With all the art supplies I’ve accumulated, it’s ironic that one of my favorite things to use is as close as my hand. Literally. And for anyone who feels, not so confident in their artistic ability, fingers can be better than brushes! Ask your grandkids: they naturally use them all the time! What do they know that we may have forgotten? Long-distance grandparents – creativity is at your fingertips!
Let’s start with a basic fingerprint. By itself, it’s a lovely oval shape. But, if we add just a few lines and then play with color and repetition, we open up a whole new world. Our fingerprints can become animals or plants or imaginary thing-a-ma-jigs. They’re also perfect for video chats with our grands, because the shapes are simple and the lines are easy to see. And, I’ll show you how to use them for games, too!
So what supplies do you need? Besides soap, water, and paper towels for clean up, you’ll just need 3 things: something to make the finger prints, a black pen, and paper. I’ll begin with a few supply pointers below. Afterwards, I’ll show you how to use those fingerprints to initiate all kinds of creative art and play with your grands.
SUPPLIES
Making a Print
There are two basic ways to make fingerprints. You can use a homemade ink pad or a purchased one. The important thing to remember for either one is that the paint or ink should be washable. “Washable” by the way, usually applies to hands but not always fabrics. Something to consider with clothes and surfaces choices!
Homemade Fingerprint Ink Pad
- Place a slightly damp sponge on a plastic top. Pour a little tempera paint on the sponge. Press your finger into the paint, then onto paper.
- With a water-based, washable marker, draw on your the back of your finger. Press finger onto the paper.
Purchased Fingerprint Ink Pad
- You can find individual colored ink pads like – Bess Premium Ink Pads 20/pack, or large ink pads like – Giant Washable Ink Pads.
- Another option is a multi-colored inked pad like the Melissa and Doug Multicolored Stamp Pad.
Black Fine Tip Marker
Any kind of black pen or marker with a fine tip will work. Experiment to see what you like best. Hint: wait until the finger print dries before drawing.
Drawing Paper
Any inexpensive drawing paper will do. For example, here’s a pack of three pads. Note: printer paper is pretty thin and wet fingers may stick to the paper.
The Basic Technique
First, press your finger on the ink pad, and then on the paper. Let it dry (usually it’s pretty quick). Then add lines for some personality!
Pretty simple process, right? So, let’s play with this a bit to build up some confidence and explore the possibilities. Your enthusiasm for play will encourage your grands to experiment when they do it. I’ve given you four drawing ideas to get you started. The key here is to draw and not think about it.
- People– Try adding basic “stick” figure elements. It’s amazing how expressive your fingerprints can become. Then try putting a bend in the elbows and knees, or changing the expression. You get the idea.
- Animals– Go for the ears at first. That’s one of the easiest ways to recognize an animal. Want more detail? Identify the most distinguishing elements of that animal and add those in. For example, add a long fingerprint for a daschund’s body, short legs and skinny tail.
- Birds– Changing the angle of your fingerprint gives birds a lot of character. Just a few extra details to make them come alive.
- Imaginary Creatures – No limit here! Just put a few fingerprints on the paper. Connect them and see what you come up with!
Now you’re ready to roll!
Games at Your Finger Tips
The fingerprint drawings above are such a fun way to connect with your grandkids. And guess what? You can also use them to play games on video chats, too. Here are samples of a few ideas. The simpler ones are best for younger children. For the more complex games, keep in mind your grand’s age and ability. When you play, here are a few things to consider:
- You can do the fingerprinting and then ask grands questions.
- You can do the fingerprinting and then have them try it out with their own home set.
- Or, have your grands teach you what to do!
Games of Opposites
Concepts like big/small or long/short are really fun to do with finger prints. What other opposites can you come up with?
What’s the Same/Different?
Make a line of fingerprints. Include one or more that’s different from the others. Then, have your grand guess the odd one(s) out. Why are they the same or different?
Math Games
Use fingerprints for math games. It can makes the learning fun! Just by changing the ink color, your grand is doing simple addition, subtraction and more!
Pattern, Repeat!
Depending on your grandchild’s age, this can be very simple or quite complex. Take turns challenging each other to repeat a pattern if you both have ink pads. If your grand doesn’t have the supplies, just have them say the pattern out loud. Like, “Blue, yellow, blue yellow.” Notice that the squiggles and lines, make it even more interesting. Warning: long pattern lines may lead to colorful fingers AND lots of giggles.
Word Play and Stories
When the finger prints are dry, they become perfect backdrops for letters. Also, they can be a great way to practice spelling. Leave one blank and let your grand tell you what’s missing!
Finally, those finger print drawings can also make great inspirations for made-up stories. Just get your grands started and you may be surprised with the results!
Creativity Is At Your Fingertips
It’s great to find things to do with your grands that are both inexpensive and encourage creative fun. Fingerprint art fits the bill! With all this in mind, if you’ve tried any of these ideas or would like to suggest one of your own, just let us know. You might find it included in our blog!
Happy printing!