How to Make a Fall Fingerprint Tree

This simple craft is a great way to get ready for fall with your young children. They can also learn a little bit about their own unique fingerprints in the process, and how they are just like the autumn leaves in that no two are quite alike and no one else in the world is quite like them. This project can get messy, so be sure that you allot enough time for cleanup into your plans.

Things You'll Need

• Fingerpaints
• White paper
• Newspaper

Instructions

1. 

   Spread out the newspaper over your work area. Fingerpaints are messy by nature, so you will need to make sure that the entire table is covered.

2. Cover your child's fingers, palm and wrist with brown finger paint. Use a fair amount so that you will be able to get a clear print.

3. Have your child press their hand and wrist onto the paper. The resulting print will be the trunk and branches of the tree. If necessary, your child can fill in the trunk with more brown paint.

4. Make colored leaves by making many fingerprints around the tree. You can make it a fall tree by using red, orange, yellow and brown.

5. Use the green paint to make fingerprint grass at the bottom of the page. You may also want to add a few remaining green leaves on the tree that have not yet turned.

6. Let the picture dry for several hours. You can use this time to talk about fall plans, play games, go for a walk to find real fall trees or to clean up.