I have always loved making crafts. Now that I am a mother of four, I also love making crafts with my kiddos. When my oldest was younger and an only child, she and I made crafts together all the time. I was especially obsessed with making handprint crafts with her.
Making handprint crafts for the holidays is a great way to celebrate with a young child while making a priceless keepsake. For St. Patrick’s Day when she was a toddler, my oldest and I made a fun handprint rainbow complete with a pot of gold.
Fun fact: Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. But he was born in Britain to wealthy parents at the end of the fourth century around 385 CE. (His exact birthdate and birthplace are unknown.) He was never actually canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. Rainbows symbolize heavenly blessings in Ireland, and supposedly Saint Patrick saw the rainbow as a representation of God’s promise to never again destroy the earth with a great flood.
Materials
- Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, and gold nontoxic paint
- Blank paper
- Paper plate or paint tray
- Cotton balls
- Cotton swab or paintbrush
Directions
- Pour some red paint onto the paper plate.
- Use a cotton ball to create a thin layer of paint on the palm of your child’s hand.
- Press the red handprint onto the paper starting on the left side.
- Wash the paint off your child’s hand.
- Repeat the first four steps with the orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple paint. The palm prints will form a rainbow.
- Use the black paint to create a black pot under the purple handprint.
- Use the gold paint to create gold coins in the pot.
A rainbow handprint is a fun craft to make with a toddler for St. Patrick’s Day. At first, my toddler daughter was not too fond of the paint on her palm. However, by the time of the green handprint, she no longer cried when I put the paint on her hand. She also really enjoyed playing in the running water as I washed her hands.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and happy crafting!
For more St. Patrick’s Day crafts, try my Footprint Four-leaf Clover St. Patrick’s Day Toddler Craft, Handprint Rainbow St. Patrick’s Day Toddler Craft, Handprint Four-Leaf Clover Toddler St. Patrick’s Day Craft, Shamrock Paper Plate Wreath, Pot of Gold Rainbow Paper Plate Craft, and Burlap and Ribbon St. Patrick’s Day Wreath Craft.
Handprint Rainbow St. Patrick's Day Craft
Materials
- Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, and gold nontoxic paint
- Blank paper
- Paper plate or paint palette
- Cotton balls
- Cotton swab or paintbrush
Instructions
- Pour some red paint onto the paper plate.
- Use a cotton ball to create a thin layer of paint on the palm of your child's hand.
- Press the red handprint onto the paper starting on the left side.
- Wash the paint off your child's hand.
- Repeat the first four steps with the orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple paint. The palm prints will form a rainbow.
- Use the black paint to create a black pot under the purple handprint.
- Use the gold paint to create gold coins in the pot.
This post was originally published on March 14, 2013 and updated on March 9, 2023.
Image Credits
Handprint Rainbow St. Patrick’s Day Craft © 2013 Heather Johnson
Rainbow Acrylic Paint © 2013 Heather Johnson
Red Paint on a Paper Plate © 2013 Heather Johnson
Red Handprint © 2013 Heather Johnson
Orange Handprint © 2013 Heather Johnson
Yellow Handprint © 2013 Heather Johnson
Green Handprint © 2013 Heather Johnson
Blue Handprint © 2013 Heather Johnson
Purple Handprint © 2013 Heather Johnson
Painting a Black Pot © 2013 Heather Johnson
Painting a Pot of Gold © 2013 Heather Johnson
St. Patrick’s Day Handprint Rainbow © 2013 Heather Johnson