2 Fall Handprint Crafts

We will be creating a ghost and a turkey. Both will have accompanying poems. I am jubilant to share this craft with others because I put so much of myself into it. I wrote both of the poems and created the ghost craft. My children and I have enjoyed handprint art through the years, and I hope you will find it enjoyable too. Children grow up in what seems like the blink of an eye. Handprint art is a creative way to capture a piece of time. I have enjoyed looking back at my children's impressions after many years have passed. When my oldest daughter was a toddler, we made a father's day gift with her handprint. The gift included my daughter's handprint, a photograph of father and daughter, and a poem.

Halloween Ghost

I recently made up and completed this craft with my 4-year-old. We enjoyed ourselves together as we constructed a snapshot of time. It is not your traditional handprint craft because I had my daughter use a closed hand to form the ghost. Handprint art usually displays a child's open hand, rather than closed. I traced my daughter's hand with a white crayon, on black paper, to form the ghost. We added two white buttons for eyes and an orange glass gem for a mouth. The ghost was then glued onto pumpkin colored card stock. To complete our masterpiece, I wrote an original poem on the paper.

Supplies needed to replicate our Halloween Ghost:

Liquid craft glue

Glue stick

White crayon

Black or pumpkin card stock

2 small buttons for the eyes

1 glass gem for the mouth

A pen or printer for writing or printing the poem

A child's hand

The Poem: I Love You, Boo!

I made a ghost for you,

to say I love you and boo!

My hand formed the apparition,

showing that a happy Halloween to you,

I am wishing.

Halloween will come and go,

as I continue to learn and grow.

Look at my ghost next Halloween,

to see how much growing a year did bring.

Thanksgiving Turkey

Last year at preschool, My 4-year-old made a handprint turkey for me. Framing the orange turkey in a red picture frame, made for a beautiful autumn decoration. This year my daughter will be 5, and we will make another handprint turkey together. I am looking forward to doing a different version of this craft with my daughter. I am excited to write an original poem for this year's turkey because writing poetry has been a lifelong hobby of mine. I plan to hang the pictures side-by-side on my wall. We will make this year's turkey beige and aim for a gold picture frame.

Here's what you will need to design your own Thanksgiving turkey:

Orange or beige washable stamp pad

Brown and red markers

Light colored card stock or construction paper

A pen or printer for writing or printing the poem

Picture frame

A child's hand

4 Simple Steps:

1.) Write or print the poem.

2.) Press your child's hand firmly in the stamp pad. Next, help him or her lay their open hand on the paper with the poem.

3,) Use the brown marker to make the turkey's legs, beak, feather, and eye. Use the red marker to make its wattle.

4.) Let dry and frame.

I will write four things that my daughter is thankful for, one on each of the turkey's feathers.

The Poem: Thank You

My hands are small yet significant,

while growing more independent.

I used them to create this souvenir,

for you to remember me year after year.

I thank you for your love, your time, your caring,

and for sharing,

your life with me.

Handprint crafts are great to give to parents, grandparents, and godparents. Save them for years to come, use them as home decor, and enjoy making them with a little one.

Halloween Ghost (handprint craft) is an original creation of the author, Rebecca Bardelli, as are both poems.