With the 4th of July rapidly approaching I wanted to take the opportunity to share a few more easy patriotic crafts and activities for it and I love this simple handprint flag craft which I think makes a gorgeous keepsake!
Of course flag crafts are perfect for the 4th July, Labor Day or Memorial Day and using big things to print with means that it’s easier for smaller hands to who can stamp the paint onto the paper making it a great craft for toddlers or preschoolers.
I’ve also shared a couple of little tips in this post to make this activity even easier for you to do with your kids.
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What You'll Find on This Page
Handprint Flag Craft
I love sharing easy crafts that kids can make but ones that can be used as keepsakes too? Perfect!
This easy flag craft can be made by kids of all ages so if you have a toddler or child in kindergarten then it’s a great way for them to be able to get involved in the celebrations as well as being something that older children in school can make too.
As there’s no scissors or glue involved in this activity it can mean that it’s easier to include younger kids or to make this as a group activity although obviously the fact that your kids will be making handprint art means they will still need to be supervised!
Like this craft? As a parent of two kids myself I know how many things I mean to make with them and then totally forget about it because of sleep deprivation and trying to find shoes and all that sort of thing, so if you want to make sure you remember this be sure to bookmark this page or pin an image.
Plus keep reading for our favourite 4th of July crafts and activities for kids plus some great recommendations for 4th of July books to share with your kids this year.
Craft Supplies
- White cardstock
- Blue, white and red paint
- Sponges (rectangular or square)
- Plate or tray
- Optional – star stickers, wipes, paint brush
How To Do Handprint Crafts With Kids
There are a couple of different ways that you can make handprint crafts with kids, both of them are super easy so it’s up to you which one you prefer.
The one I think is used most is to pour some paint into a plate or tray and then place your hand carefully into it before placing your hand down onto your craft to form the hand shape.
I love doing this but my problem is that sometimes the paint doesn’t cover all of your kids hand or fingers.
The second way, which I prefer is to take a paintbrush and paint the palm and fingers of your child’s hand to make sure that it is covered all over.
I would also add that in most cases my kids also find that this tickles and that giggles are normally a good addition to any craft!
If we’re making something and my kids really want to get their handprints right then sometimes they’ll have a practice on a piece of scrap paper to check how it will look.
Which ever way you choose to make a handprint craft with your kids I really recommend keeping some wipes or a damp cloth near you to help clean their hands up afterwards.
As much as my kids might know that they need to wash their hands in a basin straight afterwards I also know that accidents happen and sometimes things get touched on the way there so it’s great if you can get the worst of the paint off first!
Patriotic Handprint Craft
To make this craft start of with some white cardstock. For crafts like this I really prefer using card over paper because with the potential for a large amount of paint getting used paper can get drippy and torn a lot more easily.
The card stock holds paint a lot easier and helps to make sure that your child’s artwork stays looking awesome!
Put red and blue colored paint onto two separate plates, using separate ones helps reduce the chances of paint getting mixed before you’ve finished.
We use old plastic plates that we used to use for camping because they can be re-used and shouldn’t break if they get dropped.
Grab some sponges and get ready to start printing your flag craft. We used some kitchen sponges as they made great rectangle shapes but obviously if you have something sat in your cupboard at home that you could use then go for that instead.
To print the blue on the flag we used the large back part of the sponge while to make the red stripes we used the thin long edge.
Wait until the paint on your flag is dry you and then add your handprint following the tips above. You could add some white star stickers, or draw some stars on.
More 4th of July Activities and Crafts for Kids
We love sharing free printable templates for kids crafts and our latest addition is this eagle template. You’ll find two designs in the PDF file to choose from and as well as being great for coloring you’ll find craft ideas for it too.
Fancy trying your hand at more simple American flag crafts? Why not try out this one that uses a lego block! You can also see a video of this craft in action on this page for some inspiration. No Lego? How about making a fingerprint flag instead?
Finally these paper plate American flags have been super popular and are great if you have a few kids to keep busy.