Need: White butcher paper or construction paper; nontoxic brown paint; 2 googly eyes; scrap of orange construction paper; 6 colorful feathers; glue; tape; paintbrush; scissors.

How to Make It: Brush paint onto child’s foot (this generally works a little better than having them step in the paint, but that’s fine, too.) Have child step on white paper without wiggling, and then pull off in one motion. Let dry. Cut out foot shape. Glue on googly eyes and orange triangle beak to heel. Attach feathers to back with glue or tape.

Sunflower hands craft

Monday, May 18th, 2009

Sunflower hands

Sunflower hands

Capture the size of your preschooler’s little hands with this fun sunflower craft that’s quick to make at home or in school, with just a few basic supplies. It’s a great summer day camp activity, too.

What You Need: Yellow construction paper; pencil; glue; sunflower seeds; black pipe cleaner; brown pipe cleaner; scissors; stapler.

How to Make It: Trace child’s hand 8 to 10 times on yellow construction paper, using pencil. Have child cut out the hand shapes (littler kids will need help). Arrange the hands upside down (so the pencil marks don’t show), overlapping in a circle, and glue, tape or staple together. Staple straight brown pipe cleaner to back of sunflower. Cut black pipe cleaner in half and bend into circle. Staple to center of flower. Use glue to add sunflower seeds to center.

Handprint sheep craft

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Handprint lamb

Handprint lamb

For Easter, a farm unit or anytime, try these handprint (traced hand) sheep. One version (that’s Mom’s big ‘ol hand on the left) uses cotton balls for the fleece while the other (there’s Alec’s cute little hand) uses popcorn.

What You Need: Black construction paper; glue; white crayon; googly eye (optional); pencil; scissors.

How to Make It: Trace around hand and cut out. Position so fingers face down (these are the legs and the thumb is the lamb head). Use glue to cover “palm” with cotton balls or popcorn. Use white crayon to draw in eye and mouth, or use googly eye.

Footprint Easter chick

Monday, March 30th, 2009
Baby chick from footprint

Baby chick from footprint

The child’s own footprint forms the base for this cute yellow chick! This craft is great for Easter, but would also work for a farm unit at school.

What You Need: Yellow paint (nontoxic washable); paintbrush; sheet of white or cream construction paper; scrap of orange cardstock; black marker; yellow feather; glue.

How to Make It: Help child paint a clean foot yellow. (Alterative: step into a shallow tray with yellow paint in it.) Press foot onto construction paper and lift away slowly, without wiggling. Let dry. The heel is the chick’s head. Use black marker to add eye. Cut triangle shape from orange cardstock and glue to “face” for beak. Glue feather to body. If you’d like, children could glue birdseed or Easter grass to the paper as well.

Handprint turkey with feathers

Thursday, November 8th, 2007

Here’s a twist on the classic handprint Thanksgiving turkey craft. If you’re wondering why the hand in the example is so big, it’s because 3-year-old Alec didn’t feel like getting paint on his hands so Mom used her own, which gives us a chance to remind you to, as always, “enjoy the process,” because the most important thing at craft time is that preschoolers are having fun.
Handprint turkey with feathers
What You Need: Brown washable tempera paint; glue; feathers; googly eye; scrap of red and yellow cardstock or construction paper; full sheet of light-colored construction paper.
How You Make It: Paint hand using brown paint and press onto paper. Once dry, use glue to add feathers to finger areas. Glue on googly eye. Cut out wattle shape or use a heart-shaped paper punch to make one from red paper and glue on. Cut rectangle legs from yellow construction paper and glue on.