Octopus Handprint Craft For Kids [Free Template]
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Octopuses are one of our favorite animals to see at the aquarium! They’re so mysterious and strange that we just can’t get enough of them. This octopus handprint craft is a fun ocean craft for kids that only requires a few supplies.
It’s great for making with preschoolers, kindergarten, and elementary kids and it comes with a free printable template. Download the template, then watch our quick video tutorial to see how we made this cute octopus craft.
Octopus Craft
If you’ve been searching for the perfect art activity for your pre-k or kindergarten bulletin board, you’ll love these octopus handprints. Plus, they’re sure to be a hit with parents and grandparents visiting your class!
Supplies
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pencil
- Dark purple marker
- Octopus template (click the “click here to get your freebies” image at the end of the post)
Directions
Start by downloading and printing the template. Once the template is printed, gather the materials for this fun activity. Get those scissors ready, and let’s help the kids bring this octopus to life!
First, guide your child to trace your child’s left and right hand on a piece of colored cardstock, cut them out, and set them aside. Create the octopus head by gluing the eyes slightly above the mouth.
Next, glue the cheeks outside and below the eyes.
Use a dark orange marker to draw spots on the top of the octopus’s head.
Now, help your child to take your child’s handprints and cut the thumb off of one of them.
Arrange the hands so the fingers are pointing down and slightly overlap them. You’ll want the hand without the thumb to be on top of the other hand. Glue the hands together.
Glue the head to the palm section of the hands.
Use a dark orange marker to draw the suckers along the edge of the fingers.
Finally, encourage your child to slightly curling the ends of the fingertips. You can bend them around the end of your finger or a pencil.
Be sure to check out our Summer crafts while you’re here! Your kids will love creating more fun DIYs like this one!
Kids’ Ocean Books
As any parent knows, getting kids to sit still and focus can be a challenge. But if you want to start an ocean theme study with your little ones, reading aloud one of these great ocean-themed children’s books is a great way to capture their attention and get them excited about learning more about the ocean.
Plus, you’ll get to enjoy a few moments of peace and quiet while they’re engrossed in the story!
The Snail and the Whale– Julia Donaldson, author of the famous book The Gruffalo, brings kids another fun book about an unlikely set of friends. Snail and Whale have lots of fun together in this colorful book!
Shark Lady– This children’s book is based upon the true story of Eugenie Clark, aka, The Shark Lady. Learn about her love of sharks, her discoveries, and the inspiring message of going after what you want in life.
The Rainbow Fish -This is a classic children’s book with a wonderful message for children. In it, a fish learns to share his favorite possession, his glittery scales, with his friends!
Summer Kids’ Crafts
Paper Plate Pirate Craft – Argh, matey! This pirate craft is the perfect activity for a rainy day or a pirate-themed birthday party. It’s easy enough for even the littlest buccaneers to make, and it’s sure to be a hit with all the little scallywags.
Related: Ocean Dot To Dot Printables
Mermaid Paper Craft– This mermaid craft is perfect for kids who love sea creatures. It’s easy to make and only requires a few supplies that you probably already have around the house. Best of all, it’s a lot of fun to make!
Shark Headband Craft – Who knew that sharks could be so cute? This shark headband craft is perfect for kids to make from paper or color in with crayons.
Handprint Jellyfish Craft – On a hot day, the last thing kids want to do is be outside. But this jellyfish craft is the perfect solution! You can make these fun jellyfish in the a/c with just a few supplies, and no paint is needed. So if you’re looking for a fun and easy summer craft, this is the one for you!
Ocean Activities For Kids
If your kids are anything like mine, they are fascinated by sharks! So we’ve put together these free shark connect the dot printables for kids. These pages are not only fun, but they also help with counting, number recognition, and fine motor skills.
Try this Paper Plate Fish Craft
Looking for a fun way to help your kids practice their scissor skills? Check out these jellyfish cutting activity pages! They’re perfect for younger kids who are just learning how to use scissors, and they’ll have a blast cutting away.
These ocean pattern block mats for kids are the perfect way to keep your little ones entertained this summer. Not only are they fun, but they’re also educational. Plus, the colorful design is sure to capture your child’s attention.
This engaging collection of ocean animals worksheets from Homeschool Preschool offers a variety of ocean-themed printables designed to enhance early math and literacy skills for preschoolers.
With activities focusing on counting, letter recognition, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor practice, it’s an educational way to introduce young learners to the wonders of the sea at home or in the classroom.
Octopus Paper Bag Puppet Craft
Share With Us
Did you make this activity with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!
For a chance to have your child’s project featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!
Octopus Handprint Craft For Kids
Video
Materials
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pencil
- Octopus template
Instructions
- Download the octopus template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.
- Begin by tracing your child’s left and right hand on a piece of colored cardstock, cut them out, and set them aside. Create the octopus head by gluing the eyes slightly above the mouth.
- Next, glue the cheeks outside and below the eyes.
- Use a dark orange marker to draw spots on the top of the octopus’s head.
- Now, take your child’s handprints and cut the thumb off of one of them.
- Arrange the hands so the fingers are pointing down and slightly overlap them. You’ll want the hand without the thumb to be on top of the other hand. Glue the hands together.
- Glue the head to the palm section of the hands.
- Use a dark orange marker to draw the suckers along the edge of the fingers.
- Finish off the octopus by slightly curling the ends of the fingertips. You can bend them around the end of your finger or a pencil.
Did you make this?
Don’t forget to leave a comment below and make sure to follow on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok for more!
Free Handprint Octopus Template
Meet Sam
Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump, and more.
