Children's Handprint Art Ideas for an American Flag

Decorative Art

America is a country that is full of individual people with varying beliefs living harmoniously together. Just as no two handprints are the same, there are no two people alike, yet America thrives on diversity. Express this thought through a fine art piece. Prime a canvas with white paint and invite children to dip their hands in blue paint to cover the upper left corner. Let children use fingers to add red and white strips onto the canvas. Mat and frame the picture to use as a home decor piece.

Decorative American flag art can be used to decorate for patriotic holidays or all year long. Have a child put his hand down on a piece of white card stock to create a template. Cut out the handprint and trace it numerous times on red, white and blue construction paper. Cut out the hands and glue them to a piece of wreath-shaped cardboard.

Paint the palm of a child's hand with blue paint. Paint the fingers, excluding the thumb, alternating in red and white. Press the hand against a piece of white paper so the paint comes off on the paper. The impression will be of a blue area next to white and red stripes like the American flag. Add foil star stickers to the blue portion of the flag. Attach a craft stick to the side of the paper to create a flag that can be waved during a patriotic event or as a party favor.

Create a useful handprint craft. Make a pot holder out of a child's handprints to give as a gift on a patriotic holiday. Start with a plain white pot holder and paint the child's hand with non-toxic fabric paint. Paint the palm of the child's hand blue and the fingers red and white. Press the hand against the pot holder to create the likeness of the American flag. Hand-paint some white stars on the blue portion of the flag.

Create wearable American flag-themed art. Create a T-shirt design a child or an adult can wear. Start with a plain white T-shirt. Find blue fabric with white stars and red and white striped fabric. Trace a child's hand onto each type of fabric. Cut the handprints out and sew them onto the T-shirt. Add buttons to embellish.

You can also create wearable art by painting children's hands with fabric paint in patriotic colors and transferring the picture onto a white T-shirt.

Create a curtain or backdrop that can be used during a patriotic-themed performance. Start with a plain white piece of fabric, such as a white flat bed sheet. Use fabric paint to create red and blue handprints all across the curtain.

Other handprint art pieces include creating edible and patriotic art. Bake sugar cookies that are approximately the size of a child's hand. After the cookies have cooled, dip a child's hand in blue food coloring and press it against the cookie. Embellish with white star sprinkles.