Fun Family Crafts!
This time of year allows people to focus on what’s really important: family. Working together on fun family crafts creates memories that make us smile. That’s why I love the holidays. In this family activity you’ll create a unique piece of art that will bring those smiles back every time you see it. I’m sure you’ll want to find wall space for this one!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Canvas(es), paints, wide width paint brushes, paper plates, pencil
WHAT TO DO: Choose your canvas (we used two 20×20 canvases). Decide on a base color for the canvas and one paint color for each member of your family. Hand every family member a wide width craft paint brush and work together to paint your entire canvas(es) with the base color leaving no white areas. Remember, this project will have a little piece of everyone in it, so don’t sweat the small stuff. Allow the kids to paint in any direction they like. You want the final product to really reflect everyone involved (even if it’s not perfect :). Allow the canvas to dry.
Next, sketch out the word “Love” lightly in pencil across the canvas. We did “Lo” on one canvas and “ve” on the second. Pour each remaining paint color onto its own paper plate and decide who is going to represent each color. Only that person will use their color choice. Starting with the largest family member’s hand, dip and move your hand onto the paper plate to cover your hand with paint. Press your hand along the pencil lines of each letter, making one handprint at a time. Then the person with the next largest hand adds his color over the letters. And so on, until each family member has layered the handprints over the pencil lines. Leave a little time in between prints to dry. The final product will create the word “Love” spelled out in your family’s handprints. Allow the art project to dry for a day. Hang in a special place in your home as a reminder of what’s most important.
HOW TO CHANGE IT UP:
-Varying your color choices will make each piece unique to your family and home. Also, you may want to spell out a different word that has meaning to your family – like your last name.
SKILL AREAS ADDRESSED: Fine motor skills, sensory integration, social skills, visual motor integration, visual perceptual skills
Want to take a closer look at the skills kids are using in this activity? Check out our Clinical Closeup page, where we break down the skills listed below in terms everyone can understand.
