Fun Friday: Handprint Tree

Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard.

If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you know that I’m not very crafty. But when I saw this idea for a Father’s Day gift that combined two things we love – paint and trees – I thought it might be worth a try.

I managed to come up a with a decent-enough looking tree that even the big explorer was impressed. Then came the real fun – painting hands to make handprints (leaves) on the tree.

Once they’d left their handy work on dad’s picture, they decided more paint fun was in order (isn’t this the best part?).

We decided to add some pine needles to the tree, too. (The explorers had picked up a bunch on a neighborhood walk with dad earlier in the week.)

Then the big explorer added an autograph. We’re thinking dad’s gonna love it.

Take-Home Tips 

• Feature items from nature. To make a nature connection, head out to the backyard or around the neighborhood to search for items to include on your tree (think leaves, sticks, needles, flower petals, seeds and more).

• Substitute traced hands for painted ones. If your kids don’t like messy hands, trace prints instead of painting them. Then color them in.

More Ideas for Spring Outdoor Fun

• Create a backyard forest, Hands on: As We Grow 
• Take a spray bottle nature walk, Teach Preschool 
• Build a snail garden, StrongStart 
• Or try one of these 32 ideas for spring backyard nature fun before the final days of spring are gone!

And don’t forget to celebrate your favorite dad this weekend by heading outside for some quality time together in nature.

Happy exploring!