Mother's Day and Father's Day Cards

Children grow up quickly. This unique idea for a Mother's or Father's day card captures little ones' fingerprints in timeless, fun designs.

Card Making Activity Instructions

Protect a work surface by laying down a sheet of newspaper. Ask kids if they want to decorate just the outside or the inside of their card too. Some children may want to draw a picture around one or two fingerprint animals, like a frog on a lily pad or a dog in a yard. Others might want to make lots of different creatures.

Help kids get started by applying their fingerprints to construction paper folded in half to create a card. Either a light coat of paint or ink from a stamp pad works well for this project. Have kids lightly dip their fingers in the paint or press them into the ink. Show them how to lightly roll their fingers onto the paper to transfer their prints. Encourage kids to experiment with both horizontal and vertical placements. Give the cards a few moments to dry.

During this time, discuss with kids what animal they want to create from their fingerprints. Triangles on the tops of a print can act as ears for a cat or a pig. Dog ears typically look best drawn as ovals along the sides of a fingerprint.

Simply fill in the center with a round nose or whiskers. Little ones are often able to dot on eyes and draw in smiling mouths. To draw a fish, draw small triangles on the tops and bottoms of fingerprints and a large triangle on one end to act as fins.  Then kids can draw a dot and line on the other end to create the face. Little ones can put a line of fingerprints in a row to create a caterpillar. Draw on legs and antennae to complete the look.

When children are satisfied with their animals, help the write a message to wish parents a happy day!

Card Making Materials

• Newspaper
• Construction paper
• Acrylic paint or stamp pads
• Markers

Children will be delighted to present their parents with a one-of-a-kind card that showcases their fingerprints and expresses their love.

Craft Mom Feedback

This craft idea was great because I like to buy the rubber stamp sets for my children at oriental trading company and other places in sets. This craft idea is a reminder to put these supplies to use. Otherwise if you do not own rubber stamps they are inexpensive and come in sets with the ink pads, even from online rubber stamp companies and they are fun to use. Parents will enjoy making their own cards a long side of their little ones.