Ready to channel your inner squirrel? In this activity, preschoolers, with some guided help, and school age children get to create some fun acorns, every squirrel’s favorite snack, using paint and handprints. Once this project is completed, you can hang up your fall decoration around your room or somewhere near a window for squirrels to admire!
Supplies:
Brown and white washable paint
Paintbrush
White paper
Paper plate (to pour the paint on)
Paper towel (to remove paint from your hands)
Activity Steps:
Step 1: Gather materials
For this fun activity, you are going to begin by gathering all the materials mentioned above. Make sure to find a clean workspace where you will have enough room to create your masterpiece! Fun fact: when a baby squirrel is born, they are only about an inch long!
Step 2: Pour paint
Next, you are going to grab your white and brown paint colors and the paper plate. Pour a nickel size amount of brown paint and then add a small amount of white paint. Then, mix these colors and keep adding white paint until you have the shade of tan you want to use for the bottom of the acorn. You should use the paintbrush to mix the colors until the colors are fully blended together.
Step 3: Paint your hand
After you have the shade of tan you want, paint the palm of your hand with an even layer. Make sure to get the entire bottom surface, including from the base of your palm to the tips of your fingers! Did you know a squirrel pretends to bury their acorns to trick thieves and other animals that might steal them?
Step 4: Make handprints
Once your hand is covered in tan paint, stamp it onto your piece of paper. To do this, press your hand firmly down, flattening your fingers and palm against the paper with pressure from your other hand in order to get a clear hand print. Depending on how much room your paper has and how many acorns you want, repeat this step one or two more times in different spots on the paper. Then use the paper towel to remove the remaining paint or go wash your hands.
Step 5: Adding tops
Now we are going to complete the acorn by adding the tops. Pour a quarter size amount of brown paint onto the plate. Use your paintbrush and draw a line at the bottom of your hand with the paint, but make sure it is on the end opposite of your fingers. Then, make a half circle on top of that line, again, going away from your fingers. Fill this half circle in evenly with brown paint. Another interesting squirrel fact is that their front teeth never stop growing!
Step 6: Finishing your acorn
Position your paper and the acorns to have your fingers pointing down and the brown tops above the tan base. For this final step, paint a stem in the middle of the top of the acorn by drawing a curved line with the paint. Repeat this step to every acorn you have. The stem can look however you want, curved, straight, thick, thin, etc. Have fun with it!
Step 7: Dry and clean up
Allow time for your acorns to dry before hanging them up and showing them off! Please remember to clean up your workspace. Throw away your garbage, clean your brushes, and put your materials away where they belong. Enjoy your new fall artwork and be on the lookout for squirrels and their acorns!
~Made by Desirae W.