Hi friends,
I know it’s a little early but I’ve got to say it, fall is almost here!!! With all the crazy in the world, I’m looking forward to the fall season more than ever. The colors are probably the most soothing to me, followed by all the scents, and warm & fuzzy things that accompany it. When I was younger, I use to drive down a street in my little hometown, slowly and JUST for the view. It was filled with huge beautiful trees, but in the fall, it was a multicolored scene. At the time it didn’t have many stop signs, so I could coast as I soaked it all up! It was the best!
Those memories got me thinking, our kids are growing and changing much like trees, I thought we could document that in a fun way. This weekend the littles and I got right to work with lots of fall colors for our own trees and leaves. They giggled and squirmed a bit as I traced their bodies, enjoyed the squishy paint between their fingers, and ooohed & aahed with each of their unique prints. We talked about how the leaves change during the seasons; the colors being the most beautiful & noticeable change, and eventually falling before growing back. Check it out below!
*Click on photos for closer look
What You'll Need
Craft Paper Roll
Paper Plates
Scissors
Pencil
(2) Brown Craft Paints
Fall Craft Paint Colors
(2) Paint Brushes
Rinse Cup
Table Cover
Wipes or Rinse Bowl
Optional: Kid’s Apron or Protective Covering, (2) Paper Clips
The Steps
TRUNK & BRANCHES
Unroll the paper enough for your child to lay on with their arms extended up AND(the part we forgot) 1-2 feet above for the leaves.
Scoot their legs together, place their arms slightly bent, and tuck in their clothing so that you have a smoother silhouette to trace.
Trace their body and extended fingers.
After your child gets up, roll the paper up backwards/opposite direction of curl to help straighten/flatten it out.
Matthias’ s trunk
5. Place your table cover onto your workspace and unroll the paper over it.
6. Squirt both browns onto a plate and with a brush sprinkle some water on them. This will help thin and distribute paint easier. Mix and add more if needed.
I let the kids hang out while I painted the trunk for them, it seemed like too much effort and not as exciting for them.
7. Paint the lighter shade in the middle sections and the darker shade on the outer edges. It helps created depth. Add more detail if you’d like.
8. You can add branches where their head was, more around their arms, and/or extend the fingers.
Let dry for 10 minutes.
LEAVES
1. Once dry, roll up the bottom portion to free up space. Hold together with paper clips.
2. Squirt each paint into its own plate and sprinkle water (old rinse water works fine).
*If you have more than one child, it’s best to have another adult/helper with them or have each child take turns. Matthias decided to go first.
3. Place the child’s open hand in the paint/water and swirl around.
4. Let them choose where to place their prints or help direct them as I did with Matthias.
5. Press firmly and continue until the paint is mostly gone from their hand. Repeat with more paint.
6. Clean off hand with wipes or a washbowl.
7. Move on to the rest of the colors, repeating steps 3- 6, until you are done.
Let dry 10 minutes and that’s it!
Micah’s trunk
I painted this trunk a little different.
Micah started with green too.
Matthias’s finished tree!
Micah’s finished tree!
Happy crafting!
Amanda and Naomi
+ Micah & Matthias
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