Kids Craft: How to Make a Painted Hand Print Tree with Kids

by Jessica Cox on September 14th, 2018 | No Comments »

I am so excited to be here today from Cox's Corner! This is my very first kids craft and I had an absolutely blast! For this craft, I wanted it to be something special that I would treasure and that my little one would be proud of! I decided it would be fun to make a tree out of my kids' hands and feet so we could use it all year round for different seasons. It may even be fun to turn it into a family tree!

Here is what the finished tree looks like:

My little guy was SO proud to tell me all about it! I'm thrilled to have captured how small their little hands and feet are before they grow up!

How to Make a Painted Hand Print Tree

Supplies:

A blank canvas
Brown paint
Green paint
Paint brush or sponge brush
Pencil
Cute kids for their hands and feet
Possibly a helper if you have really little ones

Directions:

1. Take a pencil and draw a tree base onto your canvas. I would draw lightly. If you make a mistake where you'll be painting over, it's no big deal, but if you make a mistake on the canvas, it's not as forgiving as I hoped it would be.

2. After your base/trunk is completely drawn, paint the trunk brown. I used short strokes. I really liked the effect it gave and it was easier to control the brush that way.

3. Continue with your short strokes all the way up your tree. If it's too light, you can do another coat of brown paint.

4. Let your tree trunk dry. After it's completely dried, it is ready for your little ones. I decided to start with my oldest first. I painted his hand completely green.

5. Then I pressed his hand onto the canvas and made sure he knew not to wiggle his fingers. We could go about two hand prints before we needed to repaint his hand for more paint.

6. We alternated using both hands to make sure the tree looked even. Here is how the top of your tree should look:

7. Then, it was my baby girl's turn. I went ahead and painted both of her feet to get started. This was definitely a two person job. My hubby held her and also made sure the foot we weren't using at the time was clear of the canvas.

8. I alternated each foot every time. I reapplied paint as needed. This is what your finished tree will look like:

It was truly so much fun! I love it and so does my little one! For fall, we are going to cut out leaves and write what we're thankful for and stick them on there!

If you would ever like to stop by, I would love to have you!

What are some things you have done to preserve your little one's feet and hand prints?

I am a 29 year old stay-at-home mommy to two adorable kiddos! I started blogging publicly and sharing tutorials after my baby girl was born. I suffered through postpartum depression and found that crafting helped me feel like myself again and I wanted to share that joy with others! I share all sorts of tutorials over at my blog, Cox's Corner. A few of my favorites are my Washi Tape Frames, Interchangeable Wreath Form, 4th of July Wreath, and my Tutu Tutorial with a twist.
I am also trying to lose 100 pounds by my little girl's 1st birthday. I share updates on how my weight loss is going as well as some funny weight loss stories! You are welcome to stop by anytime!