Handprint crafts are a timeless way to create personal, meaningful holiday decorations. Whether it’s for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, or any other festive occasion, using a child’s handprint in art allows for a keepsake that captures their growth over the years. Handprint holiday decorations also provide an opportunity for children to engage in creative play, explore colors, and learn about holiday traditions.
In this article, we’ll show you how to make a variety of handprint holiday decorations that will brighten up your home and make great gifts for friends and family. These crafts are simple, fun, and perfect for children ages 3-5.
Why Make Handprint Holiday Decorations?
- Personalized Gifts: Handprint crafts are a beautiful way to create sentimental gifts that grandparents, parents, or even teachers will cherish.
- Creativity: Kids can express their holiday spirit through colors, shapes, and designs, making each piece unique.
- Memories: Capturing the size of your child’s hand on paper is a wonderful keepsake that can be treasured for years.
- Learning Fun: Children can learn about different holidays, their symbols, and traditions while creating fun art.
Materials You'll Need
- Paint: Various colors depending on the holiday (e.g., red and green for Christmas, orange and black for Halloween, etc.)
- Construction Paper: White, green, or festive colors for backgrounds
- Markers, crayons, or colored pencils: For adding details like faces, accessories, and decoration
- Googly eyes (optional)
- Glitter, stickers, sequins (optional for extra sparkle)
- Glue (for additional decorations)
- Scissors (for cutting out shapes)
- String or ribbon (for hanging)
- Wipes or a bowl of water: To clean your child’s hands between colors
How to Make Handprint Holiday Decorations
Handprint Christmas Tree
What You’ll Need:
- Green paint for the handprints
- Brown for the tree trunk
- Glitter, sequins, or star stickers for decoration
- Markers for additional details
How to Make It:
- Paint the Handprints: Paint your child’s hands with green paint and have them press their hands onto the paper, with the palms facing down and fingers spread wide. Stack the handprints on top of each other, with the base of the palm facing the bottom to form a Christmas tree shape.
- Create the Tree Trunk: Use brown paint or a marker to draw a small trunk at the bottom of the handprint tree.
- Decorate the Tree: Add glitter or sequins for Christmas ornaments. You can also glue on star stickers or use yellow paint to create a star on top of the tree.
- Add Details: Use markers to add small presents underneath the tree or a Christmas greeting like “Merry Christmas.”
Handprint Turkey (Thanksgiving)
What You’ll Need:
- Brown paint for the turkey’s body
- Red, orange, yellow, and brown paint for the feathers
- Markers for the face and legs
- Googly eyes (optional)
How to Make It:
- Create the Feathers: Use red, yellow, orange, and brown paint to paint the child’s handprints. Have them press their hands down in a fan shape to create the turkey’s feathers. The fingers will form the feathers, while the palm will be the turkey’s body.
- Add the Body: Use brown paint to create a small oval shape in the center of the handprints for the turkey’s body.
- Face and Legs: Draw a turkey face using markers or use googly eyes for a 3D effect. Draw a beak and waddle (the red hanging part under the beak) and add two small legs at the bottom.
- Add Details: Add small details like “Happy Thanksgiving” or some cute decorative patterns around the turkey.
Handprint Pumpkin (Halloween)
What You’ll Need:
- Orange paint for the pumpkin
- Green paint for the pumpkin stem
- Black paint for spooky faces (optional)
- Glitter or stickers (optional)
How to Make It:
- Paint the Handprints: Paint your child’s hands with orange paint and press their hands onto paper in a circular or oval shape to create the pumpkin’s body. Spread the fingers wide to give the pumpkin texture.
- Create the Stem: Use green paint to draw a curly stem at the top of the pumpkin.
- Add a Face: Use black paint or markers to create a jack-o-lantern face, complete with a spooky smile and triangle eyes.
- Decorate: Add glitter, sequins, or Halloween-themed stickers (like bats, ghosts, or spiders) around the pumpkin.
Handprint Snowman (Winter Holidays)
What You’ll Need:
- White paint for the snowman’s body
- Black for the snowman’s hat, buttons, and eyes
- Orange for the nose (carrot shape)
- Colorful paint for the scarf and accessories
How to Make It:
- Paint the Handprints: Paint your child’s hands with white paint and have them press their hands onto the paper in a stacked position. The base of the palms will form the snowman’s body, with the fingers creating a snowy effect or texture around it.
- Add a Face and Accessories: Use black paint for the eyes, buttons, and a carrot-shaped orange nose. Draw a fun hat or scarf using colored markers or paint.
- Decorate the Snowman: You can add extra details like a snowy background using glitter or snowflake stickers.
Handprint Heart Ornament (Valentine’s Day)
What You’ll Need:
- Red or pink paint
- White paper for the background
- Markers for extra details
How to Make It:
- Paint the Handprints: Paint your child’s hands with red or pink paint and have them press their palms together (fingers spread apart) to create the shape of a heart. The palms will form the main shape, while the fingers create the heart’s curves.
- Add Details: Use markers to draw a ribbon at the top, turning it into an ornament. You can also add small heart decorations or a sweet message like “Be Mine” or “Love You.”
- Hang It Up: Punch a hole at the top of the heart and thread a ribbon through to hang it as a decoration or ornament.
Handprint Santa Claus (Christmas)
What You’ll Need:
- Red paint for Santa’s suit
- White paint for Santa’s beard and fur
- Black and yellow for Santa’s boots and belt
- A little pink or peach for his face
How to Make It:
- Create Santa’s Body: Use red paint to cover your child’s hands and press them onto paper with the palms down. The fingers will be used to form Santa’s coat and the palms will represent his body.
- Create the Face: Paint a circle for Santa’s face above the handprints and draw or paint a beard with white paint. Add details like black boots, a yellow belt, and a red hat.
- Decorate: You can add a cute nose, eyes, and a smile using markers or googly eyes for extra fun!
Fun Variations for Handprint Holiday Decorations
- Handprint Wreath: Use several handprints to create a circle for a festive wreath. You can make it for Christmas or use autumn colors to create a Thanksgiving wreath.
- Handprint Reindeer: For a Christmas touch, turn handprints into reindeer by adding antlers, a red nose, and a scarf.
- Handprint Stars: Celebrate New Year’s Eve or Fourth of July with handprint stars! Paint the hands yellow or blue and create stars to hang on walls.
- Handprint Snowflakes: Create beautiful snowflakes using handprints by pressing multiple handprints around a central point. You can decorate with glitter to make them sparkle!
Handprint holiday decorations are an easy, fun, and creative way to celebrate the holidays while making cherished keepsakes. These crafts not only help children learn about different traditions, but they also provide an opportunity for them to express their creativity and bond with family members. Whether it’s for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, or any other special day, handprint crafts make beautiful, personalized decorations that can be treasured for years to come.
So grab your paints, some construction paper, and get ready to create some handprint magic this holiday season!
