Fall Fingerprint Tree Craft for Preschool

I have met very few children that haven’t loved finger painting! Painting with your fingers can be a great sensory activity and also helps children with pointing and dotting paint (fine motor skills). This is a versatile activity that can be changed with the season and teach our kids about changes and lifecycles.

Why Should I Let Children Fingerprint?

While painting as a whole can be fun for both children and adults, the benefits of creating the Fall Fingerprint Craft go beyond just a pretty picture. Children will use their senses of touch and sight primarily for this activity, however you can also give them edible paint for them to explore smell and taste.

And don’t always expect a Pinterest worthy project from your child. It’s important for children to create using their imagination and own creativity. The whole idea of process art is not about the outcome but the process and exploration it took to get there. The website Tinkerlab.com has an excellent description of the benefits of process art.

Plus if your kid loves using their fingers to create art you might want to check out our DIY recipe to make your own finger paint. I totally get that you might want a mess free option too. This less messy option might work the best for you.

Reasons to Use Fingerprints and Finger Painting:

Fine Motor Skills: When children use their fingers and hands to paint with, it strengthens muscles and prepares our kiddos for more complex activities (tying shoes, writing with a pencil, zipping coats). Fine Motor Skills are an essential part of our children’s lives and growth.

Self Expression: Having an imagination is crucial for our young learners. Letting our children express themselves, discover, and communicate helps with positive social/emotional development. Some children with trauma can best communicate their feelings through art or music. Giving our children an outlet to be themselves and feel safe is critical for growth.

Increases Cognitive Development: There are many aspects of cognitive development that are included in painting. Identify colors, mixing paint, exploration, and trail and error are just a few concepts practiced during painting. Hand-eye coordination is strengthened by visualizing where they want the paint and how to move their finger to get it there.

How Do I Create the Fall Fingerprint Tree?

Fingerprints and painting is a very different experience that using a paintbrush, roller, or Q-tips. This unique artistic process is so much fun for our kiddos from the age of 1 to adulthood. The craft includes simple materials that most of us already have in our house (and our backyard).

Materials You Will Need for the Fall Fingerprint Tree Craft:

• White cardstock
• Clear glue
• Small sticks
• Ink pads (various colors) or washable paint

How To Make The Fall Fingerprint Tree Craft

Step One:

Glue the sticks to the card stock paper to make it look like a tree. 

Set aside and allow to dry.

Step Two:

Use the ink pads to make fingerprints around the tree for the leaves. (I recommend the child wiping his/her finger off when switching colors to prevent mixing colors on the ink pads.)

Step Three:

Continue printing leaves on the tree until you get the desired amount of leaves. 

Then, display their fall tree art!

Yay! You did it. What Now?

I love the idea of having an art night or creative exhibit event for parents and families to attend. Displaying your students’ projects and art is a great way to boost their self confidence and explore more of their creative side. I don’t know about you but when I show up for one of my children’s events, the smile on their face could light up the sky. When their people show up for them, they know that they are loved.

This is also a great time to talk to your kiddos about seasonal change and life cycles. Create the craft after a unit on seasons or focusing on the changes that happen during the fall.

Are you looking for more fine motor art activities?

After you are finished with your fall fingerprint tree, try our apple fingerprint counting activity. Or try our fall tree q-tip painting activity.

Looking For More Ways to Differentiate?

All children are different and learn in different styles. One size does not fit all, therefore there should always be ways to change and modify most activities.

1. Some children may not enjoy getting their hands or fingers messy with ink or paint. Provide other alternatives such as using a Q-tip or the end of a pencil eraser. They will still get many of the same benefits of the process art without any sensory overload.
2. Currently not in the fall season? No worries! You can change out the colors of ink or paint to match the leaves or buds on the trees. Don’t forget to remind students that in the winter sometimes trees lose all of their leaves, but some trees keep them. They can also add little flowers or snowflakes for an extra touch.
3. Why not add a little literacy to our process art. Students can write a short sentence or story about their fall tree. Where was it planted? Does an animal live in their tree? What will happen to the tree throughout it’s lifetime? Students can share their art and work on their creative writing skills at the same time.

More Ways to Explore Fall

Mess-Free Leaf Paint: Fall leaf paintings are a colorful way to display the result of the seasons changing. Use paint in a Ziploc bag to contain the mess.

Create a Book: Make a life cycle book with half sheets of paper and child illustrations/labels of each step in the changing of the leaves on a tree.

Picture Matching: Give your child real-life, seasonal pictures of trees. See if they can match them to these fall scavenger hunt items.

Sensory Bin: Talk about patterns in seasons and work on fine motor skills as you play in a fall themed sensory bin.

Have a Snack: A tree themed snack is a great way to please hungry kiddos while still reviewing important concepts and vocabulary! Use pretzel rods, icing, and colorful candies for the leaves.

Play a Game: Continue learning about the chilly season while getting little bodies moving and shaking. Check out the fall gross motor cube for a great brain break!

Frequently Asked Questions

These are frequently asked questions about making the Fall Tree Fingerprint Craft.

Fall Art and Craft Activities

• Fall Leaf Suncatchers
• Fall Theme Marble Painting Activity
• Fall Leaf Salt Painting

More Activities You’ll Love:

Want Even More Painting Ideas?

• Summer Ice cube Painting
• Orange Print Painting
• Lemon Print Painting
• Butterfly Salt Painting