This Cardinal Handprint Craft preserves a precious child’s handprint as a picture of a cardinal. Kids will love making cardinals sitting on a branch in the winter snow, plus it makes a special DIY card or gift for Christmas!
Jump to:
Cute Craft Alert: Make a Handprint Cardinal
Just yesterday my daughter pointed out a cardinal in the branches of the bare tree behind our house. All of the grandkids ran to the window to see it!
The bright red bird was beautiful. Cardinals are a favorite bird, especially in the winter!
Why don’t you make handprint cardinals with the kids to capture that pretty bird and the precious handprint? The kids will love putting their hands into the red paint!
Supplies for a Cardinal Handprint Art Project
You don’t need much to bring these cute handprint cardinals to life!
- Blue construction paper- Use blue construction paper or blue cardstock paper.
- Acrylic craft paint- A set of acrylic craft paints will have all the colors you need (red, black, white, yellow or orange, brown).
- Other supplies- Paper plates to put paint on, a paint brush, and paper towels for cleanup. A toilet paper tube is optional.
Steps to Make This Craft
Ready to make our winter cardinal handprint craft? Place the blue construction paper vertically for a small child and make two handprints for birds.
Place the paper horizontally for a larger child and only make one handprint bird.
Paint branch and snow
Use brown acrylic craft paint to paint a branch from the side of the page almost completely across the page (with twigs coming off the end of the branch). If making two birds for a small child you can draw or paint a branch coming from both sides of the paper if you would like. Only draw 1 branch for a larger child because their handprint is larger.
Paint snow on the top of the branch or branches with white acrylic craft paint.
Add snowflakes
Paint white snowflakes on the background of the picture. Don't paint snowflakes right on top of the branch where the bird is going to sit.
Make snowflakes by making a cross and then adding two more lines across. Then paint some small lines around the outside edge. It gives the effect of the snowflake. The video will show you how this is done. If you want, you can wait to paint the snowflakes until after you're finished with the handprint bird.
Make a handprint
Spread some red acrylic craft paint out on a paper plate. Press the child's hand into the paint. Make sure the palm of the hand is completely covered.
Press the hand onto the canvas paper so that the bird is sitting on top of the branch and the thumb it's going upwards. The thumb print will be the crest of the bird's head. The fingers will be the tail, so place the hand the direction that you want it to sit on the on the branch
Paint the details on the bird
Paint what is the bottom of the hand farthest from the fingers with some black craft paint to be the face of the bird. Add a circle eye of white and then a dot of black on top of that to make the eye.
Paint a yellow or orange beak coming from the front of that black face of the bird
Add two small legs on the bottom of the bird to attach it to the branch add 3 little toes to the bottom of each of the legs. Paint these in yellow or orange or black.
This finishes your handprint cardinal craft!
There is a full length tutorial video found at this link: Cute Winter Cardinal Handprint Craft for Kids Full Length Video
Craft Tips for a Cardinal Handprint
- Paper size- If you want an older child to make two birds (larger handprints), purchase oversized construction paper. Place it vertically for their project.
- Snow on branches- Take a minute to explain how snow falls and sets on the top of tree branches. This helps them to know where to place the white paint on the branches.
- Paint on hand- Kids enjoy pressing their hands into the wet paint. But you can also use a brush or foam brush to paint the surface of the kids hands instead.
- Handprint- Have the children press their hands on the paper with the fingers only slightly apart. This isn’t a “turkey” like handprint with fingers wide apart.
Craft Variations
Want to switch things up? Here are a few ways you can customize and play with this cardinal handprint art.
- Toilet paper tube- Use a toilet paper tube to make snowflakes with young children. Clip the tube up about ½ to ¾ inch all the way around one end. Dip this end in white paint and press on the paper. If I did this option again, I would slit the TP tube and tape it to make it smaller around. The snowflakes would be smaller as a result.
- Snowflake stickers- Stickers of snowflakes would work well instead of painting snowflakes.
FAQ
This post answers that question!! Paint on the branch and snow on the branch. Press a red handprint over the branch. Paint on a black face, an eye, yellow beak and legs. Add snowflakes around the bird.
Acrylic craft paint works well. They come in sets and are great for a variety of craft projects.
Spread paint out on a paper plate and press the hand into the paint. Make sure it is covered entirely with paint. Press the hand with firm and equal pressure onto the paper or canvas. This will give a good handprint.
More Easy Winter Crafts for Kids
Looking for more great winter crafts and easy DIYs for kids? Here are a few favorites for you to try:
Come Join the Fun!
Try this craft, leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo with #WelcometoNanas wherever you post.
Want More Crafts?
Love getting crafts straight to your inbox? Sign up to receive a weekly email and get a free gift!
Cute Winter Cardinal Handprint Craft for Kids
Equipment
- none needed
Items Required
- blue construction paper or blue cardstock paper.
- acrylic craft paints
- Other materials: Paper plates to put paint on, a paint brush, and paper towels for cleanup. A toilet paper tube is optional.
Instructions
- Place the blue construction paper vertically for a small child and make two handprints for birds. Place the paper horizontally for a larger child and only make one handprint bird.Use brown acrylic craft paint to paint a branch from the side of the page almost completely across the page (with twigs coming off the end of the branch). If making two birds for a small child you can draw or paint a branch coming from both sides of the paper if you would like. Only draw 1 branch for a larger child because their handprint is larger.
- Paint snow on the top of the branch or branches with white acrylic craft paint.Paint white snowflakes on the background of the picture. Don't paint snowflakes right on top of the branch where the bird is going to sit.Make snowflakes by making a cross and then adding two more lines across. Then paint some small lines around the outside edge. It gives the effect of the snowflake. The video will show you how this is done. If you want, you can wait to paint the snowflakes until after you're finished with the handprint bird.
- Spread some red acrylic craft paint out on a paper plate. Press the child's hand into the paint. Make sure the palm of the hand is completely covered.Press the hand onto the canvas paper so that the bird is sitting on top of the branch and the thumb it's going upwards. The thumb print will be the crest of the bird's head. The fingers will be the tail, so place the hand the direction that you want it to sit on the on the branch
- Paint what is the bottom of the hand farthest from the fingers with some black craft paint to be the face of the bird. Add a circle eye of white and then a dot of black on top of that to make the eye.
- Paint a yellow or orange beak coming from the front of that black face of the birdPaint too small legs on the bottom of the bird to attach it to the branch add 3 little toes to the bottom of each of the legs. Paint these in yellow or orange or black.
Leave a Reply