Handprint Apple Tree Craft Tutorial

Apple Tree crafts are among my favorite in the fall and autumn season. I love the bright green colors mixed with the bold color of the red apples. I shared this Apple Tree craft at Brassy Apple last month, but wanted to make the tutorial available here as well. The handprint trunk makes this tree a special keepsake.

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Materials you will need:

12″ x 12″ blue cardstock paper
brown cardstock paper
coffee filter
green acrylic paint
light green acrylic paint
2 large pom-poms
2 clothespins
2 small paper plates
red sequins
glue stick
school glue
pencil
scissors

Directions:

1. Start by opening your clothespins and pinching them onto your large pom-poms. These are going to be your brushes for painting your tree.

2. Pour some dark green paint and light green paint on a small paper plate. Have your child dab the pom-pom brush in the paint and onto their coffee filter. Continue dabbing with the the different colors until the coffee filter is completely painted. The coffee filter is light so it might move around a bit as it gets covered with paint. We used our fingers to straighten it out continued painting it, but be ready to head to the sink after you’re done painting (or have some wet wipes ready). Let the coffee filter dry completely.

3. While the coffee filter is drying, trace your child’s hand and a section of their arm on your brown cardstock paper and cut it out.

4. Once your painted coffee filter is done drying, have your child use the glue stick to glue it onto their blue cardstock paper. Make sure to glue it at the top of the paper so your trunk will fit.

5. Now glue your brown handprint trunk onto your blue cardstock paper, with the handprint section overlapping the coffee filter.

6. Finish by gluing red sequins onto your tree as apples.

For older children who aren’t interested in using their handprint, or if they want to make a unique design, they can simply cut a tree trunk and branches out of the brown cardstock paper.