We were sent a great activity book to review recently, which came in really handy for the boys over the summer holidays. This was “Creative Hand Art” from b small publishing- a book with loads of ideas to make really effective pictures using only the shape of your hands or fingers.
The book has pages with the base of a design, and then it shows you how to complete the picture by drawing around your hands. Sometimes this is just a normal hand print, and other times it could be two hand prints combined, or it could be just the finger prints. There is plenty of variety in the pictures. You can make people, animals, vegetables, vehicles, flowers and more. There are also some free style pages at the back, for your child to use for whatever kind of designs they can imagine.
I love how simple yet how effective it is. The boys have enjoyed making hand prints and drawing round their hands since they were about 1 and half but I had not thought of so many ideas to adapt these hand prints into something so much more. Even once the book is finished, it will still be useful as a reference to get ideas and try to recreate them again on plain paper.
Mr Z (age 5) totally got the concept of the hand print pictures and it was brilliant for his age and stage. He spent a long time adding all the details and was so proud of his pictures. The younger two boys were interested and enjoyed having a turn but I would say the book is best for around age 4+ at a minimum, to get the most out of it.
I will admit it, I had a go myself too. I can resist doing a bit of colouring from time to time! Luckily the boys let me join in 😀 The butterfly picture is mine. The fish is Mr Z’s.
I would definitely recommend this. We love this kind of thing for keeping the kids entertained on a rainy day, and I also really like that it helps them to develop their attention in sitting and focusing on an activity for longer periods of time, and helps to develop their fine motor control and pencil grip.
What ideas have you got for making pictures out of hand prints? If you know of any really effective ones, share them with me in the comments!
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
Fantastic idea, might have to take a look at these. My son just might show an interest in doing these.
looks like great fun!
great idea, looks good
My little ones love handpainting…..some great ideas 🙂
I love handpainting with the kids
my kids once made me a mothers day card using their handprints as the petals in a circle 🙂 it was beautiful xx