Kids can make a handprint tree with messages about what they are thankful for.
By Amanda Formaro
What You Need:
- sheet of white poster board
- pencil
- tempera paint, markers or crayons
- construction paper in red, yellow and orange
- markers
- scissors
- glue or tape
- glitter glue (optional)
What You Do:
At the top of the poster board, entitle your tree “Smith Kids Thanksgiving Tree”, inserting your family surname (or classroom name) in the title.
With a pencil on poster board, draw a basic tree with a branch for each child in the family. If you only have 1-2 children, it might be fun to include two or three branches for each child.
Using tempera paint, markers, or crayons color the tree trunk brown. On red, orange, green and yellow construction paper, trace 10 copies of each child’s hand. Cut out and give each child their “leaves”.
Each child writes one thing that they are thankful for on each leaf (grown ups can help if needed!). You may decorate the leaves with glitter glue if you like. Next, tape or glue the leaves onto their designated branches.
This makes a great activity to keep kids happy during a large family gathering. Hint: Make the base ahead of time for quick start up.
Hang up the Thanksgiving Tree where the whole family can see it. Makes a great conversation piece! Later, after dinner, have the children present their tree to the family gathered around. Each child tells what they are thankful for and why.
For added fun, make additional poster board bases up ahead of time so that the rest of the family can add their leaves as well. Have supplies at the ready!
Variation: This project can also be easily adapted to a cork board (see photo) by simply using colored push pins to match the leaves. Use brown construction paper to make the tree trunk.
