Fingerprint Christmas lights card for toddlers

Age: 2+ · Time: 15 min · For: Ages 3–5

This is one of the quickest and cutest Christmas cards a toddler can make. A wavy line, a row of colorful fingerprints, and there it is: a string of Christmas lights. It takes fifteen minutes, and grandparents always love it.

What your child does, where you help

Your child: chooses the colors and presses the fingerprints.
You: fold the card, draw the wire and the little caps on the bulbs.

Variations

Lights on a tree: draw a tree and let the light string zigzag across it.
Gift tags: do the same on small pieces of cardstock to tie to presents.
Glow: add a white highlight dot on each bulb for a shiny look.

Safety

Use washable paint that is safe for skin, and wash hands well afterwards.

You need

a sheet of thick paper or cardstock (letter-size), white, dark blue or black
finger paint or tempera paint in a few bright colors
a flat plate or lid for the paint
a black or dark marker
baby wipes
an envelope (optional)

Steps

Fold the cardstock in half to make a card.
Draw a wavy line across the front with the marker. This is the wire of the lights. On dark paper, use a white or silver pen.
Put small blobs of paint on a plate.
Let your child dip one finger in a color and press it along the line, a little below the wire. Each fingerprint is a bulb.
Continue in different colors along the whole line. Clean fingers with a wipe between colors.
Once the paint is dry, draw a tiny rectangle at the top of each bulb where it meets the wire.
Write a Christmas greeting inside, with your child's name and age.