New Handprint Ideas for the Holidays
Fun Holiday Craft Projects Begin With a Tracing of a Child's Hand
Nov 6, 2009
Winter holidays are here bringing together history, tradition and fun. Families are getting their homes ready for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the many ways they commemorate bounty, principles, miracles, and light. Most families have a few heirloom decorations, each associated with a special story or tradition. With these directions, children who enjoy arts and crafts can create tomorrow's special memories. Try making simple holiday projects the family will treasure in years to come.
Each one of the projects below is handmade in every sense of the word. That's because they start off by tracing the contours of a child's hand. While making these decorations, it is easier to work when two children, or a child and an adult, are crafting together.
Thanksgiving Turkey Hand
This is a variation on the good-old Kindergarten version. The way to draw a hand turkey is:
- Hold the left hand down on the paper, such that the thumb is bent in and touching the base of the ring finger.
- Trace around the hand, starting at the wrist, going up and around fingers, and down again. After removing the hand, draw in the thumb, just as it was curved in before (it will look sort of like an upside-down letter L). The thumb will become the turkey's head and neck, and the other four fingers will become feathers.
- Using colored pencils or crayons, color each tall finger in shades of orange, brown and maroon. Color the palm of the hand and the thumb area in tan, beige or peach.
- Use a black marker to draw in the details, such as the feather markings, and beak. Draw or glue on one eye and the wattle (red throat dangle).
- Close off the bottom of the turkey, then draw on the feet.
Bearded Santa Face Hand
Turn a child's hand into a Santa Claus face, complete with his beard and fuzzy hat.
- Invert the left hand on a piece of paper, with the thumb stretched out slightly to the side, and the other fingers together but dangling down.
- Trace around the hand and all five fingers, from wrist to wrist.
- Glue a cotton ball onto the end of the thumbprint, for the tip of the Santa hat. Finish drawing the hat by making a line from the thumb joint to the wrist area. Color in red.
- Find the line on the hand where the fingers end and the palm begins. Draw on this line for a nice curly beard. Add in a little pink mouth. Decorate with more glued-on cotton or color with chalk.
- Draw on the rest of the face – nose, eyebrows, mustache, etc. Draw the eyes or glue on wiggly eyes. Use more flattened cotton balls to fill in details as desired.
Two-Handed Menorah
Make a lovely 9-fingered Hanukkah candelabra. The 9-pronged candle holder known as a Menorah helps families mark the 8-day holiday known as the Festival of Lights.
- Start by tracing two hands, which are held with the thumbs overlapped and all fingers spread, onto a sheet of paper. Trace all around, from wrist, to wrist, so there are nine ovals, the center one wider and shorter than the others.
- Draw tear-drop shape at the top of each finger, representing the candle flames.
- Over the two overlapped thumbs, draw a Star of David. The easiest way to make one is with two interlocking triangles, one regular and one inverted.
- Draw a line to join the bottom of the candelabra. Color or decorate as desired. Hint: tin foil or glitter glue will make the flames of the candelabra seem to glow.
Hand Stamped Holiday Gift Wrap
This is a great way to make special wrapping paper for the family's holiday gifts.
- Using a paintbrush, cover the entire palm of the hand with colorful, washable paint.
- Turn the hand over and press firmly onto a large plain white sheet of paper (the type called butcher paper is ideal for this project).
- Repeat hand stamp on different areas of the paper.
- Change the color of paint, and begin again.
- Experiment by changing the spacing of the fingers, or the position of the hand. Soon, the paper will be covered with a cute and personal hand-print design.
Often the crisp fall and winter days will keep children from playing outside. Doing arts and crafts projects will keep kids active. Simply by using their hands, kids can make lovely drawings of a Santa face, a Hanukkah menorah, or a Thanksgiving turkey. They can even make unique and personal gift wrap. Since these projects yield treasured holiday decorations,they will keep everyone in the family happy.
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