Monday, June 14, 2010

Hand Print Tree Activity

Adam and Eve
Hand Print Tree Activity
by Annette at Live, Learn, Love

Adam and Eve - they have quite the reputation, don't they? Though the fall of man is what they are most known for, they truly were created and blessed by God. Think about it! They were God's very first people! The human race is here today because of them!

Adam and Eve, God's First People: Biblical Values (I Can Read!™ / Dennis Jones Series)

In the book Adam and Eve: God's First People, illustrated by Dennis G, Jones (author not credited), this book is the story of Creation, not just of Adam and Eve. It is very well told, and has rather amusing illustrations. I want to point out an outstanding part of this book. It ends by explaining that God had a plan to send His son, Jesus, to save people from sin. Sometimes that is ignored in the retelling of Creation.
Hand Print Tree on Blue Paper

My three year old and I have completed some Creation activities before (continue reading for ideas and links), so I had to think a bit before coming up with a hand print tree. I asked my daughter to tell me what kind of fruit she wanted on the tree since the Bible does not state what type of fruit was eaten.

Gather Your Materials:
paper
paint brush (a sponge brush is great for beginners)
paint for trunk, leaves, fruit

Directions:

It is a simple project that you can alter to make it your own, but here are some simple instructions.
  1. Prepare your work surface with newspaper or something to protect it from paint.
  2. Paint a line on your paper to show the tree trunk.
  3. Paint one of your child's hands and press it to the paper with fingertips outward. (See photo for guidance.)
  4. Repeat step #3 until you have a full "tree." (We used six hand prints, I think.)  At this point we choose to add some "grass."
  5. Let the tree dry.
  6. Paint the tip of your child's thumb the color of your chosen fruit. Have your child press thumb to the tree to add the fruit.
  7. This is a great time to remind your child that people can choose to use God's creation for good or bad, but it always makes God happy when we obey Him.
Lots of craft activities can be completed in connection to the story of Creation, a book like Adam and Eve: God's First People , or even just a children's Bible. A preschooler or school-aged child would enjoy moon magic painting that I did with my daughter when we talked about Creation. Even a very young child can create a snake, with assistance, and my then 2 year old loved it! (Click links for the moon and snake activities we did.)

Consider asking the child to tell the story prior to reading the book or the Bible if you think they are familiar with it. Another option would be to ask the child to retell the story while completing the craft. Any time a child "teaches" another, it helps them to remember it for themselves.

In case you missed the rainbow activity that incorporated God's promises that we shared previously here at Winning Readings, please click the link!

Annette is mom to two little ones.  You can find kids' activities, book reviews, and more at her blog, Live, Learn, Love.

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1 comments:

Carrie said...

That's an awesome idea! My oldest is just getting to the point where we can handmake gifts for others. So now I'm starting to pay attention to suggestions like this one! Thanks for sharing!