The Christmas season is always something very special for kindergarten and elementary school children. They look forward to Santa Claus' visit, bake cookies, learn Christmas poems and sing Christmas carols. Making crafts together is also a part of Advent. Whether it's a funny Christmas card or a small gift for friends and family, the main thing is to be creative! A special craft suggestion is Christmas motifs, which are created with handprints and finger paint. Handprint pictures are very decorative and easy to make!
Helpful tips for successful handprint images
First, talk to your child about what they want to paint or do. Should it be oneArtwork on canvasbe? Or would you prefer a Christmas card for friends and relatives? It is important to find out whether your child is even interested in this project or not. If it's not in a good mood, try another day.
By the way, you can also take the child's handprintas a reminderkeep in an album. Don't forget to write down the date and year. The ideas are numerous!
Choose a suitable time for crafting when the child is rested and alert. Prepare everything you need for painting in advance: newspaper for laying out, paper plates, paper, finger paints, brushes, etc. Also get enough wet wipes, washcloths or water and kitchen paper.
It is very important to make the area spill-proof before you begin. Handprint art is fun, but it can also be a huge mess. Prevent smudged children's hands from creating lasting memories on the table and couch and from turning everything into a mess.
First, explain to your child what he or she will do and what results are expected. So it will be prepared and can be more patient. It is better if you choose the desired motif together. Would your child like to make the handprint into a moose? Or does he like the idea of an angel better?
Paint Christmas motifs with children's handprints
Put some finger paint on a paper plate. The color should match the selected Christmas motif. For a Christmas tree, use dark green, the snowmen are white, the moose is brown, etc. Instead of dipping the child's entire hand in the paint, use a brush to apply the paint to the child's palm. Umto paint Santa Claus, apply three colors – red for the hat, beige for the face and white for the long beard.
It is also important that the background contrasts with the handprint image. This way the motif comes into its own better. If you're making a Christmas card, leave enough space for a short saying like "Merry Christmas." Also decide whether the card should be placed horizontally or vertically and where exactly the handprint will look best. By the way, the white paper can be wonderfully bordered with strips of washi tape.
Press the painted hand onto a white sheet of paper or canvas. The child should not hold their fingers too close together. Carefully swing your hand slightly left and right so that the handprint is clearly visible. If there are areas where the print is missing, you can fill in the gaps with a brush or your fingers and some more paint.
Another trick in hand printing art is that instead of applying paint to the entire hand, paint only a part of it, such as just the fingers or just the inner surface without the fingers. In this way, very different shapes are created.
However, for some motifs such as snowmen, the fingers can be placed a little further apart. This also leaves enough space between your fingers to draw the snowmen's arms with a marker.
Once the handprint is finished, immediately wash the hand with water and allow the finger paint to dry. Then you can let your imagination run wild and embellish the picture as you wish. In this way, the handprint can be transformed into a real work of art in no time.
Continue decorating the pictures
Here we have put together a few ideas on how to make the picture even more lively:
– Use a marker to draw faces, wings, fins, arms and legs, etc. to create animals. Also paint a landscape such as snowy hills and trees.
– Draw a background pattern around the handprints. Use interesting patterns like lines etc. A few falling snowflakes also look particularly nice.
– Ask your child to decorate the handprints. Some fun ideas will definitely come to light.
– Glue sequins, feathers, pompoms and googly eyes to make the artwork even more lively.
– Always use non-toxic paints and materials when working with children.
– When crafting with children, give them the instructions but let them do the steps themselves. Allow them to decorate the picture however they want.
Depending on how hard you press on the sheet, different shapes are created. For example, by gently pressing, thumb and fingerprints appear more circular. When you apply firm pressure, oval shapes are created.
The result also depends on the consistency of the paint used. If you want to use fabric paint, dilute it with a little water. This way there would be no gaps in the hand print.
If you want to paint an angel, mix some glitter powder into the finger paint. This will make the angel wings look even more beautiful and shiny. Combine white paint for clothes and paint golden yellow wings. A halo completes the overall picture perfectly.
Painting with hands is generally a lot of fun for children. But if that's not the case for you, you can simply draw around the child's hand with a pen. The main thing is that the child is content and happy.
Be inspired by the ideas in our picture gallery!
