Easy Thumb Print Art Ideas for Kids

Making thumbprint art is a great way for kids of all ages to see how the shape of their thumb print pressed on an ink pad can be transformed into magical things with just a black marker. We have some simple thumb print ideas to get you started on making art masterpieces thumb printing!

Easy Thumbprint Art Ideas - Kids Activities Blog - top of image has 20 different thumb print art ideas kids can make with a colorful ink stamp pad at the bottom — Let’s make thumbprint art!

Thumb Print Art for Kids

Kids love playing with ink stamp pads. They use rubber stamps with them but they also like to stamp their hand or even their thumbprints.

Related: Handprint crafts for kids

Why not turn those simple thumbprints into a cute piece of art – Thumbprint Art!

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ink stamp supplies needed to make thumprinting art- paper, marker, and ink pads — This is what you will need to start thumb printing.

Supplies Needed for Thumb Printing

Directions for Thumb Print Art

Step 1

Place thumb flat on ink pad and give a little pressure to cover the surface.

Step 2

Then stamp the paper by pressing thumb on the paper where they want the thumbprint to appear.

Tip: Stamp the finger tip for a small circular shape or whole thumb for a larger more oval shape.

These little prints are cute by themselves but now is when the fun really begins.

example of thumbprinting: thumbprint collage with cowboy, pig, frog, and cat — Let’s make something fun with our thumbprints!

Step 3

Use the thin black marker to create little creatures from the prints.

Thumb print painting- how to make a thumbprint card — What a cute way to use thumbprinting.

Step 4

Once your child gets the hang of the basic creations, they can work on creating a full thumbprint scene.

Tip: We love using this technique for card-making with kids: My daughter turned her prints into a scene from Spring to make a get well card for a dear friend.

Thumbprint art- follow step by step- cats, fish ,bees, racoons, bear, birds, elephants, snails, and caterpillars with colors orange, red, gray, blue, yellow, green — Let’s make art with our fingers & thumb!

Step by Step ThumbPrint Art Instructions

Fingerprint art steps for drawing cat and apple, fish and bee, panda, monkey, bird, elephant, snail and a very long caterpillar.

Related: More inspiration from cork painting idea for kids

Drawing Thumbprint Art Inspiration from Ed Emberley

I love to get inspiration from Ed Emberley. He has written several books showing how to make incredible creations with thumbprint art:

More Fingerprint Art Activity Books for Kids

Fingerprint activities book with ink pad for kids — Use your thumbprints and the ink pad to make colorful art.

1. Fingerprint Activities Book with Ink Pad

This adorable and colorful book full of pictures to fingerprint with its own ink pad is fun for kids to paint with no matter their skill level. The colorful inkpad allows children to make fingerprint pictures quickly and easily and the inks are non-toxic.

Buy: Fingerprint Activities Book

2. Fingerprint Animals Book with Ink Pad

This finger-painting book includes simple, step-by-step instructions for lots of pictures and scenes to create using only fingerprints and a multi-color ink pad is included.

Buy: Fingerprint Activities Animals Book

3. Fingerprint Bugs Book with Ink Pad

This colorful book comes with its own inkpad of severn bright colors to make fingerprint bugs with step by step simple instructions.

Buy: Fingerprint Activities Bugs Book

–>More Fingerprint Activity Books Here

Materials

Paper
Ink stamps – choose one color or lots of colors!
Thin black marker

Instructions