Cute Animal Bookmark Craft
by Karen & Grace Morris
Kids can use their fingerprints to make an animal bookmark craft. You can use the craft to remind them to use clean hands to read books.
You will need;
- Kid safe, nontoxic, washable, ink pad (Darker colors like blue, red, or black are easier to see)
- Card stock
- An old newspaper
- Baby wipes (to clean messy fingers when done)
- Hole punch
- Ribbon
Cut a piece of card stock 5 by 2 1/4 inches. This is a good bookmark size. Also remember to cut more than one piece, as the kids will want to make more than one!
Cover your work area with an old newspaper. Though the kids will try to be careful, it is always a good idea to protect work areas.
Place your child's thumb on the ink pad, so that it's covered.
Push their thumb down on the cut card stock. This is the bunny's body.
Cover the tip of your child's index finger with ink. Push it down on the bottom part of the thumbprint to make a tail.
Re-ink the same finger and push it slightly above the thumbprint to make a head. The head needs to be a little bigger than the tail.
Take their middle finger and place it on the ink pad. You will only want a small amount of ink on one side of the finger. Push it down on top of the head to make an ear.
You might need to re-ink the finger again and push slightly above your bunny's ear to make it a little longer. Do the same to make the other ear.
Repeat the same process as above to make the legs. You may need to re-ink your child's finger to make each leg. Making your legs longer is not necessary.
Make a Turtle
Make the turtle on the same piece of card stock or make another animal bookmark craft.
Cover your child's thumb with ink and make a print on the card stock. When you make the print, try to make one of the ends a little pointy. This will be the turtle's shell.
To make the legs, repeat the same progress as above. Re-inking their finger to make each leg. Making the legs longer is not necessary. There will be two legs on top and two near the bottom.
Still using their middle finger, re-ink it. Push it on the pointy end of the turtle to make its tail look more like a tail.
Before you do anything else, wipe up fingers with the baby wipes. There! Now we can finish the craft.
Finish the Animal Bookmark Craft
An optional step would be to laminate the bookmark before you add the ribbon.
Punch a hole in the top of the card stock. Tie a ribbon through the hole.
Some other ideas for the bookmarks are to add more prints to fill in some white space. Or write an inspiring quote with a marker.
Try to make other animals or other items using ink and your child's finger, the possibilities are endless.
Animal bookmarks crafts would make cute gifts to give to Dad, Mom, or your favorite teacher.
