We love reading! Books are filled with interesting adventures that captivate our imagination and spark our creativity, and it’s always so hard to put down a story that is roaring along. But sometimes we must, and a hand-crafted bookmark can soften the blow of separation. Make some fingerprint art into a bookmark, whether it’s for yourself or a unique gift for a special person in your life!
MATERIALS
- Paper (construction, printer, cardstock all work)
- Markers
- Optional: tempera/washable paint, hole punch and ribbons
TRY IT!
- Take a piece of paper and fold it into four parts (lengthwise or widthwise is fine — it depends on how long or wide you want your bookmark to be). Cut along the crease lines. These will be your bookmarks. Feel free to trim the edges to make it thinner or squatter until it is a shape you like.
- Break out your favorite washable marker or paint colors. If using paint, dip your fingertips in the paint. If using markers, color your finger. Press down on the page.
- Ideas: Dip your thumb in red paint and put two thumbprints on the page to make a heart. Use green, red, and yellow to draw a cluster of “leaves.” Use yellow and make a sun using your thumb as the center and your pinky as the rays. There are so many options!
- Connect your thumbprints using the markers. Did you draw a tree? Use a marker to connect all your thumbprint leaves with the branches and trunk of a tree. If you have random clusters of fingerprints on your page, turn it into a flower, or draw on the print to make it into a monster, or a person wearing a top hat! Let your imagination guide you.
- Wow, amazing masterpiece! Take it to the next level by punching a hole in the top and looping ribbon through to make a bow. Use your bookmark on your next literary adventure!
