DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Mother's Day Fingerprint Cards

This simple crafted card uses fingerprints (or cotton swabs) and paint to create a shape for the front of a Mother's Day card.  I've also provided optional templates with a title, poem and "about mom" questionaire to complete your card.

You can use the templates I've provided (I have quite a few different options) or let the children create their own.  Making up their own pattern is suitable for older children... kids younger than grade school usually need the guidance from the templates and often even grade school kids appreciate the inspiration.

You can also paste a photograph or print a message inside many of the patterns (for example, the heart or the sunshine).

Materials:

• paper,
• printer,
• paint,
• scissors
• glue
• Optional:  cotton swab

  Note:  My daughter went through a "phase" where she didn't like to get dirty crafting.  Cotton swabs ended up being my solution for her doing fingerprint crafts.  Feel free to use them instead of fingerprints if you're working with a child who doesn't want to dip their finger into paint.  It's sort of like mini bingo dauber art!

Instructions - Fingerprints:

• Print out the template(s) of choice.  There are lots of options! 
   
  or
   
  Make up your own pattern.  Draw a simple pattern on half a sheet of paper with a pencil.  Don't make the pattern too complicated as you're going to have to fingerprint stamp it.  (you can fold the paper in half before you start designing)
• Fold the template in half to fold a card shape.  There is a dotted line on the printed templates to help you know where to fold.
• Trim any extra paper.  This wasn't necessary on my printer (the template folds right down the middle of the paper for me) but different printers may be different, so feel free to trim if you need to.
• Stamp fingerprints all around the outline on the template.  The color versions of the templates give guidance on what colors to use, but you can be creative!
• Optional:  Glue a photo to the center of the shape or print a message inside.

Instructions - Words:

• Print out the words templates of choice
• Cut the pieces out.
• If using, have the children fill in the blanks on the questionnaire about mom.
• Glue the pieces into the card however you want.  I envisioned it so that:
   
  • the title went on the top of the front of the card,
  • the questionnaire goes on the inside left of the card,
  • the poem goes on the inside right of the card,
  • the hearts are used to decorate however the children want (beside, above or under the poem or on the back)
• Include whichever pieces you like, however you'd like to include them!

Craft Templates:

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers).

Fingerprint template - fish        (color)   or    (B&W)

Fingerprint template - flower 1 (color)   or    (B&W)

Fingerprint template - flower 2 (color)   or    (B&W)

Fingerprint template - heart      (color)   or    (B&W)

Fingerprint template - hearts    (color)   or    (B&W)

Fingerprint template - star        (color)   or    (B&W)

Fingerprint template - sun        (color)   or    (B&W)

Words template                 (color)   or    (B&W)

Words template - God      (color)   or    (B&W)

Words template - M.O.M.  (color)   or    (B&W)

Printable version of these instructions